Symantec: Millions tricked by scareware software

In the past 12 months, more than 40 million people across the world have been tricked into installing 'scareware' software. Specifically, criminals trick PC users into downloading a piece of software -- anti-virus and anti-spyware are two popular program types -- that are malicious pieces of software so they are able to acquire credit card information and other sensitive information.

In addition, some criminals create pop-up alerts telling PC users they face a serious risk, then offer fake anti-virus software that can be used to clean up the computer. The catch? The software costs money, and users still end up being compromised by the fake software.