Shoutbox

Recently, a suspicious-looking button has appeared in the toolbar of my Windows Live Messenger chat windows. It is placed between the 'PlusGames' button and the 'Messenger Plus! Features' button (top right of the window). The appearance was originally a green button with the white letters 'IQ', but since installing the Windows Live QFE update earlier today it has changed to a red button with a white heart.

Clicking on the button opens this URL: h**p://partners.marketnetwork.com/z/7158/CD472/&subid1=msgplus&subid2=mob_au

This redirects me to a page which I presume is a premium SMS scam designed to relieve credulous people of their money.

My first thought was that this was symptomatic of a spyware infection, but after searching extensively I've uncovered nothing suspicious residing on my system. (And I can't recall doing anything recently that would leave me open to this sort of malware.)

I then tried uninstalling Messenger Plus! Live and, lo and behold, the button was gone.

Is there an explanation for this? What worries me is the presence of 'msgplus' in the URL that is opened by the button. I'm not sure whether I want to continue to use Messenger Plus! Live at this point.

This is Messenger Plus!' sponsoring. Think of it as the tab bar in Messenger itself. The buttons can come and go based on which advertisers are interested.

You can disable those extra buttons completely:

• Click on the Plus! logo in the contacts list.
  
• Go to 'Preferences & Options' -> 'Customize!' -> 'General'.
  
• Untick 'Show me promotions associated with Messenger Plus!'.
  
• Click 'OK' and restart Messenger.

Cheers - I'm glad that mystery has been solved.

This was the first time I'd noticed the button - it just threw me that it could appear all-of-a-sudden. I'm not against Messenger Plus! Live receiving advertising revenue, but I think users should be notified better as to what's going on. There is no indication that the button is part of MP!L. (And, as you mention, dodgy advertisers running SMS scams probably shouldn't be allowed...)