How do I quit using ebates?
 

I signed up for ebates and would now like to quit using it. However, every time I go to an ebates merchant (not through ebates) such as priceline, the ebates screen pops up. Do any of the computer people here know how to make ebates stop popping up. I have deleted every reference to the company on my computer.

John,

I don't have this problem, so I can't say for sure how to stop this.

My guess is that you've got a cookie lying around on your computer somewhere.

If you use MS Internet Explorer, look for a folder labeled "Cookies". Delete anything that has "ebates" in the name. Also look for a folder labeled "Temporary Internet Files" and see if it contains a "Content.IE5" folder or some such. Again, look for cookies with "ebates" in the name. Delete them.

Also, email Ebates and let them know how annoying this is and ask how you might stop it.

Thank you for the reply. I erased all cookies and still have this problem. I emailed ebates about this and have received no response. I'll keep trying different things and hopefully something will work.

Out of curiosity, why do you want to bail on ebates?

click on your START button
Go to the FIND feature
Search EBATES in your C DRIVE

Maybe there is a file or something you have downloaded. I am not sure, but you may have something like MyPoints alert (or some similar program).

If you find such a program, deleting it should solve your problem.

Walt Mossberg, the computer columnist for the Wall Street Journal, suggested using Ad-Aware a free download:

Q: I heard some free software installs a program on your computer that can take over your CPU when you are not using it, or call out to the Internet to report what you're doing, or serve up ads. If I remove the software from my computer, will I get rid of these spyware programs too, or do I need to delete each one individually?

A: These programs, called "spyware" and "adware," are growing problems. I advise everybody who's tempted to download things like music-swapping programs to be very careful, as these services do sometimes install spyware or adware on your computer. You can sometimes get spyware or adware just in the course of surfing around the Web. Even if you remove the original software you thought you were getting, you won't necessarily be able to uninstall the spyware or adware.

So, I use a free program called Ad-aware. If you run it periodically, it will scan your PC for spyware and adware, and delete it all -- even components buried deeply in the Windows registry, a hidden repository of settings. You can download Ad-aware at www.lavasoftusa.com. You also have to periodically update a reference file the program relies upon to identify the sneaky software.
(WSJ 6/27)

For me, it got rid of the pesky Gator. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by dave99 (edited 08-01-2002).]

Go to Start/Settings/Control Panel. Double-click on "Add/Remove Programs." A list of installed programs will pop up. Check to see if there's something from EBates there. If there is, double-click on it and ask to uninstall it.

Thank you all for your help and ideas. I tried searching my computer for "ebates" and deleting all references. That worked for everything exept one file that ebates put on my computer called TopMoxie. I then went to the control panel to try to delete the file and was told that the file could not be deleted. I then downloaded the Ad-aware program and found that TopMoxie is one of the files it can eliminate. I am currently running the program and hope that it works.

I want to quit ebates for two reasons. First, I don't like how they conduct their business and therefore I do not want them to make money off of me. Second, I would like to make purchases through a different website.

I couldn't delete Gator through the control panel. I couldn't delete its program folder either. The Ad-aware cleaned it out. It increased my great faith in the WSJ's computer guru.