Fighting malware and spam

'Anti-spyware' peddlers to pay $2 million

Bogus claims cost dear

Two US companies that promoted anti-spyware products through a series of deceptive claims have agreed to pay a total of nearly $2 million to settle charges brought against them by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

According to the FTC, each of the dodgy operators claimed to have detected spyware on consumers' computers, regardless of whether there really was any, before selling the consumers anti-spyware software that either did not work or did not work as advertised.

As well as paying out $2 million, the companies are prohibited from making deceptive claims, and one is barred from selling or marketing any anti-spyware product or service in the future.

The full story can be read here.

10 January 2006

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