Justice is finally being served for the victims who were affected by one stalkerware developer in New York who used 16 companies to promote surveillance tools illegally.
Now, the malicious spyware maker must pay a massive fine of $410,000 and make other restitutions in an agreement made with NY State Attorney General’s office.
Who committed this act of stalkerware?
The name of the creep is Patrick Hinchy, and he’s a businessman who promoted apps that allow its customers to secretly track the location and communication of partners and spouses without their knowledge.
The spy apps were also able to track their target’s call logs, text messages, photos and videos, Gmail activity, WhatsApp and Skype messages, social media activity, and browsing history, violating a number of state and federal laws.
In addition to the hefty fine, Hinchy must also modify all the spyware apps he had been using to alert victims that their devices were being monitored without their consent or knowledge. This will ultimately decrease the value of the apps so that they become virtually useless. Some of these apps include:
- Auto Forward
- Easy Spy
- DDI Utilities
- Highster Mobile
- PhoneSpector
- Surepoint
- TurboSpy
What other deceptions was Hinchy alleged to commit?
As if this all wasn’t bad enough, according to the NY Attorney General, Hinchy also made various websites that alleged to provide independent technical advice when he really was just promoting his own stalkerware products sold by his company to make more money.
The company lied to its victims about refund policies and claims regarding the data security of information obtained by the stalkerware products. His stalkerware companies also failed to disclose the need for rooting on Android or jailbreaking on iPhone.
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- Rooting on Android device is the process of gaining administrative privileges that allow you to modify the device’s software, remove pre-installed apps, access system files, and make other changes that would not be possible without root access.
- Jailbreaking an iPhone means bypassing Apple’s restrictions to gain access to more features and install apps not found in the official App Store.
It’s important to be aware of the signs of stalkerware infection, such as unexplained changes to your device’s settings or unusual behavior from your device.
How can I protect myself from spyware and stalkerware?
One of the best ways to protect yourself from these kinds of malicious acts is to have antivirus software downloaded to your device. Our top pick is TotalAV, and you can get a Limited-time deal for CyberGuy readers: $19 your first year (80% off) for TotalAV Antivirus Pro package here.
For more of my antivirus reviews, head over here: Best Antivirus Protection
Were you or anyone you know affected by stalkerware? Let us know. We’d like to hear from you.
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