Are some of the anti virus's out there scammers themselves?

[Boookworm]

I got a free 30 day trial with an anti virus vendor and when it was up i changed to another. Yesterday i went on a site and the old anti virus which i thought had ended leaped into action and warned me about the site, wait a minute i thought my subscription had ended? Why was it still there lurking on my computer unless this is a scam intended for you to think that the current anti virus is rubbish and the old one you have shunned is still the better choice?
With my new antivirus it has sent me a report in which it seems i have been attacked several thousand times a week from many sources (Email, phishing etc..) and again i wonder just how much of it is true and how much of it is a fake chivalrious front to sway you signing up with them after the trial ends?
One last thing whilst i'm here, is there a decent free anti virus i can download or is it safer and better to buy a prescription with one of the vendors, if so which one do you recommend? I am on windows 7 if that helps?

[ChuckFickens]

Yes there is fake anti virus, but as you've not mentioned the name of the one you are concerned about it's impossible to say if it is fake or not.

Yes there are decent free ones..
http://windows.micros...s/security-essentials