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Its Halloween Spooks Specters And Spyware
t was late, I had put off I get this really creepy feeling
going to the Software on the back of my neck as I go
Convention till the last in, oh, its just a Linux software
minute. I just had to watch my salesman at the first booth. Is
favorite show on TV, it my imagination or are his eyes
glowing?
"S-Files". Its that episode where
the Computer Sales people all I head to the registration desk
turn into Pod People and, well to get a program. I see the place
never mind. Its really scary! is kinda empty, guess cause its
so late. Well, I'm here to see
So I'm driving down the lonely who is offering the latest demos
one lane road from my house to and what kind of freebies I can
the Convention. Its dark and the score.
shadows are creepy, I'll never The front booths are usually the
watch S-Files again, I swear! big sellers and they never give
away freebies or demos. So I head
I pull into the parking lot, the to the back, hmmm, the lights
convention is being held in the back here are terrible! Here's a
old YMCA. Geez, its dark, only 1 booth, Anti-Spyware 4 U.
parking lot light and its
flickering on and off. As I walk The salesman shuffles up to me
up to the entrance, I remember and says "Please take a demo of
the old story about how, back in our new product". I look at it,
the Dot.Com days, when they it says this is the latest
tanked, the building was used as greatest software to combat
a makeshift morgue, to hold all Spyware. I take the CD out of the
the bodies of the CEO's who plain paper cover and look at the
committed suicide. Logo. Its just a plain shiny cd?
Wow I can see myself in it I
remark. "We spared no expense" a She hands me a little plate with
voice says behind me, making me cookies and paper cup of
jump. I didn't even know he was something white. I assume its
behind me. Wait, I should have milk, but its so dark in here!
seen him behind me in the And there seems to be a fog or
reflection off the CD. steam on the surface of the milk.
Well beggars cant be choosers I
I gotta be imagining things I say think to myself as I thank her.
to myself. I ask the salesman for She gives me a freaky cackling
a brochure about their other laugh as I turn away, stunned I
products and as he hands it to turn back around and to my
me, our fingers brush each Horror, there is no-one there!
others. Jeez! His fingers are as Where in blazes did she go?
cold as ice! Well, he is a
salesman after all. I'm outta here my mind screams to
me as I head for the door at a
I thank him and head off to the ever faster walk. In a minute I'm
other booths, seeing that I've in my car with the doors locked
gotten here too late after all, and the engine warming up. Whew,
everybody is leaving. I decide to That was the strangest Convention
swing by the refreshments table I've ever seen.
to see if I can at least get a
drink and some cookies. It sure All the way home I've got a death
is dark in here I think again as grip on the wheel, just waiting
I come up to the table. As I scan for something to jump out of the
the table, a little old lady shadows. Like a IBM salesman, now
comes up and asks me if Id like that would be scary!
any milk and cookies. Yes Mam I If only I had known the other
reply. horrors that awaited me!
I breathe a sigh of relief as I
close and lock the living room I'm figuring now that I've been
door behind me. Still shaking my had by this Anti-Spyware CD. I do
head I head over to my Puter to a Restore and get back to my
try out this latest and greatest Online Mullet competition site.
Anti-Spyware Software. As it Then I remember that I need to
boots, I get a message to disable transfer some money in my savings
my own Anti-Spyware program. I to my checking account. So I head
thing this odd, but I remember to the Bank site and take care of
reading somewhere online that it. I must be tired, the puter
some programs can conflict with seems slow to me. I check my mail
others so I comply. After a few and the wait to login is
seconds I get a message that the frustrating. I decide to call it
new Program is installed and it a night. I'll take care of it
needs to connect to get possible tomorrow.
updates.
After a tossing and turning night
So I get online and let it do its and dreams of my Puter melting,
thing. A reboot is needed it the new day dawns. With a cup of
says, OK so I reboot. The Puter coffee I head to the Puter to see
comes up and I get online to who won the Mullet Contest. The
check out the latest results of boot takes forever and the login
the Mullet contest. what's this ? freezes the first time so I have
This isn't my Homepage, it's a to power off and back on again.
site where you can ,,,Holy Hand I'm really mad by now. I've been
Grenades! Its Porn! I close the had by some sleazy software
Browser and man alive, I'm beset company! I finally get online but
by about a dozen popups offering the Mullet competition site wont
me things that, well, no decent load.
person would want.
I cant tell if it's the Puter or convention did last night.
maybe the online connection. As
it dawns on me that I'm gonna I figure I better head to the
have to take it in for service, I Police Station to get some help.
hope I've got some extra in my In a Panic I head for town. As I
savings to cover it. I head to make the last turn into town, I
the Bank site but it wont load glance towards the location of
either. Then I notice the Hard the YMCA, where all this started,
Disk light blinking away. I'm not only to see its not there! Its
doing anything at the time so it burned to the ground! Stunned, I
shouldn't be accessing anything. stop in the street and get out.
Cursing, I turn the Puter off and Nothing but ashes. The Man in the
pick up the phone to call the car behind me gets out and asks
bank. I get a live person after me if I'm ok. I mumble I'm lucky
waiting only 5 minutes so I to be alive, I could have died in
figure the day may be improving. there last night. Puzzled the man
I give her my account info and says, but the YMCA burned down 2
she comes back saying "I show nights ago!
that account being closed last As I get back into the car, I
night after all money was glance at the spot on the seat
withdrawn"! . There must be a where I put the CD and the
mistake I say, she checks it Pamphlet. Gone. Just a little
again and says its true. The pile of dust.
money in the account was
transferred to a Bank she has At the Police station, a sergeant
never heard of in takes down my story and informs
,,,,Transylvania of all places. me I've been the victim of online
As I hang up in shock, I could Identity theft. As I'm leaving, A
have sworn I heard her laughing couple of kids run by, in
just like the old lady at the costumes, yelling "Happy
Halloween" Are you scared ? You should be!
About the Author:
Doug Woodall has a web site at http://www.spywarebiz.com There he provides free information and recommended products to combat Spyware. His Website is recognized by Learning Fountain and ISafe Doug's Articles have earned him Trusted Author Status at ImpactArticles.com He is a member of the IWA (International Webmasters Association) Article edited for proper content by Wendy McCallum Permission to copy ok as long as about author info remains with article.
Read more articles by: Doug Woodall
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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