Do not download Windows Movie Maker from any source

The start of 2017 was a bittersweet one for many fans of Microsoft's built-in Windows software like Live Mail and Movie Maker. The company has permanently retired the Windows Essential 2012 bundle from both download and support. But while many of the apps in that pack had counterparts in Windows 10, Windows Movie Maker didn't, forcing users to look for alternative download sources. Naturally, those illegitimate sources are the perfect breeding ground for scammers looking for a way to make a quick buck out of people's desperation.

It is common advice not to download software unless from direct sources or, at least, accredited distributors. But what if direct sources no longer offer the software at all? People have flocked to Google and even Bing for an answer but, thanks to the wonders of search engine optimization, the best answers they got came in the form of a well-executed scam.

www.windows-movie-maker.org comes up as the top results in Google as well as Bing when searching for "movie maker". Like any good scam, the website looks well-made. It even goes beyond by actually installing what seems like a legitimate trial version of Movie Maker. The trouble starts, however, the moment you run it.

It will initially ask the user to pay $30 for the full version when the software is first run. And then it asks again and again incessantly every time you try to save your work. When you've already spent hours crafting the perfect movie, that amount seems a small price to pay. Sadly, it's a complete farce and you never get anything in return except heartache and frustration.

Sadly, there is really no alternative for Windows Movie Maker fans other than to move on and find a new home. Microsoft no longer has any official download or mirror for Windows Essential 2012, though it is pushing Windows 10's Story Remix as its new video creation tool. Whatever path you take, it is best to just forget about Movie Maker completely rather than suffer the consequences.

SOURCE: ESET Security