FTC nabs another bad apple

FTC goes after Trustsoft for marketing SpyKiller deceptively.

Spykiller is listed on the SpywareWarrior Rogue/Suspect list

A visit to their website reveals this message:



Click to enlarge

The FTC alleges that Trustsoft:

� Aggressively and deceptively marketed SpyKiller, using the Web sites of affiliates, banner and pop-up ads, and spam.

� Sent pop-up and e-mail messages informing consumers that their computers had been remotely �scanned� and that spyware had been �detected� even though they had not performed any such scans.

� Used marketing materials that urged consumers to access the SpyKiller Web site to get a �free scan� for spyware. While the SpyKiller �scan� was running, the program displayed a status report entitled �Spyware Found on your PC:� that included a category called �Live Spyware Processes.� In fact, this category deceptively identified anti-virus programs, word processing programs, or any of the processes running on the system as spyware. Then, even thought the �scan� itself was free, consumers had to pay roughly $39.95 to enable SpyKiller�s �removal� capabilities.

� Used marketing materials that promised that SpyKiller would find and remove �all� spyware, including �all traces� of particular spyware on consumers� computers. However, the FTC alleges the software failed to remove significant amounts of spyware, including specified spyware defendants claimed on their Web site to remove.

� Used spam messages promoting the SpyKiller software that contained similar deceptive claims, failed to identify themselves as advertising, used false �from� lines, gave no valid postal addresses, and failed to provide consumers with notice of and the ability to �opt-out,� in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act.

Alex Eckelberry