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FTC Kills Scareware Scam That Duped Over 1M Users

coondoggie writes "The Federal Trade Commission today got a court to at least temporarily halt a massive 'scareware' scheme, which falsely claimed that scans had detected viruses, spyware, and pornography on consumers' computers. According to the FTC, the scheme has tricked more than one million consumers into buying computer security products such as WinFixer, WinAntivirus, DriveCleaner, ErrorSafe, and XP Antivirus. The court also froze the assets of Innovative Marketing, Inc. and ByteHosting Internet Services, LLC to preserve the possibility of providing consumers with monetary redress, the FTC stated."

6 of 329 comments (clear)

  1. Your computer is broadcasting an IP address! by DelitaTheFridge · · Score: 5, Funny

    Click here to fix it, we promise.

  2. I have them beat by LurkingOnSlashdot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure these might just be "scamware"... but I beat them at their own game by installing all 5 of the mentioned programs. The combined power is sure to be effective even if one alone is not!

  3. Re:Get a rope! by Trepidity · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll volunteer for the firing squad.

    Finally! We usually have to get someone sentenced on trumped-up charges to get our weekly execution, because nobody ever responds to the call for volunteers.

  4. Re:A fool and his money... by Keramos · · Score: 5, Funny

    I believe this is called Windows Live OneCare, right?

  5. Re:Old news by the_bard17 · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's because the Linux community has collectively decided that *you* don't deserve to run it, so we put in special code to keep you off the 'net. It's better for everybody this way.

    ;oD :op

  6. Sign me up! by whizzleteats · · Score: 5, Funny

    You mean there's anti-virus software that will find pornography on my computer? Will it show it to me as well? :D