Member Avatar for Fred33

I received an email earlier today from one of the newsletters I sign up for months ago, offering me to download a free Xoftspyse spyware scanner with a link to http://www.scanforfree.com.

Is this a reliable program? Has anyone tried it?

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Short answer: treat the scanforfree.com offer as untrusted and avoid downloading from it. Multiple community reports show that the site functioned as a third‑party download/landing page that pushed ParetoLogic installers (XoftSpySE / Pareto AV / RegCure) and that people who grabbed installers from it saw scareware‑style behaviour. (computerbase.de)

Background and reputation: ParetoLogic products (XoftSpySE, RegCure, related installers) have long been controversial in the security community — they are not typically described as outright destructive malware by AV engines, but they have been widely labelled “not recommended” or “scareware/borderline” because they scan, report lots of problems, then require payment to “fix” them. Community experts and review sites advised caution about these products. (forums.malwarebytes.com)

Practical steps (if the email/link reached you):

  • If you only clicked the link and did not run anything: delete the email, do not download, and get the tool from the vendor’s official site only when needed. Security vendors explicitly warn: “if you weren’t looking for it, don’t download it.” (support.eset.com)
  • If you downloaded the installer but haven’t run it: upload the file to a multi‑engine scanner (VirusTotal/Jotti) before running and then delete the file if flagged. (trishtech.com)
  • If you installed the program or notice suspicious behaviour: disconnect from the network, run an offline system scan (Microsoft Defender Offline) and a reputable on‑demand scanner (Malwarebytes), remove ParetoLogic entries, then re‑scan. If infections persist, plan a clean reinstall or professional removal. (learn.microsoft.com)

Context for this thread: ’s pointer to community resources and ’s caution were sound, and ’s advice to use trusted scanners is exactly the right approach. If money was paid through any confusing prompts, check/contest the charge with your card issuer — vendors with these histories have produced billing complaints. (pissedconsumer.com)

Summary: don’t trust unsolicited “free scanner” links. Use official vendor sites, scan files before execution, and use Microsoft Defender + Malwarebytes (or equivalent) for cleanup if needed. (support.eset.com)

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Member Avatar for AndyOne

If it came in as an unsolicited e-mail, I wouldn't trust it. In fact, you should download and run both AVG 8.0 free and Windows defender (both free and trusted) and run scans, because you may already be infected. For more information, look:

Member Avatar for seacaptdon

According to postings on WOT (see http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/scanforfree.com/comment#comment) this site is known for Malicious Content, Browser Exploitation, Phishing, and is reported to be "Scam from Paretologic". There are 48 complaints listed on the Web of Trust website. My advice is BEWARE!!

I received an email earlier today from one of the newsletters I sign up for months ago, offering me to download a free Xoftspyse spyware scanner with a link to http://www.scanforfree.com.

Is this a reliable program? Has anyone tried it?

Member Avatar for Ganry

hello world

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