24 replies to this topic

[svhk]

Blast. If you go to http://www.filehippo...nload_ccleaner/ to start the free download of CC new version, the first thing that hits you into the eye is "Begin download here" on the left. Before I knew it I had downloaded, paid, installed and run something called RegCure from ParetoLogic. To top it all, by the time I had paid and registered, the scan results were gone. OK, I agree, I could have been more careful, but it's late and I've been struggling, monitoring and uninstalling the whole evening. This is just to warn other people like me to look carefully at what they are doing. And to complain that the CC download site is not really very user-friendly - I still don't know how to download the CC upgrade.

[tcoffeep]

svhk, on Oct 13 2008, 10:39 PM, said:

Blast. If you go to http://www.filehippo...nload_ccleaner/ to start the free download of CC new version, the first thing that hits you into the eye is "Begin download here" on the left. Before I knew it I had downloaded, paid, installed and run something called RegCure from ParetoLogic. To top it all, by the time I had paid and registered, the scan results were gone. OK, I agree, I could have been more careful, but it's late and I've been struggling, monitoring and uninstalling the whole evening. This is just to warn other people like me to look carefully at what they are doing. And to complain that the CC download site is not really very user-friendly - I still don't know how to download the CC upgrade.

Over the time I've used Filehippo for upgrading, updating, and finding new programs, I have never come across anything that told me I have to pay. (Then again, I have Adblock Plus up at all times, so maybe it's just another malicious ad?) Anyways, you have to be more careful.
Filehippo has always given me clean copies of CCleaner, so, I can't understand where you're coming from.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[edit] :

Erk. I turned Adblock off, and saw the ad. You gotta be more careful. These ads are sneaky like that. Get adblock or something similar. It'll really change your life

[YoKenny]

Welcome svhk

I have never seen any reference to RegCure from ParetoLogic on the http://www.filehippo...wnload_ccleaner page.



I would download MBAM then update it then run a Quick scan and let it remove what it detects and a reboot may be required to remove locked files:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Then install a HOSTS file to prevent those known malware sites from accessing your system.

HOSTS files I use:
http://www.mvps.org/...p2002/hosts.htm
http://hosts-file.net/?s=Download

Managed with HostsMan and I use its HostsServer proxy to speed up browsing:
http://www.abelhadigital.com

[tcoffeep]

This is with Adblock Plus Disabled

Filehippo.com CCleaner page :
http://tinyurl.com/4tqmz2

What It Links To :
http://tinyurl.com/5yzhxs

ETA - Both links are to FreeImageHosting.net, as I don't have an account anywhere, so free image hosting ftw.

Edit : Confused the words 'up' and 'disabled' D:

It would be smart to mention, now, that there are many rogue ads that try to suck you in and get you to download their programs. You have to have a keen eye, because, one looks closely enough at the ad, just above it is a small text line stating : ads by google.
It'll take time, as is to be expected, before you recognize traps like this, but when you finally get used to it, you'll shudder at how many times you've fallen for these very traps. Thankfully, though, you can help people with these problems later on.

MBAM, as YoKenny suggested, is a very good suggestion, but, alas, I've never tried the HOST solution. I've been fine for the last little while with SpywareBlaster/Adblock Plus and a little bit of close watching.
I hope you aren't dissuaded, however, because CCleaner is a titan of a product, and what's more, it's free!

Have a nice day

[YoKenny]

I can't use Adblock Plus because I don't like Firefox.

The HOSTS file uses very little system resources and works for any browser.

FreeImageHosting.net is down right now.

I prefer ImageSpeech Free Image Hosting:
http://www.imagespeech.com/index.php

[davey]

svhk, on Oct 13 2008, 06:39 PM, said:

This is just to warn other people like me to look carefully at what they are doing. And to complain that the CC download site is not really very user-friendly - I still don't know how to download the CC upgrade.

Hi svhk,
Welcome to the forums.
Thank you for your report about your problem. It is appreciated.

You sound like a pretty new user of the Internet as I was 15 months ago.
You can avoid many of these problems by following the advice that I was given here on this forum.
I am presuming that you are using Internet Explorer like most users.

New User Advise
You will not regret doing this.
Link to the following site and click on
Download Free IE7Pro 2.4 has been released on Sep 24,2008
http://www.ie7pro.com/
IE7Pro is an add-on to Internet Explorer and will change your browsing tremendously.
It comes with many things that will help you avoid many "beginner" problems.
It has an Ad-Blocker that will eliminate the problem that you encountered. It also helps prevent you from going to dangerous sites like a Hosts file manager does. You don't have to be a "techie". It just has these features built-in.
It also has a Download Manager program called MiniDM that will help you to keep control over all the things that you will be downloading. It will make Internet usage a lot easier. You will be able to "surf" a lot safer.

