You are all (hopefully) aware of the fake anti-virus programs by now, also known as scareware. These programs make false claims that a computer is infected and then entice users into paying for a product to get rid of the malware but which actually does nothing except introduce infections itself, plus rip off your money and leave your credit card details in the wrong hands.

Well now there are also fake disk defraggers doing the rounds, which operate in much the same manner. They will falsely claim there are hard disk errors present and then offer to fix them for you, at a price. The defragger clones emerged last month with names like UltraDefragger, ScanDisk and WinHDD. There are also other more generic fake security and optimiztion programs to watch out for; earlier this month there was PCoptimizer, PCprotection Center, and Privacy Corrector and more recently HDDDiagnostic, HDDRepair, HDDRescue, and HDDPlus. GFI Labs (formerly Sunbelt Software) has dubbed these programs FakeAV-Defrag rogues.

Everyone should be extra vigilant and extremely wary of any applications advertising via pop-up warnings or e-mails, especially those which demand payment to fix any so-called errors.

Trust what you know and only from reputable sources.