Google Warns Visitors: Beware spckonline.com

Google Warns Visitors: Beware spckonline.com 

Google has posted warnings, screenshots below, against its search results for spckonline.com, the online trading division of St Stephen the Great (SSG) Bookshops. 

The basic search result is flagged with the message “This site may harm your computer” and visitors who disregard that message are given a second warning: “continue to http://www.spckonline.com/ at your own risk”. No link to the site is provided by Google. 

The warning message was spotted by ‘Steph’, a contributor to Dave Walker’s blog, on March 31st 2008. 

Links to spckonline.com were removed from the UK Christian Bookshops Directory earlier this year due to the uncertain legal position over SSG’s continued use of the SPCK name and the following advice has been posted against all SSG/SPCK Bookshop entries in the Directory since 19/02/2008:

Although the SPCK name is still in use over the shops and online, that use is subject to ongoing legal discussions. SPCK have emphasised “that they do not own, manage or otherwise run the Bookshops” (online statement dated 12/11/2007), whilst SSG have declined to comment. In view of the uncertain legal position no link to spckonline.com can be provided at present. Online fulfillment is apparently being provided by St Andrew’s Bookshops: again, in view of the uncertainty, prospective customers may be wise to consider shopping elsewhere.

Screenshot 1: Google Search Results for ‘ssg online’ (02/04/2008 ) 
    

Screenshot 2: Google 2nd Warning (02/04/2008 )
 

Google Help Centre 
Information about Malware Warnings 
Help for Website Owners 

StopBadware.org 
Badware Report for spckonline.com 

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