Malicious programmers have released a large number of fake anti-spyware programs, and widely distributed Web banner ads now spuriously warn users that their computers have been infected with spyware, directing them to purchase programs which do not actually remove spyware - or worse, may add more spyware of their own.
The recent proliferation of fake or spoofed antivirus products has occasioned some concern. Such products often bill themselves as antispyware, antivirus, or registry cleaners, and sometimes feature popups prompting users to install them. They are called rogue software .
Known offenders include - links will take you to Wikipedia's more detailed description of each product:
On 2006 - 01-26 , Microsoft and the Washington state attorney general filed suit against Secure Computer for its Spyware Cleaner product. On 2006 - 12-04 , the Washington attorney general announced that Secure Computer had paid $1 million to settle with the state. As of that date, Microsoft's case against Secure Computer remained pending.
