OK, I've had it with click here and theres and spywares...

[TreeOfLife]

First, my homepage settings are changed to some monkey whatever's. The most recent and last is the disabling of my pop-up ads blocker.

I run ad-aware even three and four times a day, but it annoys and infuriates me how vulnerable my computer and information is for... A couple of bucks! Not even thousands! I save as much or even more money with rewards using my credit cards without exposing myself to hackers than putting myself in the line of fire with all this crap.

As far as I am concerned, the stress of having to clean your HDs each time you log on to these sites and the danger of what you'll add to your system aren't worth free bags of Hershey Kisses or $10 bucks here and there. And I notice that the greatest problems come when I click around Blink and sign-up portals.
I pass on these

 

[tink2dw]

One of the most useful things I learned to do was to Delete all the Temp Cookies files.

Go to Start, click settings,click control panel,click Internet Options,
Click Delete Files,check the box for Delete all offline content[this is pictures from ever site you visit even the DIS],click OK.
Change days to keep history: to 0,then click Clear History,a box with, Are You sure you want Windows to Clear the History of all websites visited,click Yes. Next make sure you know all the passwords you have ask windows to save for you then, click settings,click View Files, then highlite and delete any remaining files.

I do this nightly. The computer runs faster after doing this.

I helped a friend do this yesterday and she had Temp files from several years ago still in there!!

 

[Maleficent2]

I understand your frustration but you do not only get spyware from rewards programs.Any site you visit on the internet can have spyware attached to it.

Example right now I have only visited three sites the DIS,Disney.com and my homepage at MSN. and I bet if I run my spyware I have at least 3. Which is what I will do right now. I will log off and run spyware then come back and tell you what I found.

BRB-Mal

 

[tink2dw]

I have want to add a pop up ad blocker but I was afraid it would interfere with the rewards programs i do. Is there one that still lets you reward while killing the pop ups??

 

[Maleficent2]

Adware found 5 all Data Miners

Spybot found 2 but they were attached to my WORKS program so I do not remove them they are always there.


So you see Spyware can be found on any site you visit on the internet and unless you plan on giving up the internet all together then you will not be without spyware. Just a note, of course if you feel you must give up rewards that is up to you but if spyware is the only reason....maybe worth a second thought.


Tink-

not sure about that I don't run a pop up blocker because too many contests and offers comes from pop ups. I just live with the annoying ones never know when you might get a Great lead from one. LOL

Also MSN offers banner block for the banners at the top of most websites I opted out of that also for the same reasons.


Mal

 

[TreeOfLife]

Thanks for your advice, Mal. You sure are brave.

I did not think about deleting temp files, Tink. Thank you for your suggestion. But I find I have to run ad-aware several times a day! And the reward sites with portals and especially Blink, are the ones that leave spywares as I have noticed. I have cleaned out my HD, clicked in those sites, then clean again after I get 5 - 8 spywares at a time! It is frustrating.

Can't trust any of those places, and often I wonder if it is even worth the couple of bucks and measly freebies you get out of them... Such blunt invasion of privacy just makes me mad, for what they pay!

 

[tink2dw]

If you still want to earn money with a less invasion. Try Test Drives. From Halloween thru the Dec 30th last year I did these test drives...
Ford had a $75. visa gift card test drive that Dh and I both were able to do.
Landrover also had a $75.visa gift card.
There was one for a $50. american express gift check.
Saturn had a $25. Target card.
Mazda had a $35. one for restaurant gift certificates.

For a total of $335.00!!

They run these test drives as a promotion to get poeple into the Dealerships. When I pull in to a car lot I immeadately ask for the manager,so I don't waste a sales persons time. Out Of all these test drives I only had to really drive 2 cars. The manager signs it,adds the dealership no.# and sometimes you need a business card to send in. Mail them and look for the rewards to roll in to your door!!!
I think I have only got 2 e-mails form any of these Co.

I check for test Drives here and at
http://www.funtasia.net/testdrives.html

Try this kind of Rewarding!!

 

[Pembo]

About the Pop-up Blocker-I have Earthlink Cable and it has a pop-up blocker. It works great and I can turn it off when I need to. It is something worth checking into.

 

[Pink Flamingo]

tink2dw - I have a pop up blocker that I turn on/off depending on my mood . When on, it hasn't interfered with MyPoints or Milesource.