Installing TaxCut from a CD, I was shocked to find a piece of spyware on a clean computer. No mention of this product can be found on the H&R Block website. Is that malware or spyware? Sitting on a new clean installation of Microsoft Windows Vista it was pretty easy to spot the spyware pdf995 installed on my PC. After checking, this virus or spyware came down from the install of H&R Block’s TaxCut software. I removed both programs pdf995 and pdfedit995. These programs, both badly written to not include an Uninstall icon, had to be removed from the Control Panel.

Next step was a call to H&R Block to let them know my dissatisfaction with their installation of any crap outside of their program. Let alone one done without my express consent or approval during the installation. And no where in the system requirements do you see that pdf995 is a requirement to run their software. In fact, here is the search results from their website -

Sorry, no matches were found containing pdf995. To get more specific search results, try using the following tips:

That doesn’t sound like a product or utility they stand behind very clearly.

Started up TaxCut and did an update on the software. It downloaded a tmp file, and asked to close and restart TaxCut to apply the updates. And there are the 2 applications installed again without any prompts. After you remove the software, be sure to delete the direction PDF995 under Program Files. C:\Program Files\PDF995. Then go under your start menu and remove the folder Software995 and the shortcut to software995 dot com. Yes, that sounds like a needed utility or component bundled inside the software and not an external piece of malware, spyware, or just garbage junk installed without an end users consent.

When I called H&R Block technical Support, after a 10 minute wait on the phone, the first person had no idea what pdf995 was. Or that anything was being installed with their software. He had to go speak with a supervisor, and come back and tell me that it is part of the program. He then offered no other information so I asked him if he needed my confirmation code to issue me a full refund.