Deceptive advertising complaint

About This Message Board
#1

I opened a new session of Firefox this afternoon at around 9:30 Eastern time. I navigated to http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/, at which time an additional tab opened to http: //newbrowserversion.org/f/index.html (link intentionally broken to protect the naive). At that time, I was viewing no other webpages. This page stated, “Warning! Browser Update Required! Important Security Update: Keeping your browser up to date keeps you protected…” It provides a link to secure.pn-installer3.com that I strongly suspect holds malware or other unwanted software, rather than a pristine copy of the latest Firefox.

The initial straightdope.com page included a header banner ad touting an “IQ quiz” asking “What is the capital of the state of Texas: A) Austin B) Orlando C) Miami”. A second ad showed what looked like a non-working media player that eventually turned into a star shaped anthropomorphic cartoon character and then disappeared, and returned to the media player look, then disappeared again. A third ad offered $7.99 large 3-topping pizzas from Domino’s, carryout only.

My virus scanner reported no threats. MalwareBytes’ MBAM reported no malicious items detected.

I want these deceptive browser update ads stopped immediately.

#2

I came back and clicked on this thread. No sooner had I arrived, I got a pop-open tab at http: //www.lpcloudsvr302.com/254B7E285B55423167456C325D63567872C776EF87CFBAD9BDFA4850A9C6AC9B0B9925D1D965171FBFA8C2AB0F5FF9B6?PubID=144&tgu_src_lp_domain=www.dlultimatesoft.com&tid=nym1CN-1h8zZ36DkShACGKWVp-XCyuShdCINNzIuMjA1LjU3LjE2NigBMJawh5cF&pid=144&ClickID=12214091901d816b47a61390532630&sid=12214091901d816b47a61390532630 (link broken again…) warning me that “You are currently browsing the web with Firefox and your Video Player might be outdated Please update to the latest version for better performance…”

No other browser tabs were open in any browser.

According to Firefox’s site, that site is not legitimate.

#3

Just now, I got exactly the same thing when I clicked on the IMHO forum.

#4

So install AdBlock Plus already.

#5

I’ll pass this information on.

#6

I’m sorry, the appropriate threadshit for this kind of thread is “So pay for a membership already.”

#7

Mozilla just put out a new version of Firefox and AdBlock Plus isn’t compatible yet.

#8

Really? I’m running Firefox 26 on Windows 7 and I have Adblock Plus 2.4.1 installed.

#9

Same here.

#10

Firefox 27.0 Beta is out.

#11

That explains it. I let Firefox upgrade itself, and it’s happy with version 26.

#12

Seems to me there are two issues here:
[ul]
[li] The SDMB is the recipient of malicious advertising that has yet to be addressed properly. Unless, and until, the SDMB is able to do something to rectify the problem on their end, it will continue. When I view the number of threads on this issue brought to the attention of the powers that be, the usual “we’ll look into it” response, followed by another malicious advertising complaint days and weeks later, one begins to doubt anything can, or will be done about it. Granted, the powers that be that own the SDMB may be at fault here and not TubaDiva and others who have to wear the problem. I’m taking that route that TD and others are messengers and sacrificial lambs.[/li][li] At the same time, Dopers need to take it upon themselves to protect their own computers from harm. There are several avenues available. When those avenues are offered by other Dopers, comments of threadshitting rise up. If you find yourself on a poorly maintained road, the city, county or state should (and must) be held accountable to repair the road to the required standard for safe travel and use of that road. At the same time as a driver and owner of a vehicle using that road, you have a responsibility to yourself to ensure your vehicle is maintained at a level that you can negotiate that crappy road (driving slower and more carefully) to get to your destination. If your vehicle is poorly maintained and breaks down on that crappy road, solely blaming the poor road maintenance for the breakdown is disingenuous and unfair, more so when your mechanic and friends have offered several easy and inexpensive steps to keep your vehicle properly maintained.[/li][/ul]

We all have a choice of being a member here and not being subjected to ads. If you don’t want to fork up the cash, you also have a choice of using a quality browser with ad blocking addons that can immunize your browser from these problems. If decide not to pursue either of these two self-protection avenues then its caveat emptor.

#13

Weird. Somehow mine went backward several versions.

#14

Well said Duckster. To drive the point home, the scammers are professionals and law enforcement is dragging its feet. You can get malware from yahoo and other mainstream websites. This alleged con artist has been operating for about 8 years, in Canada no less, has allegedly defrauded consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars via the credit card and has somehow stayed out of prison. You have seen his ads. We all have.

#15

I find nothing deceptive about the OP’s advertising complaint.

#16

I haven’t. Because I use Adblock Plus, as well as a custom adblocking HOSTS file. :stuck_out_tongue: