Illegal Spy Ware

Reno, NV: (Oct-01-07) The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brought a lawsuit against ERG Ventures LLC, alleging that the Nevada company distributed hidden spy ware in other software that consumers could download for free. The FTC accused ERG of distributing spy ware that infected 15 million computers. The company tricked consumers into downloading spy ware by hiding the Media Motor program in other downloads for other software, including screen savers and video files. The suit stated that once downloaded, Media Motor added software that changed consumers' home pages, tracked their Internet activity, altered browser settings, degraded computer performance and disabled antispyware and antivirus software. Much of the malware installed by the Media Motor program was extremely difficult or impossible for consumers to remove from their computers.

As part of a settlement reached, the company agreed to pay $330,000 to settle the FTC complaint. The FTC settlement bars ERG Ventures and its owners from installing software that interferes with consumers' computer use and from making false or misleading claims. The settlement also prohibits the defendants from distributing software that generates disruptive pop-up advertising, and tampers with or disables other installed programs. The settlement named ERG Ventures, as well as Elliot Cameron, Robert Davidson II, and Garry Hill, doing business as Media Motor, Joysticksavers.com and Privateinpublic.com [PC WORLD: ILLEGAL SPY WARE]

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Published on Oct-2-07