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Thread ID: 108916 2010-04-16 22:30:00 Adobe 'scam' tactics linw (53) Press F1
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877298 2010-04-16 22:30:00 How close is Adobe getting to scam artist status? Friend contacted me about a Norton popup telling him he had several infections and he should buy Norton to fix this nasty problem. Alarm bells rang for me as I had spent hours cleaning up another of his machines that had IS2010 plus rootkit installed.

But, on looking at his machine I saw Norton scanner was installed and I knew it wasn't installed by me or intentionally by my friend. Sorting his progs by date showed that Norton and Shockwave had the same date. Test installed Shockwave and there was the ticked box to install the Norton scanner.

I might add that the nasty infections listed were adware cookies. Is there a machine alive that doesn't have these?

My point is that this behaviour is so close to the IS2010 and like scams (sneakily install software, say found baddies but all will be OK if you send cash to fix it) that Adobe has seriously crossed the boundaries.
linw (53)
877299 2010-04-16 22:39:00 As part of a recent distribution agreement with Symantec, Adobe will offer its customers the option to install the free Norton Security Scan software as part of the Shockwave Player installation process. Only customers who accept the Norton Security Scan offer will download the Norton Security Scan software. Those who decline the offer will download and install only Shockwave Player. Norton Security Scan is only offered to users who have either already downloaded the Google Toolbar or who are not eligible to receive the Google Toolbar offer. Safari (3993)
877300 2010-04-16 22:43:00 Thats why most installs have a custom option. Use it. The other day one of the programs I installed wanted to install Askbar, and Chrome. I unticked both of them. If I wanted to install it, I would have downloaded it Speedy Gonzales (78)
877301 2010-04-16 22:43:00 People dont read the small print. Often I would click 'next,next next install' and realise I got some nice extra piece of software eg toolbars.

I got sick of AV lagging up my pc and no longer use windows as my main OS.
pkm (13527)
877302 2010-04-16 23:22:00 As its been mentioned, a lot of people simply click next, next next etc and agree to anything, ( the "recommended" :devil option) that's what the software providers are relying on .

They could put what ever they liked in their agreements and people don't read them - so they cant say they were not told .

Lots of programs do have a custom / advanced install option where you can untick these things, but many people think by selecting that option of a custom install they are going to have to decide something they dont know about .

I think we have all been or seen PC's that have a mountain of tools bars that take up 1/2 of the page - and people get a shock when they are disabled or removed

Some programs off the top of my head that have "extras" .

Foxit Reader --- Askbar + ebay link
Glaryutilities --- Askbar
Anything Google generally has so ad in, Chrome etc .


Several have either Norton Scan or McAfee scan

Hey linw - sorry buddy you must have been mistaken :p
had IS2010 plus rootkit installed . NortonIS According to all the "tests" is the best there is so it shouldn't have gotten infections / Rootkits :lol: :lol:

Only kidding :p
wainuitech (129)
877303 2010-04-16 23:31:00 that's been packaged with adobe since at least the start of 2009

it's a wonder you weren't aware of it before now :)
bevy121 (117)
877304 2010-04-17 00:06:00 They're all scum-sucking rissoles:D KarameaDave (15222)
877305 2010-04-17 00:38:00 REVOLT!
If enough revolting customers get together on this they could force application makers to exclude by default anything other than the purchased/chosen product and require positive 'tick the box' for anything else.
Now where could we find enough revolting customers.....
coldot (6847)
877306 2010-04-17 09:05:00 I use Foxit now, it's far less bloated too... Although you do have to stop it from installing Ask toolbar... Agent_24 (57)
877307 2010-04-17 09:20:00 Ccleaner also tries to install the askbar if using the full version I always download the slim version without the askbar installer gary67 (56)
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