warning - Bitdefender & Avangate ethics - auto-renewal

Webroot has auto renewal, but they made it easy to cancel such things by a clear email. It did get me by surprise though, I didn't expect them to do that but luckily I just had to enter my serial # on a webpage to cancel it.

 

Hello Steven,


First of all, we apologize for the bad experience you had with the Bitdefender auto-renewal issue.

But, i must inform you that we are trying our best to notify the client about this:

1. When they make the initial purchase like you see in this screenshot:

http://i.imgur.com/wyERQ.jpg?1?4913

2. With a reminder e-mail 7 days before the money withdraw with clear instructions on how to cancel this process.

3. With a confirmation e-mail of the purchase.


Also, our 30 days money back guarantee policy is available for new purchases only. But, noticing and understanding your concerns, we've decided not only to apply this to your subscription (even if it's not a new purchase), but we've instructed Avangate to refund you the money, because we believe that this is the fair solution.

Again, we are truly sorry for what happened and we will do our best to make this whole auto-renewal process more transparent.


Thank you for your understanding and sorry for the late reply.

 

The 30 days money back guarantee should also affect auto-renewals because some people are unaware they even have auto-renewal activated. Keep in mind that users might not check the email address they originally signed up for the product with.

It might be better to have some sort of messaging system within the product itself that will notify the user that an auto renewal will occur in x number of days and if they want to stop it they need to cancel the auto-renewal process.

 

So basically someone didn't read the fine prints and got a renewal.

 

Very interesting thread, particularly concerning heavily discounted AVs offers. Still I was under the impression that one could contact one's own credit card and dispute any payment that one wouldn't agree about. Specifically I thought I could ask my credit card to ignore any future requests for payment by Bitdefender, am I wrong?

 

More transparent?

It took me 30 minutes to work out how to cancel this auto renewal scam. Bit Defender did NOT send me an email prior to charging my credit card (or attempting to) with an amount of $89.95 for a product that is so poor that I uninstalled it some time ago.

It will be interesting to see if I have to refer this matter to my credit card company or whether Bit Defender and Avangate respond to my complaints by refunding my money. I will keep you all informed.

 

BitDefender/Avangate should scrap the idea of auto-renewal completely. No one I know prefers to be automatically billed for ANYTHING.

Reminder emails/reminders in-product are fine but taking money out of peoples bank accounts without them knowing is bad.

 

That wasn't you that hacked Bitdefender's website, was it?

 

Credit Card companies are quick to charge back this kind of stuff. Try it and see. I have never had one denied. Just start charging back companies like this, and they will eventually get tired of the fees from the CC processors.

I find it unethical to say the least that they would auto-renew, under any circumstances..

 

Unfortunately it seems that Bitdefender is still continuing with their practice of giving customers the run around in their attempts to avoid issuing refunds.

I don't believe I checked the auto renewal box but I can't prove that. I also didn't receive an email the week before notifying me that my credit card was about to be charged for an automatic renewal. I'm not sure I can prove that, but I only use one email address and check it two or three times a day, including junk/spam mail. I didn't receive anything.

Fair enough. I got tricked and I should have read the fine print.

I've now called the company three times, filled out a refund request twice, contacted live support through a chat option on their website. I've received one email offering me a discount and support to assist me in installing their software.

So I contacted them again today telling them I don't want a discount. I don't want support and I certainly don't want their software. I replied to their email today as well stating that I asked for a refund, not support or a discount.

I've been told again that I must wait 24 to 48 hours for a reply with details. So I imagine it will be more of the same run around since the reply is only that I will get "details" about my request, not that I will get a refund.

The whole automatic renewal practice is dirty in my opinion, but the issue here to me is that their website clearly states that the have a 30 day money back guarantee.

I'm realizing now that I will be given the run around for the next 30 days so that they can then tell me that I'm past the 30 day requirement.

I work on a committee at work that recommends preferred vendors and which is currently looking for ... you guessed it ... new anti virus software. Our organziation employs 30,000 people. Guess which software I won't be recommending?

 

I just dealt with the auto-renewal issue myself. Last June, I had installed BitDefender and received two error message during the install. My laptop became inoperable immediately after and a laptop technician came to the house, brought the laptop back to life and installed Avast (which he was familiar with). I had paid BitDefender $49 but never bothered to try to get the funds back.

This week I was charged a $79 auto-renewal fee and I am positive I had never explicitly signed up for auto-renewal - nor do I recall seeing the disclaimer at time of purchase indicating auto-renewal was going to be enabled (as shown in the post from BitDefender above).

On a positive note, I contacted customer support regarding the issue. They quickly responded back asking why I was dissatisfied with the product etc. I explained myself a second time and was immediately told I would receive a full refund.

A bit of a hassle for sure. Also to BitDefender's credit, they had sent me a notice in advance indicating that auto-renewal was going to kick in, but I figured it was spam and never read the message carefully.

I closed out my interaction with BitDefender by requesting that customers have to explicitly check the box requesting auto-renewal. I realize they're not going to act on this, but it'd be the right thing to do.

