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==Legal action== In 2005, [[Microsoft]] and [[Washington (state)|Washington state]] successfully sued Secure Computer (makers of [[Spyware Cleaner]]) for $1 million over charges of using scareware pop-ups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/09/29/washington-microsoft-target|date=2008-09-29|author=Etengoff, Aharon|publisher=[[The Inquirer]]|access-date=2008-10-04|title=Washington and Microsoft target spammers|archive-date=2008-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002040143/http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquirer/news/2008/09/29/washington-microsoft-target|url-status=dead}}</ref> Washington's attorney general has also brought lawsuits against Securelink Networks, [[Softwareonline.com]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Attorney General's Office Sues, Settles with Washington-based SoftwareOnline.com {{!}} Washington State|url=https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorney-general-s-office-sues-settles-washington-based-softwareonlinecom|access-date=2021-12-21|website=www.atg.wa.gov|archive-date=2021-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211208024611/https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/attorney-general-s-office-sues-settles-washington-based-softwareonlinecom|url-status=live}}</ref> High Falls Media, and the makers of Quick Shield.<ref>{{cite web |author = Tarun |title = Microsoft to sue scareware security vendors |url = https://www.lunarsoft.net/featured/microsoft-to-sue-scareware-security-vendors |work = Lunarsoft |date = 2008-09-29 |access-date = 2009-09-24 |quote = [...] the Washington attorney general (AG) [...] has also brought lawsuits against companies such as Securelink Networks and High Falls Media, and the makers of a product called QuickShield, all of whom were accused of marketing their products using deceptive techniques such as fake alert messages. |archive-date = 2010-06-20 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100620105714/http://www.lunarsoft.net/news/1-frontpage/378-microsoft-to-sue-scareware-security-vendors |url-status = live }}</ref> In October 2008, [[Microsoft]] and the [[Washington (state)|Washington]] [[attorney general]] filed a lawsuit against two Texas firms, Branch Software and Alpha Red, producers of the [[Registry Cleaner XP]] scareware.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7645420.stm|title=Fighting the scourge of scareware|date=2008-10-01|access-date=2008-10-02|work=BBC News|archive-date=2018-02-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212202628/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7645420.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> The lawsuit alleges that the company sent incessant pop-ups resembling system warnings to consumers' personal computers stating "CRITICAL ERROR MESSAGE! - REGISTRY DAMAGED AND CORRUPTED", before instructing users to visit a web site to download Registry Cleaner XP at a cost of $39.95. On December 2, 2008, the U.S. [[Federal Trade Commission]] ("FTC") filed a Complaint in federal court against Innovative Marketing, Inc., ByteHosting Internet Services, LLC, as well as individuals [[Sam Jain]], Daniel Sundin, James Reno, Marc D’Souza, and Kristy Ross. The Complaint also listed Maurice D’Souza as a Relief Defendant, alleged that he held proceeds of wrongful conduct but not accusing him of violating any law. The FTC alleged that the other Defendants violated the FTC Act by deceptively marketing software, including WinFixer, WinAntivirus, DriveCleaner, ErrorSafe, and XP Antivirus. According to the complaint, the Defendants falsely represented that scans of a consumer's computer showed that it had been compromised or infected and then offered to sell software to fix the alleged problems.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0723137/index.shtm|publisher=Federal Trade Commission|title=Win software|access-date=2012-03-15|archive-date=2013-09-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130919223741/http://ftc.gov/os/caselist/0723137/index.shtm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber/shaileshkumar-p.-jain/view|publisher=FBI|title=Wanted by the FBI - SHAILESHKUMAR P. JAIN|access-date=2016-07-28|archive-date=2017-06-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627023044/https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/cyber/shaileshkumar-p.-jain/view|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0723137/110127innovativemktgorder.pdf|publisher=Federal Trade Commission|title=D'Souza Final Order|access-date=2012-03-15|archive-date=2012-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016214651/http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0723137/110127innovativemktgorder.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
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