Submission Number: 00052 

Received: 10/5/2012 2:24:00 PM
Commenter:  Johnson
Organization: 
State: Florida

Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Initiative: Proposed Consent Agreement In the Matter of DesignerWare, LLC; FTC File No. 1123151
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
Let me share with you what I think happened. You heard about the couple from Aaron’s having their picture taken on a computer they claim they owned. So, you decided to investigate this. You had no complaints at all from any State, my business, or consumers, but then again you decided it warranted review. You somehow got a list of people that bought this software. I will assume you ordered the manufacturer to turn it over. You then went to these rental stores and demand to see what they were collecting. You were upset at what you found and demanded an immediate halt. Am I correct so far? If we stop there, I think you’d be okay. But that’s an injustice and it appears that’s exactly what you did. I would like to inform the public in this FTC forum that theft of rental property is running amuck in this country and with this economy. More and more people believe they do not have to return rental property. In other words they steal. They just walk away from their house, their car, their obligations; but in my case they walk away with my computer! Now I would like to publicly state that I know these facts because I own stores and I got one of your letters demanding information. But you never once came back to me and asked me about each computer now did you? If you did, then I would have pulled the rental contract and showed you that at the time we installed the detective mode the rental contract had already expired more than 10 days, letters were sent, they were called or tried to be called, and the list goes on. Only after exhausting all other means, including locking the computer we reported it stolen. Also, I would have shown you actual police reports where these innocent renters (as you portray them) said it was stolen and strangely enough the webcam showed them using it. I got no help form you for the past 10 years trying to recover these computers at all. I got no help from the AG in my State at all. Now you both want to prosecute me for trying to recover my property? I do NOT know how other dealers used the product but I can tell the American Public how I used it. I can also share with the American Public that you did NOT ask me anything other than how many computers I installed it on. You did NOT ask the status of the rental contract, you assumed these were consumers and I spied on them? Public opinion you ask for, so here it is: The FTC and AG’s have violated my civil rights and Constitutional Rights. I have been denied my property without due process. I have been accused, harassed, and bulled into signing an agreement because of the costs of fighting is too much for my small business to absorb. I swear, and state fully that the FTC never asked why we used the webcam to recover any particular computer. Based on their filings they assume that these are customers and not criminals in possession of stolen property as clearly stated by State Law. Every one of my customers signed an agreement that clearly states we can use the webcam if the computer is reported stolen. The FTC never contacted that person, they never contacted me, and they never entered into my store to really see how the business works. They along with the AG in my State have NEVER helped me recover any stolen property. The do not understand or recognize that if a person does not return an item they are a thief. Lastly, the rental contract does NOT give any consumer any rights after their contract expires. They agree to return it and if they do not, under State Law, they are committing a felony. I further state that ever computer we ever installed the software on was is one that legally was considered stolen and the person monitored was committing a felony.