View Full Version : Is SweetIM spyware?
Someone recently mentioned to me that Spybot flags SweetIM (or at least part of it) as spyware. Unfortunately everything I have found through Google has said that SweetIM is not spyware/adware/etc (although they appear to have lost their Softpedia 100% free certification).
I would believe that the version of SweetIM that was being used was a new beta for AIM users.
Does anyone have any idea as to why Spybot would remove part of this? It would be nice to know for sure if it really is spyware. ;)
md usa spybot fan
2007-07-16, 23:48
There does not appear to be a detection named "SweetIM", that I see. That leaves someone attempting track the problem down with very little to go on. Perhaps if you could get the person that you heard the problem from to post the Checks.yymmdd-hhmm.log from when the problem was detected, it would be helpful.
I think they said that SweetIM downloads a firewall bypasser of some sort (I assume it's that IE Firewall Bypass thing).
I've asked them to scroung up the log file, and gave them the link to post it here.
dequeensmallengine
2008-08-30, 13:33
I've been working for 2 days to rid myself of SweetIM and it is unremovable....
It should be flagged as malware!!!!
Thousands of people are finding it impossible to remove!
dequeensmallengine
2008-08-30, 13:37
Someone recently mentioned to me that Spybot flags SweetIM (or at least part of it) as spyware. Unfortunately everything I have found through Google has said that SweetIM is not spyware/adware/etc (although they appear to have lost their Softpedia 100% free certification).
I would believe that the version of SweetIM that was being used was a new beta for AIM users.
Does anyone have any idea as to why Spybot would remove part of this? It would be nice to know for sure if it really is spyware. ;)
It is impossible to remove from your computer.....
what does that classify it as?
i can not visit www. sweetim.com it is blocked by my hostsfile so it seems like some sort of malware as i could fint out. here is the siteadvisor report, look at the comments: http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/sweetim.com
the link to www. sweetim.com on the spybot forums should be disabled.
hello - I am the VP Marketing of SweetIM, and I would like to assure you that SweetIM is a 100% clean product. recently we received TrustE certification for trusted download programs, see:(http://www.truste.org/pvr.php?page=validate&softwareProgramId=102&sealid=112) for more information.
if for some reason you are unable to uninstall SweetIM please contact at:
http:/ /www.sweetim.com/help_contact.asp
best,
Iftah
Hello,
I guess you need to convince WOT also: http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/sweetim.com
Best regards. :)
lordmight
2008-11-16, 05:54
You need to convince all the people here :oops: Click here for our test.
http: // lordmight.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/sweetim-for-messenger/
Go and search SweetIM in google you would find so many complaints about it.
Regards,
LORDmight
lordmight
2008-11-16, 05:58
Oh one more thing, if you are using SweetIM it sends a hidden link to your buddy that contains spyware. XD
Oscarhugo
2009-09-23, 04:20
Could sweetim move my files around and delete my user account?:sad:
drragostea
2009-09-27, 06:38
XD, hidden links. More like tempting links with your screenname in it (makes you feel special :clown:). In most cases, the user's IM account was compromised, so there's an bot that sends out most of the dirty links (exploits).
The scorecard on SweetIM has not changed...
oscarhugo, SweetIM is considered malicious by the WOT community. Best to stick with their opinion. I doubt it'll delete your user account (assuming you mean the OS accounts), but it's not a nice guy to have on your machine. It appears to be another "smiley" program (I really have no idea, how spyware developers integrate these things into common social networking software... if it actually works :clown:).
bronzcory
2010-12-04, 21:43
If you can't remove it from the control panel or Spybot, try deleting the folder Microgaming in Program Files by typing in SweetIM in Start Menu search. Remove all subsequent folders and installation .exe's. Then the Start menu and run regedit.exe, under edit, type in SweetIM. Delete the folders and all entries with SweetIm. A software manufacturer should never make it impossible to opt-out or uninstall without having to refer to tech support. Apparent Win.hook Internet Explorer browser hijacker... Hope I was of assistance, let me know if it worked.
ironbear2005
2011-03-05, 15:52
Sweetim attached itself to my laptop when I loaded microsoft's messenger to the web getting rid of MS messenger has not removed sweetim. the damned thing loads instead of my home page but when I use a link to my HP, I can over ride the pest.
Am seriously thinking about ridding my computer of all the cursed micriosoft programs and revert to lynux
playsim1234
2011-04-10, 10:27
I'm only 14 and i figured out how to remove it in under 1min =) :bigthumb:
dddailey7
2011-07-19, 22:23
Need help removing Sweet IM displays from my FB.