You can come back and ask questions about this and other software on the Software Forum. These members will give you help and advice. They KNOW the best.

As regards downloading CCleaner, you can also select "Alternative Download" on the normal download page.
http://www.CCleaner.com/download

All free forums and download sites need the advertising income to continue their existence, unfortunately.
Some advertisers use very deceptive methods to distract you and make you link to their site. I am sure that this will be looked into.

Best wishes,
davey

[hazelnut]

I have brought this to MrG's attention.

[tcoffeep]

This is the filehippo.com download page for CCleaner.


This is where it links to.

[hazelnut]

Thanks for the screenshots tcoffeep

[tcoffeep]

hazelnut, on Oct 14 2008, 06:52 AM, said:

Thanks for the screenshots tcoffeep

My pleasure, Hazel

[Andavari]

I could see how that ad could snag someone into thinking they were downloading the software they originally intended to download. Pretty damned sloppy, the ad should have some separation from the other page content.

[davey]

Andavari, on Oct 14 2008, 03:37 AM, said:

I could see how that ad could snag someone into thinking they were downloading the software they originally intended to download. Pretty damned sloppy, the ad should have some separation from the other page content.

Of course, you don't think that the advertiser knew exactly what they were doing when they set up that ad do you ???
davey

[svhk]

davey, on Oct 14 2008, 09:39 AM, said:

Of course, you don't think that the advertiser knew exactly what they were doing when they set up that ad do you ???
davey

of COURSE not!! pretty disgusting i think. ( )

[svhk]

Thank you all for the screenshots, advice and irony
All together it makes a nice warm welcome for a ne....wbie.
CU all soon -s-

[davey]

svhk, on Oct 14 2008, 06:30 AM, said:

Thank you all for the screenshots, advice and irony
All together it makes a nice warm welcome for a ne....wbie.
CU all soon -s-

You are welcome.

Developers who use such trickery to get customers should note the negative impact that this has upon their "Questionable reputation".

Of course there is always the excuse of "plausible denial". We will see.

P.S. There is something very strange in the "Ads by Google" printing at the top of the screen-shot supplied by member "tcoffeep" at Filehippo.com versus the "real words" as normally seen in such windows.
This is very suspicious, indeed !!!

Edited by davey, 14 October 2008 - 11:10 AM.

[Whiteshark]

Here is the screenshot of what i got disabling the AdHunter feature in Maxthon.



IMO this is the so called 'adsense by Google'. Clicking the up/down arrows other advertising are shown,
all related to 'registry cleaning', 'speed up your pc', and so on...

[davey]

Whiteshark, on Oct 14 2008, 06:47 AM, said:

Here is the screenshot of what i got disabling the AdHunter feature in Maxthon.



IMO this is the so called 'adsense by Google'. Clicking the up/down arrows other advertising are shown,
all related to 'registry cleaning', 'speed up your pc', and so on...

Like you, Whiteshark, your screen-shot depicts what I always see when I turn off Ad Blocker in IE7Pro.

Notice the difference in the font from "tcoffeep" 's screen-shot of the words "Ads by Google".
Perhaps this is a "locational" thing ???
Google, Filehippo.com, who ??? Someone has been compromised somehow.

davey

[Whiteshark]

davey, on Oct 14 2008, 12:17 PM, said:

Like you, Whiteshark, your screen-shot depicts what I always see when I turn off Ad Blocker in IE7Pro.

Notice the difference in the font from "tcoffeep" 's screen-shot of the words "Ads by Google".
Perhaps this is a "locational" thing ???
Google, Filehippo.com, who ??? Someone has been compromised somehow.

davey

Yep, this is the blocked URL http://pagead2.googl...ead/show_ads.js
Some kind of localization is possible.
Indeed, browsing the Internet i get a lot of pretty young women all wanting
know me better. Moreover, all them are always living very close to me

[YoKenny]

For me the left side "Ads by Google" are blocked by:
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com <== hpHOST HOSTS file
127.0.0.1 tags.expo9.exponential.com <== MVPS HOSTS file

[tcoffeep]

@davey:
Maybe it's the way I have Firefox 3.0.3 set up? You both mentioned browsers with the Trident engine. Perhaps this could explain the difference? Or perhaps another one of my add-ons was getting in the way?

Either way, I don't usually see them. But, that is how they normally appear when I web-crawl adblock-less. (I haven't used IE since Firefox 2 )