Direct Revenue Advertiser Settles Fraud Charges - A Sammamish, Wash.-based technology company that was one of adware distributor Direct Revenue's biggest advertisers agreed to pay $190,000 to settle charges that it bombarded computer users with deceptive advertisements designed to dupe people into downloading unneeded software. Once downloaded, SoftwareOnline Inc.'s free computer scanning tool inundated consumers with pop-up ads for the company's products, according to the Washington Attorney General. A case filed earlier this month by New York Attorney General Elliot Spitzer against Direct Revenue revealed that Direct Revenue continued doing business with SoftwareOnline even after becoming aware of that company's practices. April 12, 2006

• Washington AG Release April 11, 2006 [off-site]
• SoftwareOnline Complaint [PDF] April 11, 2006 [off-site]
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