FTC Takes Down Fraudulent Anti-Spyware Company

[Notok]

-{ Quote: " Chalk one up for the good guys. The FTC today announced that it's filed a restraining order against a company that allegedly offered Internet users a spyware scanner program that falsely reported that computers were infected with spyware, and which failed to remove any spyware at all from infected machines. (We detailed some similarly sketchy businesses in last fall's story, Poor Defenders.)

The commission issued a report Monday (made public today) that alleges the company, MaxTheater, Inc., engaged in fraudulent and deceptive business practices. Operating from the Web site SpywareAssassin.com, the Spokane, Washington-based MaxTheater offered visitors free scan of their PCs, and then sold them a $30 product called Spyware Assassin which, the commission says, didn't do a thing." }-

http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/000567.html

[dog]

Add links & Info

FTC Press Release - http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/03/maxtheater.htm

PDFs:
Complaint - http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0423213/050311comp0423213.pdf
Restraining Order - http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0423213/050311tro0423213.pdf

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Other Articles
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News From Spyware Warrior - http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Suzi's Blog - http://netrn.net/spywareblog/archives/2005/03/11/rogue-vendor-spywareassasin-busted/

BBR Thread (site is currently down :'( ) - http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,12888758~mode=flat

[snowbound]

IMHO, there's a few more crapware vendors out there that need their comeupins too. >:(

Let's hope this trend continues. :)



snowbound

[Socio]

Back in October I believe they indicted some guy in New Jersey I believe, I do not have a link I just remember hearing about it on the evening news. This guy had two companies, one that made spyware and then another that made antispyware. The catch was his antspyware would remove spyware just not his.