Anti-Spyware Scamming People For Profit

[Tundro Walker]

So I was surfing the web, and came across this lovely site here...

ContraVirus (http://contraviruspro.com/land.php?page=5)

NOTE: I don't recommend opening it if you're currently surfing with Windows / IE, but if you're using Ubuntu, you'll have a good laugh. Check out the screenshots to see what "viruses" and stuff it found on my UBUNTU computer. LOL! :D

BTW, checking into the program, looks like it's a malware that this site tries to trick you into installing, making you believe it found all kinds of crap, and that installing it will fix the stuff. All it's doing is racking up BS file names, progress meters and "bad" things to make you think your computer is infected. None of it's real...it's not scanning your computer or anything (if it was, it wouldn't have found all those .dll's on my Ubuntu machine...lol!)

Also, I'm not posting this to bash Microsoft or Windows . Regardless of what OS or software or whatever folks use, there will always be dishonest folks out there using Social Engineering to try to scam others. Talk about bottom-feeders....

[mikeym]

As if spyware trying to mess up your machine wasn't bad enough now you have these jokers trying to scam the conscientious.

Windows just seems like an STD now only without the fun bit.

[Dokatz]

So I was surfing the web, and came across this lovely site here...

ContraVirus (http://contraviruspro.com/land.php?page=5)

NOTE: I don't recommend opening it if you're currently surfing with Windows / IE, but if you're using Ubuntu, you'll have a good laugh. Check out the screenshots to see what "viruses" and stuff it found on my UBUNTU computer. LOL! :D

BTW, checking into the program, looks like it's a malware that this site tries to trick you into installing, making you believe it found all kinds of crap, and that installing it will fix the stuff. All it's doing is racking up BS file names, progress meters and "bad" things to make you think your computer is infected. None of it's real...it's not scanning your computer or anything (if it was, it wouldn't have found all those .dll's on my Ubuntu machine...lol!)

Also, I'm not posting this to bash Microsoft or Windows . Regardless of what OS or software or whatever folks use, there will always be dishonest folks out there using Social Engineering to try to scam others. Talk about bottom-feeders....


That's the kind of stuff my mom totally downloads.

[insane_alien]

lol. i never new i had so many .dlls on my computer.

i loathe these sites. i have managed to train my parents that they don't need this as we're not using windows anymore and even if we were i had it almost bullet proof(well, as bullet proof as you can get XP which is as bullet proof as a very very thin sheet of paper that rips when a fly sneezes in its general direction from 100 metres. but you know what i mean)

i trust them that they won't try downloading this stuff any more as i showed them what it can do to your computer when i was getting ready to wipe XP.

incidentally, ^ that is is what trusted computing should be like. i trust them not to get fooled into installing crap, they trust me that i'm going to tell them how to fix it if they do bork it anyway.

[dasunst3r]

Who all has the (somewhat-suppressed) feeling that spammers, scammers, and malware-makers should die a slow and painful death (or shot if you're merciful) upon conviction?

[rax_m]

LOL .. fantastic.

How do we report people like this so that others don't suffer?

[juxtaposed]

I see so many of those; mostly in banner ads, with the style of XP. It's really annoying. Then adblock stopped them, so... :P

[peterbrewer]

Who all has the (somewhat-suppressed) feeling that spammers, scammers, and malware-makers should die a slow and painful death (or shot if you're merciful) upon conviction?

Definitely slow and painful. Preferably involving a high pressure room leading to bursting of ear drums. I'm so glad I use linux...

[blah blah blah]

Where have you people been for all these years? This is pretty common place.

[smoker]

it can be fun when you run across this type of thing running linux, but how many windows users get fooled into downloading and paying for crap to remove fictitious malware, meanwhile inadvertantly installing malware?

these sites must make a lot of money for some people, though hopefully, anyone fooled once, won't be so gullible next time.

[Enverex]

Just noticed one bit in their EULA:


SOFTWARE UNINSTALLATION: To confirm the removal of the software, you need to launch the registry editor and remove following records [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run] "Windows Update Svc"=- [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run] "Windows Updater Servc"=-.

So... not only do they scam people in the first place, they use names like "Windows Update Svc" and "Windows Updater" for their software so people don't realise what it is to remove it... damn.

Smoker: Normally these sites don't rely on people coming back for more and there are plenty of stupid people out there.

[Unicast]

Not that it's going to make a jot of difference, but I've just reported them to Verisign (http://www.verisign.com/ssl/secured-seal/installation-instructions/verify/index.html) for mis-use of the Verisign logo.

[blastus]

This stuff has been around for nearly a decade now. One of the absolute nastiest websites I encountered a long time ago was one that said that my IP address would be forwarded to the Internet crimes division of the FBI unless I clicked on a link and paid to download a program that would scan my computer for spyware.

ContraVirus is on the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites (http://spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm) list.

[prizrak]

Oh yeah I ran across it a while ago.

[hardyn]

seems to have gone away.... maybe they caught some bad press?

[Tundro Walker]

I see so many of those; mostly in banner ads, with the style of XP. It's really annoying. Then adblock stopped them, so... :P

LOL! Actually... The only reason I came upon this site was because I switched off my Mozilla Ad-Block Plus to check out a site that wasn't loading right, and forgot to turn it back on. After 2 minutes of surfing, I noticed things were popping up, then I hit that brick wall. You can be I switched ABP on fast. Even with it on, some links on my google search still went to the site (it was using all kinds of un-related domain name links), and when I'd hit it, I'd close it (while ABP kept the pop-ups from running), but it'd still toss up a message box saying stuff like


"you closed the Contra Virus site! This is very bad! You need to re-open it to run the systems check!"

And it only presented me with an "OK" button. Not being stupid, I just click the "X" to close the dialogue window.

If only these folks were putting so much time and effort into something worth while, like a cure for cancer, aids, or how to get gum off the bottom of desks.

[FuturePilot]

I never knew my Linux box was built on .dlls :lolflag:
If you're not running Windows, this is totally an obvious scam.
No wait, I don't think it matters what you're running, it's still an obvious scam.

[handy]

I just came across the ContraVirus, when searching for some Guild Wars info' on Google.

The heading was for GW blah blah...

http://contraviruspro.com/land.php?page=5

When I selected the link it took me straight to having my browser shrunk, & a window telling me that my machine had been running slower lately & that I need to download this software. With OK & Cancel buttons to do so!

When I used the close gadget on the window, my browser is back & being tested. The results were really quite funny, made my night really. I guess the perp's think it is a great joke. :popcorn:

If I hadn't of searched & found this thread, I would have starting another, most entertaining...

[smoker]

hmm, one called 'errorguard' was mentioned on clickonline:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/6255270.stm


"A pop-up window on my computer told me that Errorguard found 163 critical faults on my computer. Is this organisation safe to pay $30 to fix the problems?"
Maurice Lewis, UK
I would be very cautious of any piece of software which first suggested that you had alarming sounding faults on your computer, and then tried to get you to part with $30. In some cases software which scares you into installing it can turn out to be exactly the kind of spyware they claim to protect you against!

[bchaffin72]

Unfortunately, I know Windows users who will will fall for whatever some site tells them ,just because it was "on the Internet". Place like that are good at milking the uniformed.

Of course, what would I know, my poor Ubuntu box is heavily infected unless I run their software to "clean it";)

[hidey]

,just because it was "on the Internet"

Lol, that already should get all sorts of bells and whistles going off in your head.:D

Someone needs to put up a sign "Welcome to the Internet - Population five gazillion - Trust no one!"