Why dont AV companies make the annual renewal fee more reasonable. I'd be content to pay $5 / year for the cause, but shelling out the better part of a $100 seems like extortion. I use the free version of Avast and would like to contribute a modest amount to the cause, but my only option is to sign up and pay significant amounts of cash each year. So... I stick with the free version and they get no revenue from me.

 

Good Morning! Steven...your situation struck a chord with me...their was a previous posting on this situation...regarding borderline...billing policies. I had to go into Avangate's order to eliminate the Auto-Renewal Option...for Bitdefender. I'm with you wholeheartedly...the customer shouldn't have too be a Philadelphia Lawyer as the saying goes...to eliminate something that should be made abundantly clear from the get go! Nice to see they capitulated on your behalf...and as a previous poster stated Caveat-Emptor...Sincerely...Securon

 

BEWARE

Well the business model of just blindly charging folks(who like me do NOT have autorenewal) continues. I have sent complains now to bitdefender, avangate, paypal and my bank. I guess they hope that a certain percentage just won't notice. Anyways, I am done with bitdefender and ANY business who uses avangate. What they are doing amounts to stealing pure and simple. Clearly this is deliberate as they continue to follow this business model(cheat & run). Well, they have fooled me once but they won't fool me again. I'm done with both of them.

BEWARE

 

Hello Steven,

Is an wonderfull job what you did regarding the issus with auto-renewall from Avangate.Cause many of us we dont have no clue that when we purchase a product from them after an year will auto-renew but only at the same price.So this is a big trick wich is only half legal.
It happent to me too to be scamed from this company Avangate.I purchase an product an year ago (Advance Sistem Care) with only 15 for 3 pc(wich i was thinking that is a great deal)This year(3 days ago more exactly) they renew from my paypal account with 36.29.Is true that they send me an email a week before that i should renew the program..but i dint give more attention and i deleted.How can be legal this scam?how this auto-renewal can be them choise?I dont remember to see such a thing last year when i purchase the product..but for sure was something writing in tiny winy letters..or a square where is was already clicked by them the renewal function.BUT WHY IT HAS TO BE LIKE THIS??..if i want an renewal i will do it by my self..i dont need them to do it for me.
But of course this is the scam so they can take our money out(cause many of us we dont paid to much attention to this..our mistake)
I call them as soon as i see the issue(Avangate)next day..a woman anwear me(i dont remember her name)but she was treat me king and polite..i told her that i dont want anymore them product cause i already buy an antivirus one mounth ago(i know that this program is not an antivirus ..is more an program to improve my sistem-but i still dont want it!)She told me that will send an email to the company who provide the program in purpose to refund me(wich is www.iobit.com).
Next day a woman called Alicia
"Dear Customer,

Thanks for contacting IObit. This is Alicia from IObit Support Team.

The auto renewal feature of your order has been disabled so that you will not be automatically charged in future.

When you placed the order for Advanced SystemCare Pro last year, there was an option to enable or disable the auto renewal function. As the auto renewal option was not disabled, your license code has been auto renewed. With the auto renewal, your 3-pc license code ----------------------

Could you please let us know why you do not want to keep Advanced SystemCare Pro any more? We will improve our product and service according to your feedback.

Looking forward to hearing from you."

My answear:
Good afternoon,
Thank you for the replay.The reason that i dont want anymore the product is cause i already buy an antivirus from Norton Security for 2 pc last month.Obvios i dint knew about the renewal function..other wise i disable as soon i saw it..or i dint buy that antivirus if i knew this already..I chuse to buy another antivirus cause i change the pc long time ago and i dint have no more the licence of the product that i buy last year.So please can u refund me on playpal? cause i dint activate the licence and is not useful for me right now as long as i have nother product..and also i dint have no clue about the renewal function..cause last year was the first time when i purchase a product from paypal and i dint knew hot it goes all this things.

Next day her answear:

Dear Customer,

This order is for Advanced SystemCare v6 PRO which is a system opitimization program instead of security program. Its functions are different from the functions of Norton.

We would like to let you know that the Advanced SystemCare v6.3 has been newly released. It has been improved much and will provide you with new computer experience. Please try the latest Advanced SystemCare v6 PRO:

1)Download the latest version of Advanced SystemCare v6 from this link and install it: http://www.iobit.com/advancedsystemcarepro.php

2)Open Advanced SystemCare v6, click the "Free" icon at the top or "Upgrade" button at the bottom right corner, copy and paste the license code as follows to activate it:

----------------------------

Here is the detailed instruction with screenshots:
http://www.iobit.com/hotquestions-ascv6.php

Let us know if there is any further question.

My answear:

I dont want this product.I buy last year the product and that is it.I dont want any more.You took my money without even ask me is im ok with the price..or to ask me if i want to buy this product or not.You even dint tell me about the renewal program and i dint knew that exist such a thing!!
This program cost last year 15$..this year cost more then double..And for this im asking you..IF IT WAS A CHANCE THAT THIS YEAR THE PROGRAM TO COST 100$..YOU WILL TAKE (WITHOUT ASKING ME) FROM MY PAYPAL 100$ This is insane!!!Of corse you will answear me that the product has been improoved since last year..but it cant be improved more then double("It has been improved much"-this are your words..was improved "much" but not more the double).I know how the things works.You take my money at a price of an antivirus for 2 pc for an program who even do not work as an antivirus..it work to improve my pc.
So..May i have my money back?

