Whats up with PCTools?

I have found unauthorized and unwarranted charges on my credit card from PCTools.

After some research I found that the charges were made directly by them and appear in my account information on their site.

After 5 attempts to get email support from them this month (no response) I am having to take the same actions I would if a criminal misused my credit card.

To think I paid these guys for the last few years to protect my information!

 

when you purchased software from them in the past they have auto billing its in the fine print somewhere.go to there forums and send achen(username a pm describing your issue he will help you.


http://www.pctools.com/forum/

 

I posted my same experience last November if my memory serves me right, when I had your experience. I will recount it for you. I too got an e-mail informing me that my subscription to their registry cleaner was being renewed for another year and the renewal price was being charged to my Visa. This was an automatic renewal. After digging around their web site support section, I found a place to send an e-mail to them. I told them not to renew my subscription under any circumstance, and I had long since uninstalled the app. After about a week, I received a response informing me that the charge had been withdrawn. Someone here at Wilders told me that when I bought the app on line I didn't notice the cleverly placed radio button that was checked, and next to it said if you DON'T want auto renewal uncheck the radio button. Pretty slick eh?
Just a tip. PC tools is being bought by Symantec, so don't waste time.

 

Actually I opted out in writing and got a confirmation from them. (Still no refund)

Not only that but my current service does not expire for 7 more month's and that's what I was charged again for.

So yes, doubled charged on Spyware Doctor after opting out on renewals.

Thanks for your info, I will PM achen since they dont respond to their support email.

 

Sorry to hear you had a similar experience with them twl845, somehow I had a feeling there were others.

Like many folks here I purchased their products because they found the most problems.

After time and reading the posts here I learned that Spyware Doctor was notorious for finding FALSE positives.

There seems to be a lack of integrity at PcTools.

 

I wish users bycott such companies in such a way that they get out of bussiness. Seems modern day,s bussiness is never complete without fraud. No ethics at all.

 

Sad, frustrating, unethical, and blatantly fraudulent if you ask me. Take some smart advice and be favorably forewarned, this trend has increased, so if at all possible take whatever legal precautions that you can ahead of time, because it's becoming more easy for those like them to take your money, then kill a project before your license expires, and leave you feeling like you been taken.

Seen this before.

EASTER

 

I agree and will also add that this is the way things are in the internet business world. Companies come and go overnight. Caveat Emptor, especially when it comes to smaller operations, especially the 1 man ones.

 

I tried to contact achen but it looks like is identity has been removed.

At this point i have sent PC Tools SIX emails this month with absolutely no response.

Now I am forced to take action with my bank to complete the forms necessary so my bank and credit card company can take action against PC Tools.

What a hassle, my job is so demanding this month I really didn't need PC Tools to start taking funds from my bank without permission, not to mention I didn't purchase a product or need a renewal.

The paradox is WE PAY these companies to protect us from the thieves.

Strangely, they were actually asked to remove my credit card information 4 months ago and they agreed.

PCTOLLS: "Regarding your query about the cancellation of your automatic renewal of your Spyware Doctor subscription, I have now processed your request to cancel the automatic renewal for your subscription. For your records, your Spyware Doctor subscription is active until May-5 2009"

Looks like they didn't, How frustrating, I wouldn't mind if they at least answered any of my emails.

I just noticed in their site under support they cancelled all the support request with out answering a single one.

They also kept my money.

 

Obviously this is really wrong and a real PITA, but since it was a credit card charge you shouldn't have any problem blocking it.

 

Did not Symantec just purchase PCTools? And did I not also just read that the PCTools products are not to be integrated into the Norton profuct line?

 

Now see, I'm only speaking opinion here, but this could turn out to be a problem. I'm certainly not sure how it is in this case, but often when companies buy others, the bought companies issues are no longer supported. Of course this (hopefully won't) may not be the case here, but it is a possibility since staff get swept up into new positions/departments. The OP may still get the situation taken care of, but it may prove even more troublesome than even previously. Purely opinion/speculation on my part though.

As to whether PC Tools products are not to be integrated or even disbanded all together, well, opinion again, but I wouldn't count on it too much. At the very least the products will be re-branded, but it makes business sense to incorporate them into Symantecs current products. I am pretty sure PC Tools firewall will be no more, it wouldn't make any sense to have Norton 360/IS and also a completely different firewall made by a previous company (unless they take small bits of it and stick it in their own firewall). The usual point to buying out a company is to A: Kill off some of the competition and/or B: Grab up a technology you want but don't want to/can't create yourself, which I believe is more of the case here with the behavior blocker.

 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10019907-83.html

http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/securi...oor-man-s-Norton/0,130061744,339291671,00.htm

 

I see your point, interesting story. I do see they have left some wiggle room by saying they would determine what if any of PC Tools products "overlap" with theirs. Their plan to use it as a "poor mans Norton" as they call it is an interesting idea, how it'll work out in the named countries, in which a huge percentage of products are pirated, remains to be seen. Even with these articles, I wouldn't be exactly floored in shock if within a year or two they do an about face.

 

they give new meaning to the phrase "take the money and run".

shame on you PCTools!

 

I understand this isn't a well-liked development, but take into account PCTools annual profits vs running costs before you throw stones. In the grand scheme of things, PCTools is not one of the top dogs among security companies (at least I believe that to be the case). It's quite possible the money was just not there for them now, and, if Symantec keeps its word, those former PCTools employees may benefit much more from this buyout. And there's not a thing wrong with people being able to keep their jobs and get paid decent in the current (U.S) economy)

 

dr spock his username is not removed i just pm him the other day about something,go to the forum-click on or search his username and on the right of the screen it should say send a pm to achen you haave to be a forum member if not sign up

 

Yes, my bank requires forms be filed and then they will take proper action to deny the funds to PCTools.

My guess is since they sold the company they could simply care less about their customer's.

They most likely still have a requirement to support customer's for a least a few months till the new support takes place.

I personally will NEVER buy their product's again.

 

It's a sad thing, big 'security' companies buying their competitors.

Isn't there some antitrust law against this ?

I believe Norton was once not part of Symantec ?

I remember what happened to Greenborder. A Sandboxie-like application. No longer taking new customers.

 

peter norton