REPORTER:

IF YOU’RE TIRED OF ALL OF THOSE ANNOYING POP-UP ADS, YOU’RE NOT ALONE. WASHINGTON’S ATTORNEY GENERAL FILED SEVERAL LAWSUITS MONDAY AGAINST COMPANIES THAT SELL WHAT HE CALLS “SCAREWARE,” USELESS PROGRAMS THAT USE POP-UP ADS TO WARN ABOUT FAKE, BUT URGENT-SOUNDING, COMPUTER ERRORS.

MCKENNA:
SCAREWARE (:21)

“MY OFFICE, ALONG WITH MICROSOFT, HAS PULLED THE FEAR FACTOR DIAL OUT OF THE HANDS OF BUSINESSES THAT USE SCAREWARE AS A MARKETING TOOL. WE WON’T TOLERATE THE USE OF ALARMIST WARNINGS OR DECEPTIVE ‘FREE SCANS’ TO TRICK CONSUMERS INTO BUYING SOFTWARE TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT DOESN’T EVEN EXIST. WE’VE REPEATEDLY PROVEN THAT INTERNET COMPANIES THAT PREY ON CONSUMERS’ ANXIETIES ARE WITHIN OUR REACH.”

REPORTER:

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE, ALONG WITH MICROSOFT, FILED THE LAWSUITS UNDER WASHINGTON’S RECENTLY IMPROVED COMPUTER SPYWARE ACT. THE ACTIONS TARGET THE PRODUCERS OF A PROGRAM CALLED “REGISTRY CLEANER XP.” THE PROGRAM, ACCORDING TO MCKENNA, COSTS AROUND $40 AND DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

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Contacts:
Dan Sytman, AGO Media Relations Manager, (360) 586-7842
Janelle Guthrie, AGO Communications Director, (360) 586-0725