Consumers-survey-group.org

PC security analysts have received reports of an irritating pop-up message associated with Consumers-survey-group.org that invites computer users to fill out online surveys. Consumers-survey-group.org claims to be associated with legitimate computer security and marketing companies. However, malware researchers have observed that Consumers-survey-group.org's surveys are a variant on a well- known strategy. The main purpose of the Consumers-survey-group.org message is to trick inexperienced computer users into filling out an online survey in order to generate revenue. Revenue may be generated using Consumers-survey-group.org surveys both through affiliate marketing ventures and by including compromising questions in the surveys that could trick inexperienced computer users into disclosing their private data such as address, telephone number or financial information. Consumers-survey-group.org surveys have been linked to threat infections and to Potentially Unwanted Programs. This is why malware researchers advise computer users to refrain from answering Consumers-survey-group.org surveys and use a reliable security program to stop the appearance of Consumers-survey-group.org pop-ups on their PC.

Consumers-survey-group.org and Similar Deceiving Tactics

Convincing computer users to fill out online surveys is among the oldest ways of profiting at the expense of computer users. Many threat infections and social engineering tactics try to convince computer users to enter their information into an online survey, often offering to reward computer users with a prize or a monetary reward. Social engineering tactics such as those linked to Consumers-survey-group.org may be more effective than threats at extracting information from computer users and, unlike threats, are more difficult to stop. While a security program can be created to stop and detect specific threats, social engineering tactics can only be prevented by elucidating the public so that they will avoid clicking on unsafe content or downloading and opening suspicious files. The best way to protect yourself from threatening content associated with the Consumers-survey-group.org tactic is to avoid any type of online survey from these kinds of sources.

What may Cause the Appearance of the Consumers-survey-group.org Pop-Up

Computer users using a wide variety of Web browsers have reported the appearance of the Consumers-survey-group.org pop-up. This is because PUPs associated with the Consumers-survey-group.org pop-up may affect most widely used Web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. PC security analysts have also noted that the Consumers-survey-group.org pop-up may appear when visiting a website hosting unsafe content or advertisements. It is easy to know the difference: if the Consumers-survey-group.org pop-up only appears on a specific website, then the problem is probably with the website rather than on your computer. However, if the Consumers-survey-group.org pop-up appears on various websites, including websites that should be free of these types of advertisements, then this definitely means that a PUP or more threatening component has entered your computer. If your Web browser displays the Consumers-survey-group.org pop-up message on various websites, then you should take steps to disinfect your computer with a strong security program that is fully up-to-date.

How Marketers may Profit Using the Consumers-survey-group.org Pop-Up

There are many ways in which a third-party may generate revenue by convincing inexperienced computer users to fill out online surveys. Marketers and other persons may profit at your expense through Consumers-survey-group.org using the following ways:

1. Consumers-survey-group.org surveys may ask you for personal information. By simply having access to your name coupled with information such as an address, zip code or telephone number, marketers may find out information about you for use in advertising or to sell it to a third party. If it falls into the wrong hands, this information may be used to perform identity theft or more harmful crimes.
2. Consumers-survey-group.org surveys may be associated with affiliate marketing schemes that may generate revenue depending on how many computer users fill out their surveys.
3. Consumers-survey-group.org surveys may be coupled with advertising material, generating advertisement revenue when you view and fill out the survey.