Mesenger Pop-ups

[Melanie]

I am getting deluged with them as well. It is not only
messenger pop-ups (chat invitations with a sexy girl--not
exactly kosher with young children in the house) but other
pop-ups ads for anything and everything. It's quite
annoying considering I am trying to work. How can I block
them?

Thanks!


>-----Original Message-----
>I am deluged by messenger pop-up ads - mainly from firms
>wanting me to buy software to block pop-up ads.
>Surely Microsoft have not left us as exposed as these
>firms would have us believe.
>How can I block these pop-ups?
>Any suggestions will be gratefully received.
>.
>

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

This particular "sales method" is strikingly similar to the
"protection" rackets offered to small businesses by organized
criminals. No reputable business would resort to such tactics.
Particularly since they're trying to sell you a type of protection
that is already available to you free of charge.

This a type of spam has become quite common over the past few
months, and unintentionally serves as a valid security "alert." It
demonstrates that you haven't been taking sufficient precautions while
connected to the Internet. Your data probably hasn't been compromised
by these specific advertisements, but if you're open to this exploit,
you may well be open to other threats. Install and use a decent,
properly configured firewall. (Disabling the messenger service, as
some people recommend, only hides the symptom, and does nothing to
secure your machine.) And ignoring or just "putting up with" these
messages and the problem they represent is particularly foolish.

Messenger Service of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;168893

Messenger Service Window That Contains an Internet Advertisement
Appears
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=330904

Additionally:

Blocking Ads, Parasites, and Hijackers with a Hosts File
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm


Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
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----
You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> I am deluged by messenger pop-up ads - mainly from firms
> wanting me to buy software to block pop-up ads.
> Surely Microsoft have not left us as exposed as these
> firms would have us believe.
> How can I block these pop-ups?
> Any suggestions will be gratefully received.