Sweet IM continues to show up as a toolbar embedded in the body of my FB page at the top just above where we enter our statuses. It continues to also show up in my chat windows. How do I get rid of these embedded displays?
I have removed Sweet IM from my computer using the Windows Control program, remove programs feature. I have also deleted all Sweet IM Cookies. All of these actions appear to have worked, but I cannot find a way to remove it from my FB page and chat, and it was never intended for FB. I initially downloaded it to augment my Yahoo Messenger app only.
And a Sweet IM support link, listed in an earlier response purportedly by a rep from Sweet IM, directed me to a generic Yahoo list only and not to anything remotely resembling a Sweet IM help support site.
quit with scaring people. there is nothing wrong with sweetim. Spybot says it is clean when i test it, AVG says it's clean and so do most virus scanners
http://www.virustotal.com/file-scan/report.html?id=eb6b92c29b5e1e5ced768c99bab20ef480242256d5c22c589fb6559e38d9f2ff-1315164903
show proof or stop scaring people
sweetIM was an add on to a download that i missed. after my browser had problems staying connected, i went through my control panel and uninstalled what i didn't use often, and what i thought was junk. i had no idea what the hell sweetIM was, and tried to uninstall it...but it wouldn't let me. red flags went blaring in my head. how reputable can a program be if it won't let me uninstall it. shit...i didn't even know it was there.
after an hour trying to figure it out, and constantly disconnecting and repairing my wireless connection trying to connect to google, i did this:
download Revo Uninstaller Pro...follow the prompts and uninstall that mofo.muha:
I just uninstalled sweetim. As it wasn't gone still from my browser, then I just deleted my main internet browser, restarted the computer and voila. After that I just installed the internet browser I used befor back again.
dbonilla77
2012-01-28, 10:20
I just uninstalled sweetim. As it wasn't gone still from my browser, then I just deleted my main internet browser, restarted the computer and voila. After that I just installed the internet browser I used befor back again.
SweetIM is good for what pikazu. I also had to uninstall my browser. I used a nifty little software called slimcomputer. It can be used as an uninstaller, it catches things that cant be accessed through your control panel. I also use another software for fixing registry errors and erasing and managing your cookies. The program is called ccleaner and its free! can't beat free
:welcome: dbonilla77
I also use another software for fixing registry errors
FYI: Registry Cleaners, not recommended (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=30038) :)
trmn8or27
2012-08-15, 16:56
hello - I am the VP Marketing of SweetIM, and I would like to assure you that SweetIM is a 100% clean product. recently we received TrustE certification for trusted download programs, see:(http://www.truste.org/pvr.php?page=validate&softwareProgramId=102&sealid=112) for more information.
if for some reason you are unable to uninstall SweetIM please contact at:
http:/ /www.sweetim.com/help_contact.asp
best,
Iftah
Yes, the TrustE certification was granted, in 2008. What has been done lately to update this certification? Symantec thinks this is crapware as well. Hmmmm....
When my son used Spybot to remove sweetim his email (OE) and Messenger collapsed.
I was not involved in the recovery but I gather that it was not an insignificant process
meisjustme
2012-08-24, 16:17
I have tried to remove SweetPack/SweetIM by using Windows Add/Remove. After I did it, it still showed up in Internet-Explorer and Mozilla. I was able to uninstall it for Mozilla but not for the Internet-Explorer. And now I'd like to quote the Support from SweetIM:
SweetIM for Internet Explorer doesn’t appear in Add/Remove list, but still shows up in IE
Let’s try a different way to uninstall SweetIM:
1. Click on “Tools” at the top of your Internet Explorer window
2. Select “Manage Add-Ons”
3. If you are using Internet Explorer 8/9, click “Toolbars and Extensions”.
If you are using Internet Explorer 7, click “Disable or Enable Add-ons”.
If you are using Internet Explorer 6, continue to the next step.
4. Highlight “SweetIM for Internet Explorer”, choose “Disable” and click “OK”.(Source: Goto http://sweetim.sweetpacks.com/support/ and enter "SweetIM for Internet Explorer doesn’t appear in Add/Remove list, but still shows up in IE")
So, what they officially tell you here is:
"You can not really uninstall SweetIM. You can only deactivate it. We do not provide any way to remove it completely."
This is really a bad piece of software!
Jeff Wells
2012-09-14, 01:48
Last night, I downloaded a program from cnet.com: Free RAR Extract Frog. Upon installing it, I was given the opportunity to install three additional items that included SweetIM. I didn't choose any of these add-ons, and unclicked all three boxes. The installation of the program took forever; in fact, I had to manually shut the computer down, but before I did, I saw three new icon shortcuts on my desktop; SweetIM and two others. I deleted the icons, yet SweetIM "had its way" with my system.
