Fighting Scareware

The number of fake antivirus and scareware programs increased in 2008 and will likely continue to rise this year, according to IBM’s 2008 X-Force Threat and Risk Report.

The scams usually begin with Web site redirects; a fake error message or a malware detection warning is then displayed. A free software scan is often offered, which can reveal a host of problems. Users are then asked if they want to buy a full fake program to clean them up. Scam artists can go to great lengths to make the software look legitimate, according to a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Alert. The software is also sometimes offered on trusted Web sites.

The FTC says one way to avoid the scam is to know which vendors to trust. Consumers can look for products that have been reviewed by testing firms such as AV-Comparatives or West Coast Labs. A quick Web search on the product can also help.

If faced with any fake-program warning signs, it’s best to close the browser, says the FTC. If a pop-up window remains, “don’t click ‘No,’ ‘Cancel,’ or even the ‘X’ at the [pop-up’s] top right,” it advises. Any of these actions can activate the program. Instead, in Windows, press “Control,” “Alt,” and “Delete” to open the Task Manager and click “End Task.”