Washington State sued a New York Company, Secure Computer LLC, and certain individuals including an Indian Mr Manoj Kumar under state’s Anti-Spyware law, which came into force last year. These persons are accused of inducing computer users to download software ‘Spyware Cleaner’ that weakened computer’s security by sending emails which imitated Microsoft Corp messages.

The accused use to sent out e-mails and advertisements on Secure Computer's behalf in exchange for a 75% commission on each $49.95 software sale. Many of the advertisements purported to be from Microsoft and flashed warnings that spyware or viruses had been discovered on a user's computer which deceived them into believing that dangerous spyware is on their computer and there is no time to waste, the user is induced to purchase Spyware Cleaner, which doesn't even work. Further,downloading Secure Computer's spyware software actually left computers more vulnerable to spyware.