[NewsPoster]

ZeoBIT and Kromtech, developers of the heavily-advertised MacKeeper OS X maintenance app, are facing a pair of lawsuits. The first, filed in Illinois in January, and the second filed recently in Pennsylvania claim that not only is the software suite ineffectual at performing tasks it alleges to do, it also erroneously finds every computer it scans to be "at risk" and in need of repair.

The Illinois complaint alleges that "ZeoBIT develops software that it claims will increase the speed, performance, and stability of a consumer's Macintosh personal computer by removing harmful errors, and eliminating privacy and security threats." The complaint adds that "ZeoBIT uses a common deceptive scheme to trick consumers into purchasing its MacKeeper software, which ultimately fails to deliver the utility ZeoBIT promises."

The lead plaintiff in Pennsylvania, Holly Yencha, purchased MacKeeper for $40. Her complaint states that "under MacKeeper's reporting algorithm, even brand new computers are in 'critical' condition and require repair by purchasing the full version." MacKeeper allegedly only "provides limited antivirus and firewall protection" but does little else. While malware exists for the Mac platform, there are no known viruses.

MacNN evaluated the package in 2010, and found that the Data Encryptor module did not function properly, and we weren't excited about the subscription service necessary for three services. However, our reviewers found that the majority of tasks the software set out to do were performed adequately. ZeoBIT at one point claimed to have 15 million downloads of MacKeeper, with a three percent return rate.

[donmontalvo]

When you're done with them, go after Coriolis (iDefrag).

[chimaera]

I once diagnosed a sad iMac, with 3 (three) copies of MacKeeper installed. Wiping them wasn't enough, it ended up needing an OS reinstall.

Leave Coriolis be. I use iDefrag often enough. It does what it claims to do, and hasn't lost any data.

[ljmac]

Great! This company uses very spammy marketing tactics as well. It is obviously scamware, but sadly, all the wares sites are in on it, because they make money out of advertising them. This sort of marketing strategy has to brought under control.

[b9bot]

Mackeeper is malware plain and simple. It does nothing except slow your computer down and I would advise anyone who has Mackeeper on there Mac to delete the application and empty trash. It should pop up with an uninstaller window which you can them let them know that thee application is junk plain and simple. Another one which is even worse is Tuneup My Mac. This one will make your system crash on purpose and then tell you they can fix it for a price. This software is known as ransom ware. Don't install it.
Now if you did install it, uninstall it and you will notice that your crashing software will magically disappear!

[b9bot]

That 3% return rate is probably because no one knows how to get rid of it once it is installed. In fact many people don't know how they got it installed because it is spammed all over the web with pop ups. This software will slow your Mac down and do little to help anything. Run a Mac without it and then run a Mac with Mackeeper and it is obvious how it slows your computer down.

[Spheric Harlot]

The hell I'll run a Mac with MacKeeper just to test it…! :-P