The internet is home to hundreds of thousands of free things. Not all of these free things are being legally distributed, but in the software market, it seems like there are free solutions for everything from antivirus programs to registry cleaners.
But should you really trust these programs to fix your PC’s security? The answer is a resounding ‘no!’ Ever since the internet was first created, free PC optimization programs have been wreaking havoc on the security of computer users around the world. While they may promise to offer a fast and effective solution to all of your computer’s problems, in reality, they are virtually useless.
Why you shouldn’t trust free computer programs
Spyware and malware: The main problem with free computer programs is the fact that they have to recover their costs in some way. Somebody, somewhere in the world has invested hundreds of hours into coding that program, and that person needs some incentive to continue working. In many cases, this incentive appears in the form of cash offered by marketing companies and hackers. While these programs may appear to fix your computer, in reality, they simply install spyware that will steal your information. Once your information is sold to marketing companies and hackers, you may be the target for spam mail or even identity theft.
Too good to be true: Sometimes, free PC software will promise to do things that aren’t even possible on your computer. They may claim to offer speed boosts of several thousand percent. What does that even mean? In other cases, they could promise to have bogus tools like “RAM optimization”, which is neither necessary nor effective. Steer clear of these free software programs because they’re just trying to lure you into their scam.
Hidden costs: Some free PC optimization programs will install themselves on your computer for free. Then, the next time you restart your computer, you will suddenly have a virus that locks you out of every part of your PC. You can’t access the internet, open the Windows control panel, or perform a scan with your antivirus software. All you can do is pay for a bogus virus removal kit. These types of programs effectively hijack your computer and hold it for ransom, and they’re often hidden within free PC software.
For all of these reasons, free PC optimization programs are almost always too good to be true. While trustworthy PC cleaner programs like PC Cleaner Pro 2012 offer a free trial of their software, there is a huge difference between a free trial and a free program.