No answear..i send another email:


And another thing.You are Alicia..but Alicia who??In a business problem like this in a big company as u claim that you are.You introduce your self with the entire name.So may i know with who i am speaking? cause u know my name and i want to know your name also.At least this will be fair enoph for bouth.

Still no answear

I call Avangate several times and this time they treat me unpolite like: if i have a problem with that to call the Police..or is not them problem if i dint saw that i was heaving an auto-renew from them on my paypal account..that i dont have to deal with them regarding this issue even if they take my money from my account..or them number that they provide.. is not for this kind of issues.. cause they provide help only if you want to buy a product from them and gives you errors.
So in any other words i have no rights in order to have my money back.
Is awfull to treat like this the custumers..they steal your money and they treat you in such an awful way...aaaa..i must mention something..i ask them at the phone if the product this year cost 300 $..they will take from my account 300!!!..gues what he did?? he was laughing on the phone and with a totaly rudeness answear me that: YES!!
Is true that i was a little angry but still no right to treat me like a piece of ////

Anyway i search the forums about them and i found a lot of people who was scamed in this way by them.

http://shanegowland.com/opinions/2012/iobit-is-a-sucky-company/
This is another forum were is writing about them.

 

Hi all,

I had exactly the same issue with a Bitdefender purchase 2 years ago. A few days before the auto-renewal (which I wasn't aware of), I got a mail from them saying it was going to be renewed. I missed that mail, or rather I thought they were proposing that I renew (manually). I read too fast ! And a few days later I got a very high withdrawal coming from them, I understood then what happened. I got a refund pretty quickly but I had to spend quite some time, and this was irritating and a very bad policy from BD, as pointed out here.

In a way, it's nice too see I am not alone suffering from this kind of practice.

 

be careful of any programs that claim to be "free". they can change their TOS and Privacy Policy at any time - apparently the profile data on your computer can be worth a few bucks even if they claim its anonymized.

 

yet another one that dioesnt take time to read and fail to uncheck the auto renewal at Avangate...

 

do you have time to read all the fine print whenever you buy something and all the EULA's of every program you use? i don't. there's a reason they hiding this stuff in the fine print - its because they don't want you to see it.

i never tried BitDefender up to now because the impression i got was that they were a 2nd rate company - sadly, this kind of thing just reinforces that image.

 

there is no fine print.... is within one of the tab in Avangate
not fine print .....very clear !!!!!

 

Not exactly sure how you bought your product but if you buy it from the Bit Defender website there is an auto renewal warning and an option to opt out.

I have a better one. I had been using Kaspersky IS for a number of years and then switched to Norton IS and then back to KIS 2013. I opted out of the auto renewal program.

I bought my KIS 2013 at a Best Buy super sale price($39.95). Several months later I received an email from Digital River, Kaspersky's main vendor in the USA, that it was charging me $59.95 for KIS 2013 a product I had already purchased. Lucky for me the credit card they had on file from my prior years purchases of KIS had expired.

 

I just purchased a license for The New BD IS from :

http://store.hermanstreet.com/ ($29.95 vs BD Website price of $69.95. Give the page a few seconds and a coupon number will appear for the $29.95 price.)

[THE DEAL is at http://store.hermanstreet.com/pc-software/bitdefender-internet-security-download/ ]

There is no mention of any auto renewal on the Herman St. website or anywhere else i was connected to.

The installation downloader came from Herman St (which I guess will download it from BD. The BD installer downloads the program from BD and installs the download from BD) It does not appear that Avangate or BD were directly involved in the transaction.

Does the mere act of activating my product with a BD license enroll me in any BD auto renewal program?

 

No, it doesn't. This very "convenient" feature is only rewarded to those who were gullbile enough to purchase the license directly from the BD Homepage. You have to see, not only do you pay up to five times of what it costs on ebay (or two times, if it's on sale ), but because it is such a great offer it has to automatically renew itself, just in case you forget (but not for the discounted price, naturally).

When it comes to licenses, in most cases, the worst place to get them is directly from the vendor. Every anymous suspect whole seller from the darkest corners of a the world with his ebay auctions in shitty english is preferable to those. The licenses work, they cost a fraction in comparison and there is no perfidious, sorry, "convenient" auto renewal feature.

 

Yes this was directly answered by a Tech Representative on the BD forums who took the time to actually check into my account.

As far as auto renewal goes Kaspersky and Norton do the same thing, though from the sounds of it they make it simpler to opt out of the program.

 

I just tried it at the Bitdefender UK website and I can see the problem quite clearly.
While they have all that disclaimer at the bottom, there is no easy way to unsubscribe from auto renewal. What they should be doing is having a box which says "Untick this box to not have your subscription auto renewed"

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4770/zyv.JPG

 

Good Morning! Not until Bitdefender ends their third party vendor partnership with Avangate...is this sleazy nonsense...going to end. My remedy would be to do business with another firm. Sincerely...Securon