Internet scammers will do anything to make a quick buck, including attempts to trick people into paying for things that are free.It’s previously been mentioned that it’s generally a bad idea to purchase software that’s advertised via spam due to the high-risk of being scammed or paying for malware.
Depending on the options you choose in this latest scam, you may end up doing both.
The scam is offered via spam emails titled “[Breaking News] - UFO's Spotted on Google Earth”, which anyone that’s curious over whether or not we’re alone in this universe may be tempted to open. Inside, the email promises to deliver evidence of visitors from outer space by granting access to thousands of images of UFOs, alien landings and government cover-ups. All you have to do is download their Google Earth add-on.
Clicking on any number of the links in the email will take you to a page on new-web-download.com (which poses a security risk according to McAfee’s SiteAdvisor rating) that’s advertising Google Earth without any mention of all the extra-terrestrial goodness that sucked you in.Instead, it tries to pique your interest with the standard features of Google Earth, at which point it becomes a little fuzzy as to what product is being sold here. Is it Google Earth or their alleged Google Earth plug-in?
Interestingly enough, the footer tells all, as those who have the sudden urge to skip the sales pitch and scroll down all the way to the bottom of the page will see the following disclaimer:
“This website has no affiliation whatsoever with the owner of the software program Google Earth and does not re-sell or license the Google Earth software. This website offers an add-on software to compliment the Google Earth software and enhance the Google Earth experience. Membership is for unlimited access to our site's resources. We also provide technical support, tutorials and step by step guides.”
Of course, it’s unlikely that the average visitor will catch that tidbit before clicking the ‘Download Now’ button and dropping their personal information, including credit card details, right into the hands of the scammers.In addition to stealing your personal details, the scammer offers the option to snag two different programs during the checkout process, both of which have earned mixed reviews from those who’ve downloaded them outside of this scam:
Get one year full protection against intrusion with ETD Scanner for only $1.49/month (one-time billing) with updates and technical support.
- Add the award-winning download accelerator and download up to 300% faster, only $11.95, with unlimited technical support (Recommended).
While Download Accelerator has earned mixed reviews (assuming that’s the program that you’ll actually get) of some claiming it works and others claiming it shows symptoms of adware, ETD Scanner has flat-out earned a poor reputation from Symantec for exaggerating threats in hopes of enticing the user to purchase a software license in order to remove them. In other words, it fits the description of scareware.
Anyone that’s genuinely interested in Google Earth will be happy to know that it’s completely free. It’s highly recommended that you download it directly from Google versus some third-party by visiting http://www.google.com/earth.
In terms of getting those pictures of UFOs and other various alien sightings? Well, you could probably build a nice collection simply by doing a few Google searches. There are even some videos on YouTube that you may find entertaining.
Don’t buy software advertised via spam and research unfamiliar software before installing it on your computer. Additionally, you should always keep your PC protected by always running up-to-date antivirus software.
Photo Credit: zak mc
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