Downloaded free malware yesterday asking for fee today

wsgwsg Posts: 185
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I downloaded the free version of malware yesterday and this morning I had an on screen message saying my free trial had ended and asked me for a renewal free I thought malware was free for any length of time?
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  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    Are we talking malwarebytes? My money is on at some point during download/installation it asked you if you wanted to trial the paid for version and you said yes. 24 hours is a short trial, though.
    Try uninstalling it and installing the actual free version, maybe.
  • wsgwsg Posts: 185
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    I asked for the malwarebytes free version
  • Alan FAlan F Posts: 1,043
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    ..............and make sure you get it from a reliable source!
  • JeffG1JeffG1 Posts: 15,243
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    Alan F wrote: »
    ..............and make sure you get it from a reliable source!
    Indeed. It sounds as though you did download malware as opposed to malwarebytes as you say in your OP!

    Only download from www.malwarebytes.org,

    And don't forget rule #1: Type in that address - don't click on a link from a poster you don't know! Unless your browser shows you it's genuine when you hover over it.
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    wsg wrote: »
    I asked for the malwarebytes free version

    There's only the one version that downloads, and there's a tick box during the install that asks if you want to try the pro version for free for 14 days.
    It's ticked by default (if I remember right), so you have to untick it to use the free version.

    Even if you run the trial version by mistake it's only the live scanning part that finishes after 14 days, you can use and update the on-demand scanner for ever more. It does keep giving you annoying pop-ups about the trial being finished though. :o:D
  • StigStig Posts: 12,446
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    wsg wrote: »
    I asked for the malwarebytes free version

    Moral of the story: always read carefully what is displayed on the screen.

    As above, there is a little box you have to untick on the last stage of the installation.
  • MeMeMeIMeMeMeI Posts: 990
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    Just uninstall the thing
  • OrbitalzoneOrbitalzone Posts: 12,627
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    Yeah, don't just click Next> yes> yes> default> install but read those options....Malwarebytes will install the Pro version as a trial unless you untick the option during installation regardless of the fact you clicked and downloaded the free version.
  • wsgwsg Posts: 185
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    Thanks for all the advice guys I will uninstall and start again
  • stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    Stig wrote: »
    Moral of the story: always read carefully what is displayed on the screen.

    As above, there is a little box you have to untick on the last stage of the installation.

    Which is often not easy! I regularly service a friend's computer. He does not look properly.
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    Which is often not easy! I regularly service a friend's computer. He does not look properly.

    It IS easy if folk DO look and read through stuff properly...
  • stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    mred2000 wrote: »
    It IS easy if folk DO look and read through stuff properly...

    Learning disabilities don't help either. Not everyone can read or read efficiently.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,227
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    mred2000 wrote: »
    It IS easy if folk DO look and read through stuff properly...

    Yep. A lot of people tend to just hit the next button without properly looking at what's above the next button.
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,227
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    Learning disabilities don't help either. Not everyone can read or read efficiently.

    Not meaning to be funny but if they can't read, what are they doing installing software on a computer/laptop? They could be installing anything on it.
  • stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    zx50 wrote: »
    Not meaning to be funny but if they can't read, what are they doing installing software on a computer/laptop? They could be installing anything on it.

    Exactly. The result is often nasty and my friend goes into a panic.

    I was woken up at 2am by an anxious phone call.

    https://support.google.com/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1386831

    "What does this mean? Can you come round. I will pay you £10 for the inconvenience."
  • wsgwsg Posts: 185
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    I tried again and clicked on FREE and what I got was ARO 2013 it said nothing about malwarebytes?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    wsg wrote: »
    I tried again and clicked on FREE and what I got was ARO 2013 it said nothing about malwarebytes?
    Just precisely what website did you go to and what buttons did you click on?

    As an experiment I went to malwarebytes.org then clicked on the white "Free Download" button which took me to the Download.com website which has a big green "Download Now" button on it. Clicked that and it opens a new page with various other bits of software advertised on it but after a couple of seconds a box pops up asking if I want to save the file or run it.

    Definitely the correct installer going by the file name. Didn't bother to download it as I'm on a Mac at the moment so not much point :)
  • PrimalIcePrimalIce Posts: 2,897
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    wsg wrote: »
    I tried again and clicked on FREE and what I got was ARO 2013 it said nothing about malwarebytes?

    :rolleyes:

    This is an absolute direct link to the file CLICK HERE

    And It will download the installer for malware bytes. Follow the instructions carefully during setup.

    I get no adverts extras or options to switch to non-free version when I tried it and I went up to the install part.
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    wsg wrote: »
    I tried again and clicked on FREE and what I got was ARO 2013 it said nothing about malwarebytes?

    It is likely that you went to, or were redirected to, the CNET website in order to download Malwarebytes.

    The following Malwarebytes forum post suggests a similar issue caused when someone has hit the wrong download button:

    http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=122127&p=643041
  • zx50zx50 Posts: 91,227
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    If they don't get it after clicking on the above link, something funny's going on.
  • wsgwsg Posts: 185
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    Chrisr I used your suggestion megabytes.org and got ARO 2013 and primalice if I click on your suggestion the free download still says ARO 2013.?
  • mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,307
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    wsg wrote: »
    Chrisr I used your suggestion megabytes.org and got ARO 2013 and primalice if I click on your suggestion the free download still says ARO 2013.?
    Does the filename that you are asked to save in the download say mbam-setup-1.75.0.1300.exe?
  • JeffG1JeffG1 Posts: 15,243
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    PrimalIce wrote: »
    :rolleyes:

    This is an absolute direct link to the file {LINK REMOVED}
    And It will download the installer for malware bytes. Follow the instructions carefully during setup.

    I get no adverts extras or options to switch to non-free version when I tried it and I went up to the install part.
    For all I know that could well be a malicious post. Just hover over the CLICK HERE link in the original and see what comes up in the bottom line of your browser. As I warned in my own post #5, only download from the official malwarebytes site, and never, ever, click on a link where you can't see what it's pointing to.
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    wsg wrote: »
    Chrisr I used your suggestion megabytes.org and got ARO 2013 and primalice if I click on your suggestion the free download still says ARO 2013.?

    malwarebytes.org not megabytes.org...

    I'll err on the side of caution and say you've already got some malware that is preventing malwarebytes from downloading and installing...
  • PrimalIcePrimalIce Posts: 2,897
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    wsg wrote: »
    Chrisr I used your suggestion megabytes.org and got ARO 2013 and primalice if I click on your suggestion the free download still says ARO 2013.?

    That links directly to the file. So what exactly says ARO 2013? Thw webpage? The file you are asked to download? The installer program?

    I have searched for this problem and there are a few references to Aero 2013. I have provided a mirror link below in case cnet is up to no good.

    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/malwarebytes-anti-malware/dl/7/?1

    Again this is a direct link to the setup file.

    I don't quite know whats going on but I have some nasty suspicions.
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