Paris Hilton used in fake AV scam

Paris Hilton's image is being used by cybercriminals to push fake anti-virus software programs that actually do more harm than good, researchers have warned.

Hilton regularly pops up in online scams, alongside female celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Madonna, often in emails that promise to take you to nude pictures of the hotel heiress or to news of a scandal involving her.

And fake anti-virus programs such as Antivirus XP 2008 have been circulating on the web recently, which fool surfers into installing rogue software on their PCs by flashing up fake virus warnings.