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Showing posts from November, 2017

Uber discloses '16 data breach

Hack in October affected 57 million customers, drivers SAN FRANCISCO - Uber on Tuesday disclosed that it was the victim of a data breach in October 2016 that affected 57 million of the ride-hailing service's customers and drivers. So far, there's no evidence that the stolen data has been misused, according to a blog post Tuesday by Uber's recently hired CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi. Uber now says it had a legal obligation to report the hack to regulators and to drivers whose license numbers were taken, instead, the company paid the hackers $100,000 to delete the data and keep the breach quiet. The revelation marks the latest stain on Uber's reputation. The San Francisco company ousted Travis Kalanick as CEO in June after an internal investigation concluded he had built a culture that allowed female workers to be sexually harassed and encouraged employees to push legal limits. It's also the latest major breach involving a prominent company that didn't not

Rent-A-Center

Five times the price Rent-A-Center, a publicly traded company, has two basic business models.  It has more than 2,400 stores, largely near low-income neighborhoods and military bases, where customers can rent items directly. It also operates as Acceptance Now inside nearly 1,300 independently owned furniture stores, including Ashley Furniture and Rooms-to-go.  In those showrooms, customers pick out furniture but instead of buying it themselves, Acceptance Now purchases it and leases it to them, removing the store from responsibility in disputes. The rent-to-own industry has been controversial for decades, largely because it is pricey.  A NerdWallet analysis of Rent-A-Center prices to rent or buy in 48 states and the District of Columbia showed the costs. A Vizio soundbar with subwoofer retails for $148 at Amazon.  It would cost more than five times as much, $779, if you lease-purchased in a one-year contract from Rent-A-Center.  At a weekly rental rate of $14.99, a customer could