g1smd - 7:36 pm on Aug 31, 2007 (gmt 0)

Ah yes, SmitFraud, a criminally driven extortion racket.

Fake malware error messages to entice you to pay money for a fake cleaner that installs more junk.

I think the original people involved with that went to jail for it.

SpyBot Search and Destroy can spot it, but can't always get rid of all of it.

.

Also be aware of the Gromozon Removal Tool from PrevX for dealing with another very nasty set of junk going around with those fake weather alert and fake PDF-file emails. Gromozon is a rootkit virus and malware system that installs a hidden user into windows. The hidden user has admin rights and can do whatever it likes on the machine - and none of the other admins have enough privileges to alter or close down that fake user.

[edited by: g1smd at 7:41 pm (utc) on Aug. 31, 2007]