"We won't tolerate the use of alarmist warnings or deceptive 'free scans' to trick consumers into buying software to fix a problem that doesn't even exist," Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said in a statement. "We've repeatedly proven that Internet companies that prey on consumers' anxieties are within our reach."

Safety Tips

What can consumers do to stop the spread of rogues and save their hard-earned cash for genuine programs that protect their PCs and personal information? Here are six tactics from the experts at Lavasoft designed to give computer users the knowledge they need to keep from buying rogue security products.

1. Do not fall for scare tactics. Not sure what that means? While browsing sites, be cautious of pop-ups warning you that your system is infected and offering a product to clean it up. Never pay for a program that installed itself to your computer. This is a hallmark of rogue software.
2. Use security software and keep it up-to-date. If you know that you have anti-virus, anti-spyware, and a firewall on your PC, you can safely ignore security alerts you receive that do not come from your chosen security software provider. (Rogue security software will often try to lure computer uses by using legitimate looking pop-up messages that appear to be security alerts.) Also, most anti-spyware programs will help keep you protected from rogues because they can find and detect these programs.

3. Access experts at online security forums and ask about the software you are considering before you decide to purchase it.
4. Read the software reviews at reputable sites like Download.com. Do not blindly trust individual sites offering security products. You can also refer to reputable lists of trustworthy anti-spyware programs, like the one on SpywareWarrior.com.
5. Ask knowledgeable friends and family members about quality software they use. Keep in mind that when you search for trustworthy security software online, rogue products can, and often do, appear in the search results list.
6. Practice online skepticism. Be aware that rogue security software does exist on the Web, and be vigilant about avoiding it. These programs are designed to appear genuine – meaning they may mimic legitimate programs, use false awards and reviews to rope you in, or employ other deceptive tactics. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with common phishing scams, and to be cautious of links in e-mail messages and on social networking sites.