Fake Anti-Virus Software (Scare-Ware): Should You Be Afraid?

I’d like to make you aware of the existence of some very unscrupulous websites that you should avoid. They sell fake anti-virus software through a technique the computer security community calls “scare-ware”, one category in a larger group of fraudulent software called malware.

There are a group of “scare-ware” websites that offer to provide “free computer scans” that will reveal and fix the problems with your machine.  However, what happens when you agree to one of these scans is that while the website pretends to be scanning your computer for viruses, it downloads a small program that suggests…then requires…you to purchase a license to remove and protect your computer from viruses. Here’s how the scenario usually plays out: it displays a very serious sounding alert that a multitude of viruses have been found on your PC which is intended to induce you to purchase their package to fix them.  Some of the sites say they will fix a small portion of them for free, but you’ll have to purchase the package to have them all addressed.

This is important…the software is fraudulent in that it has lied about the viruses found and it will never identify a real virus or remove it! Let me say that again: This is important…the software is fraudulent in that it has lied about the viruses found and it will never identify a real virus or remove it!

And if that isn’t horrible enough treatment, this type of scare-ware has the capability to deposit a program on your computer that will steal personal information such as your bank account, name and address, etc. in order to sell the information to those who make a living stealing identities. This flavor of malware is very prevalent right now, in fact organized cyber-crime groups in Russia, Romania, Korea and China have become very rich committing this crime all over the world.

Here are two of the recent scare-ware programs to avoid:

ProductScare-ware

PC Antispyware 2010 Trojan.Downloader.Bredolab.CZ

Windows Enterprise Suite Trojan.FakeAV.XP

If you think you’ve been “had” by one of these brutes, there’s a site called Virus Encyclopedia that gives a good description of the scare-ware and some instruction on how to remove it…however, I should warn you that, in some cases, it may take a computer security expert to completely remove it from your computer.

So how do you protect your PC from being “infected” ? There are many excellent products,  some for free and some for purchase, that will do a good job for you. Microsoft provides free software that can be used with Windows.  Otherwise, you can feel relatively safe ordering PC anti-virus cleanup software from a reputable company such as Norton Anti-Virus, McAfee, or Kaspersky (I have no relationship with either company).

It’s my hope that you’ll use this information to avoid any contact with these unscrupulous “scare-ware” vendors and their products. Highly effective, legitimate PC anti-virus software is available and affordable to protect your PC.

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About the Author:

Paul Lubic is a seasoned IT guy who’s used computers at home for many years. He uses his blog site to pass on lots of valuable information that you can use in your home computing endeavors. Check back often to see what he’s up to at Paul’s Home Computing Blog at http://www.paulshomecomputingblog.wordpress.com . Remember, home computing is a blast…keep it productive and enjoyable. Paul E. Lubic, Jr. paulshomecomputing@yahoo.com