[Angel Djambazov]

Found this interesting blog by Mark Naples about Software Profit and their affiliate program which touts the following message:

“Software Profit affiliate program deals with security and privacy software which sells on any type of traffic. Users are scared to death by internet threats and parasites and buy antiparasite, antispy and utility software in panic."

Check out the blog here:
http://blogs.mediapost.com/spin/naples/?p=143

[Angel Djambazov]

FYI the product they are pushing is WinFixer

[Kellie aka Ms. B]

Their behavior marketing network: ads2desk (dot) com. They claim 20 million base. Let's follow the consumer through the purchase cycle. Took a whole 3 seconds to make that connection. They also go under the name of Innovative Marketing, Inc so beware if you see that name.

I also found several affiliate sites connected to them. Lots of Performics links on these sites, but some others that I KNOW won't find these guys acceptable as affiliates. Contacting the appropriate folks on that one.

I think the scariest thing however is that they seem to also have some type of Internet payment processing site. Although the main menu navigation isn't even hyperlinked. Who knows that is going on with that one. Could be some kind of front for collecting credit card/banking info since the front page is just places to put in your credit card numbers or checking account info to search for transactions with them or their 'affiliates.' The page isn't even on a SSL page. But then many of their 'computer protection' software purchase pages aren't hosted on SSL pages either.

[ecomcity]

The affiliate sewer dwellers and their privacy info and pilfered CC peddling partners devise these schemes. This is a well connected cybercriminal ring operating for years.


http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/win...com?safesearch

WinAntivirus.com and billingnow.com are the one and the same. And there's so much more. They also connected with:

zendmedia.com
billinginfo.com
popupguard.com
buysmarter.com
gito.com
mp3bundle.com
gotoo.com
ownbox.com
freeavgtrial.com
spyaxe
symantic.com (common misspelling)

[DOMAIN whois information on SYMANTIC.COM ]
[Query Origin: Main Whois Query ]
Domain Name: SYMANTIC.COM
Registrar: ENOM, INC.
Whois Server: whois.enom.com
Referral URL: http: //www.enom.com
Name Server[with whois ip]: PENDULUM.MAXIM.NET 216.65.0.162
Name Server[with whois ip]: NS.NNW.NET 216.65.41.159
Status: REGISTRAR-LOCK
Updated Date: 22-oct-2003
Creation Date: 20-nov-2000
Expiration Date: 20-nov-2004
[whois.enom.com]

Registration Service Provided By:
Contact: polto@ukr.net
Visit:

Domain name: symantic.com

Administrative Contact:

Mahmoud Nadim (polto@ukr.net)
+880.28612238
Fax:
P.O. Box No. 206
Dhaka, 21014
BD

Billing Contact:

Mahmoud Nadim (polto@ukr.net)
+880.28612238
Fax:
P.O. Box No. 206
Dhaka, 21014
BD

The domain itself redirects to http: //www.gotoo.com/treasure/Sym.html. However, it looks like the real product belongs to http: //www.winantivirus.com/.

whois -h whois.geektools.com winantivirus.com ...
GeekTools Whois Proxy v5.0.3 Ready.
Results:
Registrant:
WinAntiVirus
P.O. Box 3
Kiev, NA 04114
UA

Domain name: WINANTIVIRUS.COM
Administrative Contact:
Hostmaster, WinAntiVirus hostmaster@winantivirus.com
P.O. Box 3
Kiev, NA 04114
UA
+380 44 496 04 59 Fax: +380 44 496 04 59

Common culpret duping consumers is the site freedownloadscenter.com who hooks you up with hidden WhenU and bargainbuddy BHO's

http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/fre...com?safesearch

These homos call it market penetration
Ads2Desk not only collects and analyzes visitor history and audience behavior from banner ads, emails, website or customer database as a whole but delivers customized content (email, images, web pages or banner ads) based on the analytic results based on audience behavior it real time!.

Agencies looking at new online strategies are increasingly embracing behavioral marketing. Behavioral marketing encompasses a refined approach to Internet advertising, one that treats the Internet consumer as an individual, not as part of a mass demographic. Ads2Desk integrates the most powerful advertisement network. Comprised of important advertisers with the purpose of displaying their advertisements to web users around the world, based on individualistic internet-browsing behavior.

[Kevin]

I've become a big fan of SiteAdvisor for reasons just such as this...

[ecomcity]

Things are only getting worse by allowing S/W download affiliates to run wild throughout the networks.

The Deadly Duo: Spam and Viruses, February 2006
e-mail spammers and the Adware./Spyware perps are going overboard now...
http://www.clickz.com/stats/sectors/...le.php/3592386