Are Free Spyware Removal Programs Really Worth it?

In Most Cases Free Spyware Removal Programs are Inadequate and May Actually Pose a Danger to YOU!

When users are given a choice between free spyware removal programs and paid software, they almost always tend to choose the first option. Not realizing that free software can be very inefficient and even dangerous!

Free software that usually doesn't fall into this category is open-source. Open-source software, however, is hard to find and usually doesn't cover spyware removal because of the constant updates that are needed.

If you would like to see all the dangers spyware software can create, please refer to my article on spyware.

How You Can Protect Yourself From Spyware

When surfing the net, I'm sure you've come across many different forms of free spyware removal programs. Although it may seem feasible, at a closer look, free spyware removal programs are not a very good solution.

Here's Why:

• They don't actively protect your computer
• They tend to lack shields that constantly scan your computer for new threats
• All free spyware removal programs can do is remove spyware that's currently installed. However, most of the time these programs miss much of the spyware during their scans, so, much of it is left on your computer without you even knowing it.
• Free spyware removal programs are not updated very often, or at all. For a spyware removal program to be effective it must know about the latest threats. This can only be done through an update of the software.
• Being free, the creator has no real incentive to keep the software up-to-date like the much more effective and powerful, yet inexpensive, paid spyware programs.
• In order to generate some type of income from these free spyware removal programs the creators must put some type of advertisement into the source code of the program. They can become very annoying and even slow down the computer. Not to mention have malware hidden inside of them.
• Some of these free spyware removal programs actually work fairly well but what they don't tell you is they exclude certain spyware from their removal lists that they are affiliated with. This allows them to keep their own spyware on your system but remove their competitions spyware! Sneaky isn't it!

Free Online Scans

I'm sure you've come across offers online that say they will scan your computer for free without having to download anything to see if you're infected.

Well guess what. These offers can be just as bad or even worse than free spyware removal software. Sometimes, it's like giving permission for the company to infect you.

Here's What I Mean:

• First, you need to understand that these offers will tell you if your infected but they will not remove the infections. What they will do at the end of the scan is present you with their own product that you will need to buy and download in order to remove the infections.

  Nothing wrong with that but...

• Many times these companies are just like the ones I described above.

  They will offer you their product which you must pay for, and which many times is either ineffective at removing all the spyware on your computer, or they are partnered with another company to exclude certain spyware from their removal lists.

  Essentially this keeps the spyware on your computer without your knowledge. This is one of the major reasons I don't like most free spyware removal offers.

• Free online offers can actually infect your computer the second you click the 'scan' button. Learning what your needs and wants are, is a major industry and worth billions to companies. Placing spyware on your computer while offering a 'solution' to the problem just makes business sense to many of these companies. These companies can be very sneaky!
• Online scanners that don't require any software download are usually very ineffective at searching for, and removing, spyware. Once again, you never really know if they are infecting you while they are scanning.

  Usually, you have to give them permission to upload and download information from your computer in order for the scan to actually work. In the process they could be taking information from you or placing bugs on your system to spy on you.

• Finally, no online scan will ever be as effective as a robust and trustworthy spyware removal program.

  In order for it to scan every part of your computer it would have to access special areas such as the registry or the boot sector which is impossible for any online based free spyware removal program.

My Final Thoughts

Overall, most free spyware removal programs are inadequate, do not offer update/upgrade possibility and are themselves potentially dangerous. I highly recommend not using them. Or, if you do, use them in conjunction with a more robust and trustworthy paid-for spyware removal program.

My Recommendation

I recommend you read my article that explains the best spyware removal programs available today.

Please understand that on rare occasions, free offers are okay, and don't pose any type of threat to the security of your information. However, the majority of them do pose some type of threat and that is why I was inclined to created this page.

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