FileConverter
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Tichau
Possible scam on file-converter.org
I was very happy to see that File Converter lives on! Thank you for creating it and maintaining it! I noticed the update on Winget and clicked on the website to check if there is anything new.
It seems that the website https://file-converter.org/ now offers a 25-free-converts program called Zamzar that looks suspiciously similar in functionality. I don't know if you are aware but I thought it would be prudent to share. At the very least, the Winget info needs to be updated with https://file-converter.io/
I don't know how to update information on winget. I've looked a bit but I didn't found anything. Does anyone know how to do that ?
For file-converter.org, the domain name have been bought by a company named zamzar, I contacted them to ask them to change the website visual. I ask specifically for the icon and to put the name of their company on the website. They did the minimum and told be that they are currently re-designing the website. But as the time pass I'm less and less sure that they just want to scam File Converter.
Damn, I'll look into what can be done with these scammers.
As for winget manifests, I think that it boils down to submitting a PR for the right manifest.
Here is the current manifest file. I'm not familiar with the whole process but maybe @licon4812 can update it with the proper PublisherUrl: https://file-converter.io
I can update the home page for the current manifest.
The download url is using the github, so at the very least, the installer itself is fine
I got confused by this too, after searching the web for [file converter adrien allard] and being sent to the .org. The link at the very bottom of that site to your tool did get me here but it's hard to find.
Did you lose the .org somehow? Sorry to hear it if so. Looks like the site changed between Jan 30 2024 and Feb 5 (according to Wayback Machine).
Would it be possible to add a red banner on your site to warn against using the .org site and be weary of scam programs, maybe linking to a blog post?
I downloaded zamzar thinking it was the new version of your program, but was confused when it didn't work.
it also shows up above your program in google results.
Honestly I only found out about the legit project from that callout post on fedi, thanks for the tip
Things are starting to make sense now after looking into what Zamzar is (the entity mentioned on file-converter.org).
zamzar.com is an online file converter and compressor. That's why on file-converter.org, it says the software has been under development since 2006 because according to Zamzar's Wikipedia page, that's when Zamzar was created.
However, Zamzar has no official software; I think the software on file-converter.org is using Zamzar's API, though.
With this in mind, there are two possibilities:
- file-converter.org is actually controlled by Zamzar. In this case, Zamzar is employing scummy tactics.
- file-converter.org is impersonating two other established brands; quite incredible, actually.
This whole situation is still very suspicious. I'd still uninstall any software downloaded from file-converter.org
