Digital security has become a critically important matter for most PC users around the globe. Given the sheer number of malware and other hacking tools used, it is pertinent that the computers be guarded against nefarious intrusions. However, a woman named Kristy Ross, decided to cash on this sentiment by selling a fake security software, for which she has been slapped with a huge fine.
Normally, security software scams are discerned pretty soon and are debunked. However, Ross was able to pull off her fraud for a fairly long time, fooling some one million consumers into buying the fake security software.
The software is popularly termed as ‘scareware’ because it tells the users that his PC contains viruses and malware when in fact they may contain none. It then asks the user to purchase a software to remove these threats, which costs between $40 and $60. All of this, in reality, is nothing but a fake scanner that displays fake results to fool the user into buying a worthless software.
As a result of this brazen attempt to deceive a million users, a federal court has told Ross to pay $163 million in fine. The judge further said that she “shall be permanently restrained and enjoined from the marketing and sale of computer security software and software that interferes with consumers’ computer use as well as from engaging in any form of deceptive marketing.”
A number of other personnel of the company that was used as a front to market this product have also been tried by the court. However, they chose to settle with FTC whereas Ross decided to continue her legal battle, which now seems to have come to a rather expensive conclusion.
Courtesy: Information Week
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