In a preventive measure designed to protect customers, ALWIL Sotware would like to draw attention to the fraudulent selling of their products via several web sites, many advertising via the Google Ad Words program.

The web sites are mostly offering keys to the free avast! antivirus Home Edition product, but not in all cases, though charging users as though it were for our paid-for Professional Edition, or, when email "invoices" are received by customers, there is no mention of avast! Instead a list of programs is usually offered that the customer has never heard of, let alone agreed to buy.

One clear way to spot a fraudulent site is via a message similar to this, at the bottom of the website, often in small lettering: This website has no affiliation whatsoever with the owner of this software program, and provides ONLY a link to the software program.

Another way to spot these scam sites, is the fact that they will often make mention of offering a "lifetime" license or "Gold Package" - packages that ALWIL Software does not offer in the avast! range.

Be aware, such websites are in no way associated with ALWIL Software a.s., and have no way to issue licenses, as they are not partners of ALWIL Software, and therefore any money you spend with them will not allow them to issue a genuine paid-for license.

In order to protect our customers from such fraud, we have a list (below) of known scams sites that we are aware of. None of the below sites have any connection with ALWIL Software and are not authorized resellers of our products:

• www.downloadavast.com
• www.avast-downloads.com
• avast.free-software-center.com
• www.avast-hq.com
• www.downloadservicearea.com (DOWNLOADSERV.COM)
• download-this.us/avast
• www.DownloadAvast.com
• www.Avast-Downloads.com
• www.avast-2007.com
• download-avast.com
• www.avast-home.info **
• www.download-zone-free.com
• www.downloadsglobe.com/avast
• www.freedownloadspace.com
• www.free-download-center.com
• free-program-download.com
• www.freedownloadpage.com
• www.mysoftwaredownloads.com
• IP-MyDowloadSite.com *
• www.thesoftwaremembersarea.com
• www.downloadinghome.com *
• Download Assist * (My Downloading)
• Market Bill *
• mywebcs *

** Denotes a real avast! Home Edition download wrapped in a new installer which requires a premium rate SMS to be sent in order to gain a license key.

Customers are advised to contact their credit card issuer immediately if they have purchased from one of these sites, and report the transaction as fraudulent. This will allow the credit card company to instigate a chargeback against the site, returning money to customers.

Customers may also wish to contact their local law enforcement organization for statistical monitoring purposes.

Customers who cannot confirm where their purchase has been made are encouraged to contact avast! sales if they have any doubts as to the validity of such purchases.