Virus 'Scareware' Scams Millions

Alarming virus warnings part of major rip off
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 19, 2009 5:07 AM CDT
Virus 'Scareware' Scams Millions
Some 40 million internet uses have been ripped off in scareware scams.   (©Remko van Dokkum)

Alarming warnings that internet surfers' computers are being invaded by a devastating virus are almost always scams used to either hack into computers or rip off consumers for phony protective software. More than 40 million people have fallen victim to the "scareware" scam in the past year. Experts have identified some 250 versions of the scareware scam, and estimate that crooks make $1.2 million selling fake software alone.
(More scareware stories.)

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