See a Pop-Up? Hold On To Your Wallet!

Had a popup appear suddenly as I was surfing Blog Explosion. Earlier I was surfing for funny videos to download and that might have been when I got the cookie. Anyway. Here I am zigzagging through Cyber Space when I'm accosted by a window that claims I can make money simply by filling in my name and email address. Such a deal. They didn't even demand I use my real name. Is this a great country or what?

Well I right-clicked on the window and clicked on properties to find out who they were before I'd take a chance on giving them a phony name and junk email address. This is how I discovered 'ReferralWare'. I have no problem with people throwing money at me as these folks proposed. Especially for free. BUTTTT!!! - I have a major defect in my emotional well being. I'm a skeptic... - I thought I would perform one more test. What I call the Company Name/Scam Google Test.

Real simple. Go to Google. Type in the company name with the word 'scam'. Open a couple suggested reading links Google so nicely provides.

HMMM -

624 Google references for - referralware scam -

Ultimately (Less than 60 seconds) I was led to a page that had testimony from a referralware scam victim. It seems the company charges you to join 3 companies and then you get to pay for lists of people to drag into the scam after you. $400 given to ReferralWare vs. $11 received from ReferralWare. Now I'm not a mathematician but even I know that at that rate it will take a long time to clear the first million.

Close all windows - Run Adaware and Spybot Search and Destroy
- Chew up and spit out the cookie that got through. - Blog on! -

I love a happy ending.