Pa. lawsuit: Rental firm spies on users

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Wyoming couple is suing the Aaron’s Inc. furniture rental chain, saying it rents computers loaded with software that can track keystrokes, screenshots and even webcam images of customers at home.

In today’s lawsuit filed in Erie, Pa., Crystal and Brian Byrd, of Casper, Wyo., say they paid more than $1,200 for a laptop computer with the software last year.

The couple tells The Associated Press they didn’t learn about the PC Rental Agent software made by an Erie-area company, Designerware LLC, until an Aaron’s employee wrongly accused them of not paying for the computer and tried to repossess it last year.

Officials for Atlanta-based Aaron’s and the North East, Pa.-based software firm both say they haven’t seen the lawsuit and can’t immediately comment on it.