Scareware Scams
By: Colleen | December 17, 2008 | Category: Money
If you're anything like me, you've been doing your best to avoid any retail places during the holiday season. I'd love to shake the hand of whoever invented online shopping!
As always though, "buyer beware!" Scams and frauds are all over the internet, particularly during the "most wonderful time of the year."
The latest one preys on people actually trying to protect their computers. This "scareware" scheme comes in the form of a pop-up that appears on your screen while you have a web browser open. It might say something like, "Beware! Your computer has been infected!" Or, "Malicious software has been detected!" When you click on the pop-up, you will get an offer to buy software like "Winfixer" or "ErrorSafe" that claims to protect your computer from viruses. These different softwares will cost you around $30-40 and are totally bogus. They will tell you your problems have been fixed, when in reality, there was nothing to fix in the first place. But your wallet will be a tad lighter.
Over a million people have been duped by this type of fraud. The FTC has pushed for a court order to be signed to try and halt the broad-reaching scheme.
To best protect your computer:
- Make sure you have legitimate anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software.
- If you get one of these pop-ups claiming you have a virus, close the whole browser. Do not click the link, or even the "x" box at the top.
- Use the control/alt/delete function if your browser won't respond to your exit.
If you've been scammed by "spyware" you can report it at www.ftc.gov, or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. For information on dealing with other types of scams and frauds, check out the Pueblo scam site.
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