The Federal Trade Commission, has filed a complaint against Odysseus Marketing that allegedly advertised a software for anonymous peer-to-peer file sharing but secretly installed spyware and adware.


The Federal Trade Commission, FTC, has asked a U.S. District Court judge to halt an operation that secretly installed spyware and adware. This spyware could not be uninstalled by the consumers whose computers it infected.

According to the complaint filed by the FTC, Odysseus Marketing and its principal, Walter Rines, advertised software they claimed would allow consumers to engage in peer-to-peer file sharing anonymously.

The FTC has alleged that the company has encouraged consumers to download their free software with claims like, “DOWNLOAD MUSIC WITHOUT FEAR” and “DON’T LET THE RECORD COMPANIES WIN”.

According to FTC, the claims are bogus:

First, the software does not make file-sharing anonymous.

Second, the cost to consumers is considerable because the “free” software is bundled with spyware called Clientman that secretly downloads dozens of other software programs, degrading consumers’ computer performance and memory.

Among other things, this accumulated software replaces or reformats search engine results.

For example, consumers who downloaded the spyware may try to conduct a Google or Yahoo! search. Their screens will reveal a page that appears to be the Google or Yahoo! search engine result, but the page is a copy-cat site, and the order of the search results is rigged to place the defendants’ clients first.

The bundled software programs also generate pop-up ads and capture and transmit information from the consumers’ computers to servers controlled by the company.

To check out the copy of the complaint click here.

 

 

 

 

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