What is scareware also known as?

Scareware is commonly referred to as rogueware. This term describes software that misleads users into believing that their computer is infected with malware or that they have other security issues, often prompting them to purchase a fake software solution to resolve these non-existent problems. The goal is to create a sense of urgency and fear, coaxing users into making impulsive purchasing decisions for these fraudulent services.

Rogueware often presents alarming messages or pop-ups that mimic legitimate security alerts, which can trick users into thinking they need immediate action to protect their systems. This deceptive approach is primarily what distinguishes scareware from other types of malicious software like ransomware, which typically encrypts a user's data and demands payment to unlock it, or spyware, which secretly gathers information from the user without consent.