I have Windows XP; Firefox 15.0.1; Internet Explorer 8.
SweetIM became my preferred homepage whether I used Firefox or Internet Explorer. I went to Add or Remove Programs through my Control panel, but I couldn't find SweetIM, under any name.
I went to both browsers and changed my homepage back to google, but no matter how many times I did this, SweetIM always hijacked the homepage.
I went to both browsers in order to disable SweetIM as an add-on. I did this successfully in Firefox (but to no avail; it didn't seem to help); I couldn't find SweetIM as an add-on in IE.
When I used Firefox, and when I clicked on the little "house" icon which normally takes me to my homepage, seven new tabs tried to open all at once, pages that were convinced that they were all my homepage.
Luckily, Spybot informed me that SweetIM is a bad program. I did find SweetIM in my program files, but when I clicked on SweetIM's uninstall file, nothing happened. When I clicked on Start and then All Programs, SweetIM did not appear in my program list.
I wrote to SweetIM, telling them that they ought to be ashamed of themselves for unleashing this malicious program. I asked them to help me; SweetIM's technical support sent me an automatically generated reply and suggested that I read their FAQ page; I even tried to use SweetIM's online uninstall, but to no avail. By the way, that reply did not have word wrap, and the e-mail was just one really long sentence that bled off into Outlook's right margin.
This morning (remember, SweetIM attached itself to my system late last night), I ran Spybot which detected 118 SweetIM entries (mostly in my computer's Registry). Spybot was able to clean 114 of those items, and suggested that I restart my computer, and allow Spybot to run as it restarted. When the computer restarted, Spybot ran for about 90 minutes.
When Spybot finished, I found SweetIM still in the Program directory, yet there were only four files left (perhaps these were the four that Spybot couldn't fix of the 118 it found the first time through). I deleted those items. I opened Firefox and IE where I found SweetIM as my homepage; I changed the homepages on both, restarted both browsers, and SweetIM is gone.
I've reported this problem to cnet. SweetIM is nasty; thank goodness for Spybot!
bouncedancer
2012-09-18, 22:50
I am currently struggling w/a Medusa of a virus, and so far Spybot is the only scan that has been able to even detect it. What made me run for Spybot was 2 Russian tabs suddenly appearing on my web page.
SweetIM is part of this cabal, as well as Babylon, zwinky, Claro and much more.
Thank you to you supergeeks who help us figure out how to protect ourselves from these horrible threats.
viisingh
2012-10-13, 11:42
hello - I am the VP Marketing of SweetIM, and I would like to assure you that SweetIM is a 100% clean product. recently we received TrustE certification for trusted download programs, see:(http://www.truste.org/pvr.php?page=validate&softwareProgramId=102&sealid=112) for more information.
if for some reason you are unable to uninstall SweetIM please contact at:
http:/ /www.sweetim.com/help_contact.asp
best,
Iftah
Damn you sweet Im! you are a :worm: spyware :worm: and you are not :nono: certified by TRUSTe
mandy may bell
2012-10-31, 06:10
Oh one more thing, if you are using SweetIM it sends a hidden link to your buddy that contains spyware. XD
Can't be all that hidden if you found it, but seriously if someone can't do something everyone else CAN do that isn't a virus, it's user error. I have used Sweet IM for years. I have several users on my pc which is shared and they are all in my contacts lists, for all my various accounts, Facebook, Yahoo ect. NOT one of them has ever gotten a mysterious hidden link. I don't have any virus's. My pc works fine. I haven't even had a detected virus in over two years. A good anti-virus, a good pc clean up program, some common sense about what not to do along with understanding what is a virus and what is human error and these boards might not be so full of erroneous complaints.
dacapoapps
2012-11-05, 12:56
Sweet IM maybe spying or not, but its displays very bad behavior, it piggy backs on VLC (a media playback software to be installed (PS so does yahoo), and then gives the owner a bad time in trying to get it out. As someone whose family owns a few PCs I have already wasted a several days in taking out sweet IM from all my PCs repeatedly (a few times already when the software they piggy back on gets a new version and requires a resinstall), AV and antispyware should have an option to keep them out. SweetIM is certainly a malware.
cyberpolice75
2012-12-06, 08:16
hello - I am the VP Marketing of SweetIM, and I would like to assure you that SweetIM is a 100% clean product. recently we received TrustE certification for trusted download programs, see:(http://www.truste.org/pvr.php?page=validate&softwareProgramId=102&sealid=112) for more information.
if for some reason you are unable to uninstall SweetIM please contact at:
http:/ /www.sweetim.com/help_contact.asp
best,
Iftah
My friend was recently infected with this browser hijacker like activities and the nature of how sweetim apps works makes it impossible to remove plus it automatically does firewall policy updating makes your product a annoyances.
