But it can be — and you may be helping the hackers gain access.
“These TV sets are not built with security in mind,” said Jack Gerbs, CEO of Dayton-based IT services firm, Quanexus.
Nefarious computer whizzes can take control of the built in camera and microphone, monitor what you are watching, or use the TV like an open door.
They use it to “scan the rest of your network to see if there’s any vulnerable computers out there they can exploit and steal the information out of the computer,” said Gerbs.
Unsecured wi-fi networks and weak passwords make it even easier- so secure your network and upgrade to a complex mix of numbers, letters, and symbols.
Gerbs said the problem will get worse due to the growing number of apps for smart TVs.
“These applications are coming out so fast with no security in mind. They are just putting them out there to make money and the applications have vulnerabilities that are going to make the TVs more susceptible to hacking,” Gerbs said, so make sure you research app developers and security before downloading any app to your TV.
Retailers make returns tougher
If the above has you feeling sketchy about your new TV and you want to return it- a few stores are making it harder this year especially with big ticket electronics and tech.
Some retailers with return "any-time" policies have new restrictions, according to Consumer World.
If you have Christmas gifts that have been under the tree a while you may have already missed the return deadline, according to
features editor, Benjamin Glaser.
"You have stores that give you as little as two weeks for returns. There are not many of those, but Barnes & Noble and Forever 21 are kind of famous for their very strict stingy return policies," said Glaser.
Before you head to the store to make a return or exchange, you should:
- Research the retailer's return policy online
- Gather any documentation- receipts and confirmation numbers
- Be prepared to negotiate
If you don’t have a receipt?
“Your best bet might be partial store credit. It’s unlikely that you are going to get a full refund in the original form of payment,” said Glaser.
Last year, $63 billion dollars in holiday merchandise was returned or 10 percent of holiday sales, according to the National Retail Federation.
New year, big debt
So you’ve decided against returning that new smart TV- but now it’s time to pay the credit card bill and yikes- did you really charge that much this holiday season?
A Wallethub study projects the average household will owe $8,300 to credit card companies as we start the new year- close to the record high, and collectively it's the largest net increase in credit card debt since 2007 at $80 billion dollars.
“Unfortunately credit cards just make it easier to spend what we don’t have,” said Tim Brandon, education coordinator with Graceworks Credit Counseling Service in Dayton.
If you are feeling the debt crunch, he recommends making a budget and “power-pay.”
“Attack the highest interest rate debt first and as you pay off one credit card, take that money on that card and apply it to the next card, until you get it all paid off,” said Brandon.
Look into transferring debt to a zero-interest card, but watch out for deadlines.
“After six months or 12 months it may go to an exorbitant fee because the creditors are out to make money,” said Brandon.
To help prevent the debt cycle from kicking up anew this new year- start saving- even if it’s only a small amount each month, said Brandon.
“Obviously the best way to use a credit card is to pay it off every month,” said Brandon.
Rachel Murray is a WHIO-TV consumer reporter. You can watch her reports on News Center 7, follow her on Twitter @RMurrayWHIO, and like her fan page on Facebook.
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