FTC Slaps Fake "Win Antivirus" Scammers On Wrist
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The FTC has agreed to settle with some of the scammers responsible for the repulsive "Win Antivirus" scam, in a decision that's effectively a slap on the wrist.
I doubt this will result in any kind of serious setback for the fake antivirus software industry. $116,000 is chump change for criminals who charge consumers $50 and up for these bogus products, which are known by various names including Win Antivirus, XP Antivirus, WinFixer, DriveCleaner, and ErrorSafe. Check out my previous entries here, here and here for more details on how insidious these programs can be.
There is more money still being made out there at your expense, so be sure the programs you're using are the real deal. I hope the FTC will continue to pursue and prosecute the miscreants responsible for such scams.
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Posted byTriona Guidry at 4:48 PM
Labels: antivirus, consumers, malware, scareware, small business, spyware, viruses