All in, no matter how you said it, It's only your on verifiable worlds against the evidence of malware like behaviour your product poses or it's actions opens up backdoor.
Sweetim is a browser hijacker.
AdriBraam
2013-02-08, 04:36
Found this site while searching for a way to uninstall this program.
My son gave me this link to a free uninstaller. Installed it and used the advanced method.
Everything was fine in 10 minutes total.
The link is: http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html
So I registered here just to let you know and I very much appreciate Spybot!!
Regards
Adri
Old Coger
2013-03-26, 01:10
My experience is similar to Jim Well's. When I opened Firefox this AM the welcome was a Flash Player update. I didn't trust it so clicked "No". SweetPacks basically highjacked all my browsers. Next was about 8 hrs of hell removing (hopefully) all of their files hidden throughout my Program Files.
Since I make my living with my PC my family lost a day's income. I am grateful to the folks on this site, and others who provided ideas on how to eliminate all the SweetPacks files and it's little friend Supreme Savings. Other help came from:
Edit: Removed link, W.O.T. score= http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/guides.yoosecurity.com?utm_source=addon&utm_content=popup-donuts
I'm not as proficient at computers as you folks so it took me a long time. You need to remove it from each browser, and Program. I did finally resort to an Uninstall program that came up via Firefox; but it was from the original culprits so you can imagine my concern. Is it really gone? Will they now have access to my computer via a back door?
One of the distressing things that happen in this process is that my Norton Security Suite was placed in the Recycle bin along the way. It wasn't by me. So before you delete those Recycle files make sure these chaps haven't placed crucial files in your wastebasket for you.
timnehguy
2013-05-30, 16:56
Using Spybot, I found 44 examples of this on a friend's computer, but Spybot couldn't get rid of it. So, I did something I've found to work before. I restarted in safe mode and ran Spybot again. It found the same number of problems, and it also removed them. One more reason to love Spybot!
DonkeyOdie
2013-11-17, 01:05
hello - I am the VP Marketing of SweetIM, and I would like to assure you that SweetIM is a 100% clean product. recently we received TrustE certification for trusted download programs, see:(http://www.truste.org/pvr.php?page=validate&softwareProgramId=102&sealid=112) for more information.
if for some reason you are unable to uninstall SweetIM please contact at:
http:/ /www.sweetim.com/help_contact.asp
best,
Iftah
If it's not malicious, why does it deposit malware and viruses every time I try to uninstall it? I think you are a liar and represent a company that is spying on anyone and everyone it can. I am already looking into legal (both criminal and civil) manners of getting rid of you and your bullshit corporation. You are what's wrong with the internet.
same here, couldn't get rid of it too, anyone can help?
http://moviediablo.com/kaylila/upload/17/wso.jpg
Zandorian
2014-03-12, 01:22
Working in a computer repair shop, currently being trained in spyware, malware, and virus removal, I can confirm that everytime someone in the shop sees SweetIM, we groan. So far the best combination we've found to pull it without manually deleting files (best from safe mode or a temporary, live OS), is a combination of Revo, AdwCleaner, and/or Spybot (pick 2).
senaji212
2014-03-13, 19:58
Using Spybot, I found 44 examples of this on a friend's computer, but Spybot couldn't get rid of it. So, I did something I've found to work before. I restarted in safe mode and ran Spybot again. It found the same number of problems, and it also removed them. One more reason to love Spybot!
Yeahhh...! Right, It's One more reason to love Spybot http://watchfree.me/26/w.png
trickyt57
2015-09-12, 17:57
People here want to get rid of Sweetim.
When I look at the world's most visited domains, sweetim.com is the world's 125th most popular! Either a lot of people love it, or more likely a lot of people don't know how to get rid of it.
If I believe the rankings on the below website (domaintyper.com/top-websites/most-popular-websites-with-com-domain), Sweetim.com is more popular than renren.com, badoo.com, Vimeo.com and tube8.com (also not suitable for kids!). This high ranking coupled with poor content implies that the visits to the Sweetim website are involuntary. In other words, your computer is visiting sights that you never requested. That makes it dangerous in my view. I would remove the App ASAP.
Ranked list of the world's most popular .com websites:
https://domaintyper.com/top-websites/most-popular-websites-with-com-domain