Spyware Scammer fined $84,000

[Triumph]

I have seen some of those pop-ups in the past. It is amazing the lengths people will go to to scam others.

A MAN who scammed punters with bogus spyware warnings has been fined $84,000.

Zhijian Chen admitted flogging the bogus anti-spyware program Spyware Cleaner. Chen used the Windows "Net send" command to put pop-ups on users' machines that mimicked official warnings.

Users clicked on the embedded link and ended up at Secure Computer's site where they were offered a free "scan". The scan detected spyware, even when there was none, and customers were advised to buy Spyware Cleaner.

The court heard how Chen made thousands of dollars out of the scam because he collected a 75 percent commission on the software, according to Information Week.

Chen now holds the dubious honour of being the first person to be caught and fined under Washington state's 2005 Computer Spyware Act.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31855