True or False?

[abcme]

some anti - spyware/adware add fake listings of detected files just to make the program look better(especially trial versions)?

kind of a silly question, but is that true? cuz sometimes I get recommended programs and when I try it doesn't seem to help, even though it found more "spyware/adware" than my spybot.

[Megalith]

I wouldn't think so. Lower end or lesser known applications *might* do it, but I highly doubt it.

Regardless, why bother with anything besides Ad-Aware, and Spybot: Search and Destroy?

[SegNin]

True.

Some unscrupulous "companies", if you can call them that, have made fake anti-spyware/adware programs that actually put adware/spyware on your computer.

Scroll down this page to see the full list of Anti-Spyware products to avoid:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In addition to Ad-aware and Sybot, I would recommend you use SpywareBlaster:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

[cactaur1640]

i doubt it, because if their programs didnt work that good they wouldnt get any business; and if you hapen to be looking for the best in spyware-adware removal programs get "spybot search and destroy" (and its free!)

[SegNin]

How can you say you doubt it when I provided incontrovertible proof that it's true?

Did you even check the link I gave for the page that lists all the bad ones?

Here's that link again, along with another link that you might want to check:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/03/maxtheater.htm

And here's a list of Anti-Spyware products that you CAN trust:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_...tm#trustworthy

(Notice how much shorter that list is compared with the other one)

[Xaenn]

Yeah. There are fake spyware removers. Just look at all those dumb popups you get for them...

[Sprung]

If there are companies that sink as low as to load stuff onto your computer without your knowledge/consent, don't think for a minute those same companies wouldn't try to sell you something to remove them, which doesn't work.

[Xaenn]

If there are companies that sink as low as to load stuff onto your computer without your knowledge/consent, don't think for a minute those same companies wouldn't try to sell you something to remove them, which doesn't work.

It's the capitalist way!

[Ultimate X]

id suggest ad aware, spybot, spy sweeper, and peer guardian to block unwanted people

[abcme]

wow, xoftspy is on the list, and I have been told quite a few times to use it.

ok, I guess I'll just stick to good ole spybot and ad-aware.

Oh, also, I've seen some products advertised on google, and I assumed that the product might possible work better than spybot and ad-aware, but after I got that program, I think I started getting a lot of comp problems, might not be the program itself, but does google check what they advertise? or are ppl allowed to just advertise when they pay google?

[Sprung]

Be sure to get Hijack-This! as well. It can find things Ad-Aware misses

[SegNin]

In addition to Ad-aware and Spybot, I would recommend you use SpywareBlaster:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Unlike Spybot and Ad-aware which detect spyware, SpywareBlaster (which is also 100% free) prevents it from ever installing on your computer in the first place.

Quoted from the SpywareBlaster site:
# Prevent the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software.
# Block spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla/Firefox.
# Restrict the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer.

And as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure

To answer your question abcme, Google doesn't do anything unless someone complains to them. And even then, it probably takes more than one or two complaints to get them to do anything.

EDIT--
If you scroll down to the bottom of this page it tells you some things you should know about Google:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Also Spybot S&D just got upgraded yesterday to 1.4. and they've added quite a few new features:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html
<BR>

[Del_Boy]

I remember something called Bullguard Lite that was integrated into Kazaa ages back - that one threw up a lot of fake viruses it had apparently found. Funnily enough not a single other Anti Virus found them - and all Google found was other people complaining about fake viruses being found! lol

[Panda Man]

yea, you know how the free kazaa runs off adware right? bullguard = spyware... you would think that you should dump it the second you got it on there... but kazaa won't run unless it was on. that was a long time ago however, times may have changed

[Del_Boy]

yea, you know how the free kazaa runs off adware right? bullguard = spyware... you would think that you should dump it the second you got it on there... but kazaa won't run unless it was on. that was a long time ago however, times may have changed

Nah this was ages back on Kazaa Lite - the spyware had been removed from it. Bullguard Lite was an added app that hadn't been removed; the trick was it'd report false viruses that it would only remove if you purchased it.

It definately wasn't spyware - at least at the time