Scad (scam ad)
Encyclopedia
A scad is a portmanteau of the words scam and advertisement, usually in reference to internet spam
. The term has been used by the Alliance Against Bait and Click to describe scam ads that lure consumers to click on their site using a brand name or an outrageous deal while in turn providing suspect products and deals. This technique is called "bait and click" and has received significant press coverage from Consumer Reports
Webwatch which has warned consumers to be wary of scads because they divert unsuspecting searchers from what they are looking for and waste their time. At worst, scads can take users to unsecured sites – exposing them to fraud, scams, viruses, and spyware. Sponsored search
results contain over twice as many risky sites as organic listings for the same search terms, according to a study by online security company McAfee
. Scads exist in sponsored links and several have delivered Internet users
to sites that charge for Firefox, a popular free web browser
. One research study found that the display of a company's ads in response to searches for a competitor's brand name was not a widespread phenomenon.
Spam (electronic)
Spam is the use of electronic messaging systems to send unsolicited bulk messages indiscriminately...
. The term has been used by the Alliance Against Bait and Click to describe scam ads that lure consumers to click on their site using a brand name or an outrageous deal while in turn providing suspect products and deals. This technique is called "bait and click" and has received significant press coverage from Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is an American magazine published monthly by Consumers Union since 1936. It publishes reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services based on reporting and results from its in-house testing laboratory. It also publishes cleaning and general buying guides...
Webwatch which has warned consumers to be wary of scads because they divert unsuspecting searchers from what they are looking for and waste their time. At worst, scads can take users to unsecured sites – exposing them to fraud, scams, viruses, and spyware. Sponsored search
Search engine marketing
Search engine marketing, , is a form of Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages through the use of paid placement, contextual advertising, and paid inclusion...
results contain over twice as many risky sites as organic listings for the same search terms, according to a study by online security company McAfee
McAfee
McAfee, Inc. is a computer security company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, USA. It markets software and services to home users, businesses and the public sector. On August 19, 2010, electronics company Intel agreed to purchase McAfee for $7.68 billion...
. Scads exist in sponsored links and several have delivered Internet users
Global internet usage
Global Internet usage provides information on the number of people who use the Internet by language, nationality, geography, etc.-Languages used on the Internet:Most web pages on the Internet are in English....
to sites that charge for Firefox, a popular free web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
. One research study found that the display of a company's ads in response to searches for a competitor's brand name was not a widespread phenomenon.