known subscription based movie download service subject thousands complaints washington state attorney general office agencies consumers said held hostage repeated pop windows demands payment triggered free day trial period said heard saw pop advertised service personal information need filled begin free trial filed complaint defendants august charging having engaged nationwide scheme use deception extract payments consumers attorney general state washington filed complaint charging defendants violating state consumer protection act overview movie download service pop ads sites ads offer day free trial access members content including music news updated sports scores adult movies ads forms fill need provide credit card number mail address making trial appear anonymous site states virus free extra charge site program access service early consumer complaints began operations fall earlier consumer complaints began soon consumers claimed signed free trial service heard got pop demand payment said found software computers free utility company denied installed software means media coverage early january recounted consumer complaints mentioned anti companies buying google advertisements product ability remove report updated february calls component fully disclose installing completely remove components obligations process software disclosure harvest referred form behaviour july report cited complaints august filed complaint united_states obtain preliminary permanent relief contracts relief defendants unfair acts practices violation section act complaint alleged defendants demanding payment fix problem created installing software removed reasonable means according complaint repeatedly bombarded consumers pop windows accompanied music lasted nearly minute demanded minimum payment end recurring pop cycle claiming consumers signed day free trial cancel service trial period complaint charged installation defendants download manager merely smoke screen defendants true purpose install software files consumers computers enable defendants launch pop windows consumers computers demanding payments defendants pop windows display payment demands significantly disrupt consumers use computers defendants cause pop payment demands display particular computer time cause increasing frequency pop ups large dark background took screen blocking access windows contain close minimize buttons forcing user continue pop showed date time content access software installed system day free trial began text click continue purchase license stop graphic reading stop click continue option offered button labeled continue continue brought pop second clip featuring woman introduced personal customer service representative stated cancel trial period legally payment terms conditions agreed installed content delivery software clip neared conclusion new dialog box entitled payment options appeared choosing close window option ended pop ups cycle began addition complaint alleged defendants numerous false statements attempting collect payments consumers claiming computer owner receiving pop payment demands paid owner computer received pop ups legally pay computer owner satisfy contract person entered computer customer service telephone number provided number consumers called recorded told charge hang seconds complaint alleged defendants difficult impossible consumers software attempting remove add remove programs function web page telling pay fee stop pop ups way consumers regain control computers pay fee pay computer technician remove software position representatives said downloads computers accidentally insisting drive downloads said lawsuit brought pointed time complaint filed federal judge rejected request temporary order immediately ended cited billing practices terms service web site warned users cancel pay day period pop billing begin appear frequently choose payment options pay license said pop ups anti fraud mechanism received consumers intentionally software intentional steps default setting cancel company stated programs bundled software company disputed claim software difficult rid said removed defendants following companies individuals named defendants complaint international inc inc film web inc source inc sole officer director triumphant videos officer director film web source pre trial november defendants signed governing pre trial conduct admitting wrongdoing violation law involvement acts practices alleged complaint defendants agreed clear prominent prior software download installation download install software user explicit consent clearly prominently site terms service nature frequency duration pop windows appear purported obligation payment pop ups lock access rest computer agreed fixed limits pop ups generate computer maximum day hour requirement provide mute button sound content pop ups able close windows provide toll free number email utility request stopping pop ups certain conditions defendants promised clearly label single click download install buttons pre select default required represent consumers legal contractual obligation pay software computer owner provided personal identification agreed pay failure pay result collection proceedings affect computer owner credit status owner provided personal identification credit card agreed pay customer service agents state believe computer owner responsible paying download offer purchase options including time day non license access service terminate settlement complaint scheduled tried united_states january trial defendants chose settle court settled september admitting wrongdoing violation law defendants agreed permanent terms pre trial including limiting number frequency duration billing pop ups pay consumers paid program result repeated pop demands defendants agreed stop offering anonymous free trials users install time years age provide install time link terms service end user license agreement download software user removed prominently post removal instructions web sites agreement requires herd change address employment status new business years complaints state washington august attorney general state washington charged herd violating state consumer protection act complaint filed seattle alleged unlawful business acts practices similar alleged complaint alleged violations washington state law defendants subject fines violation act violation found liable subject paying affected consumers alleged violations law alleged violations washington state law included taking control user computer violation act consumer protection act remotely installing billing software controls pop cycle ability software violation acts listing software software business practices violation aggressive billing method failure disclose including use billing method forces payment completely users access computers threats harassment intimidation billing practices violation threatening collection proceedings adverse effect users credit records fact defendants know consumer referring consumers legal obligation pay fact legally binding contract failure disclose material facts violation aggressive relentless threatening form payment demands fact option software disabled defendants transmit software user computer violation including stating software contains fact software constitutes behavior announcing suit following seven month investigation washington attorney general rejected possible defense defendants claim users legally pay service lacks merit consumers provide knowing consent installation relentless pop demands said furthermore computer owners responsible satisfy contracts people including minors entered computer said defendants threats collection proceedings adverse effects users credit ratings defendants way personally identify computer users assistant attorney general said tactics forced consumers pay service said sued getting complaints consumers felt harassed held barrel payments didn agree said harassment intimidation consumer high pressure tactic pay legally pay settlement settled washington april terms similar settlement specific washington consumers agreeing pay washington consumer prominently state important contract terms including cost subscription service advertisements
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