Dec 9, 2025 12:12 PM
(This post was last modified: Dec 9, 2025 12:13 PM by Hackers.)
Once upon a time the company used to offer computer scans for virus, malware, etc detection and then removal services.
Their scanner was setup to always find a problem. Always. Even on a clean computer.
My old coworker discovered this by accident when the off-site IT team left the proprietary scanner on a brand new, factory computer. He worked there (sales) before we hired him (as a dev) and sure enough, he was right. He had purchased a "used" display computer at a discount which is the only reason we had access to their trick scanner. They probably forgot to remove it after taking a return in.
They ended up paying millions in a settlement. They ran this scheme for many, many, MANY years. Who knows how much $ was truly lost by customers who ended up paying hundreds for removal services, and many times ... new computers entirely.
I wish I had met him before he left the company, we could've helped shut that shit down years before it became public. They scammed for many years after he first showed me.
Their scanner was setup to always find a problem. Always. Even on a clean computer.
My old coworker discovered this by accident when the off-site IT team left the proprietary scanner on a brand new, factory computer. He worked there (sales) before we hired him (as a dev) and sure enough, he was right. He had purchased a "used" display computer at a discount which is the only reason we had access to their trick scanner. They probably forgot to remove it after taking a return in.
They ended up paying millions in a settlement. They ran this scheme for many, many, MANY years. Who knows how much $ was truly lost by customers who ended up paying hundreds for removal services, and many times ... new computers entirely.
I wish I had met him before he left the company, we could've helped shut that shit down years before it became public. They scammed for many years after he first showed me.
