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McAfee - Disputed Renewals

Vicki of Brandon, SD June 13, 2009

McAfee has been withdrawing money from my checking account without my permission since 2004. I originally bought a anti-virus software program online from them. Hidden in the agreement I now found out is an automatic renewal. I haven't had the email address, home address, ect. since 2004. I live in a different state. I saw the tx on my bank statement. Called their ph number and they said they wouldn't credit back anything past 60 days.

I received an email from customer relations, Eric R, executive services team. He reinforced that they can bill you anytime unless you call them before the renewal date. How can you call them when you don't even know the date or receive an email. The email they had was disabled in 2004! This is the biggest rip off/scam I have ever experienced!

Samuel of Gainesville, FL June 5, 2009

Was receiving free Mcafee service from AOL when they notified must renew by 6 15 09 to receive discount. I e mailed and called mcafee to renew. gave credit card Discove Card, was advised it would cost 29.99 per year. Attempted to renew mcafee, had technical problems trying to renew. Spoke to six (6) technical people in India where they outsource. Spent 8 hours one day and six days the next and could not install their program. Tried to speak to someone in United States, got operator in California who immediately sent me back to India.

When you go on their site on computer, you get messages to get rid of old msafee programs and to install a new one. Please you try it. Hours of bein on a merry go round. They tell you that you are renewed, take credit card number and merry go round starts again. delete old mcafee programs and install new one. Then after a long time of renewing they tell you that you cannot renew on the last Windows program on AOL. Get rid of old mcafee program and turn off computer and ad infinitum, ad nauseum. India asked 9.00 for tech services to fix program. AOL says renew AOL but pay each month for AOL.

John of Seattle , WA May 21, 2009

At least three years ago, I purchased a McAfee Virus Scan protection, before I realized that I get it free as part of my Comcast cable internet service. I sent a customer service email and never got a reply. The next year I was told that by having accepted their contract they had the right to annually charge my credit card. I got rid of my computer, got a new one, took McAfee via Comcast and then was surprised to find that McAfee simply continued to charge my credit card. They have no telephone numbe in any of their messages. They do not respond to their customer sevice requests. What can I do to stop this automatic annual charge? With the new credit card law, there should be some recourse. I want to stop paying them and they will not let me.

hannah of greene, NY May 7, 2009

i too am tired of dealing with these clowns at mcafee--NEVER AGAIN! I WILL BE CALLING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL and putting in a complaint about these losers. how many times do people have to register? mcafee-teach your people better english too! and manners. u disgust me. bought an av program in march 2009-it's may 2009 AND MY PROGRAM IS EXPIRING? that's a pretty short year mcafee! and all the same complaints here; constant pop-ups--sub expired, NOT REGISTERED? they are as bad as aol! time to get rid of both!

Ray of Napa, CA May 7, 2009

Found an unauthorized charge of 39.99 on my credit card bill. This is the second time Mcafee has done this. My first complaint they said the auto-renewal would be canceled and they gave a refund. This second time, the lady assured me of the same thing. She said I was notified of the charge via email, but the email address they have listed has not been in service for over 2 years.

I was given a refference number, but I also recorded our conversation on a digital voice recorder. Don't have to let the other party know about the recording, because Mcafee notifies that they may record for quality purposes before your call goes through. This is a great record keeper and is evidence that I informed Mcafee they do NOT have my authorization to bill my account. If (when) it happens again, then I'll go to my local district attorney's office and asked for a consumer affairs criminal filing. For those that are tired of these companies putting it to us, record everything! If you want to have some fun after you get the good stuff recorded, let them know you are recording...the responses are pretty funny-

Chuck of Fairfax, VA March 28, 2009

I am very pleased with the McAfee's product I have installed (far superior to Norton) so when I got an offer to RENEW in an email for the whole Internet Security package at a good price I thought it a good idea and made the purchase. I currently have McAfee Virus Scan installed from a purchase in July 08 due to expire July 09. So naturally I thought that the new expiration date on my RENEWAL would be July 2010. But noooo it was 3/31/2010 the month I made the purchase. I did contact customer support and they did offer to extend it out to the July date - after offering to extend it 60 days, however in the meantime I realized I was also signing up for a subscription which was not even mentioned in the email.

I decided to cancel the entire order- I hate deceptive advertising (if you could see the email I was originally sent you would understand) - RENEW was plasterd about 10 time on the page and it was even the button you clicked to purchase. Even the fine print didn't cover all the bases - but who reads fine print.

This is a buyer beware situation that needs to be brought to the attention of consumers. All monies and subsriptions were refunded and customer support was very good to deal with and quick to respond.

Christine of Montréal, QC March 26, 2009

I have just reviewed details on my credit card statement and saw a charge for McAfee Antivirus. I have not been using their product for years, with the exception of a free trial included with the purchase of a new laptop a few years ago. When I called them they refered to an email account from an ISP that I have not had an account with for years. I determined from McAfees customer service that I supposedly purchased a subscription in 2007, was charged again in 2008 and now in 2009.

I asked them when they initially opened the account under my old ISP email address but they would not disclose this information. As they obviously have my credit card information, I must have purchased something at some time. I am now trying to discover for how many years this has been going on. Shame on me for not checking my credit card statements more closely but this is just incredible to me!

Any communication to this old address should have bounced back as nonexisting..years ago! They refuse to reimburse me for 2007 and 2008 but will reimburse me for 2009. BEWARE...they are a disreputable firm..unethical and intentionally deceptive. Why should anyone assume they would protect anyone from anything. We need protection from them!!

Sheila of Green Valley, AZ March 17, 2009

Two years ago in January, I purchased McAfee Security Suite online but was unsuccessful in downloading the software and never installed it. After several unsuccessful attempts to find a customer service number for assistance or to get a refund, I just took my loss and moved on.

This past January, I found a charge on my credit card from McAfee in the amount of 43.23. I looked on my last January statment and realized that I had been charged 43.23 last year as well. I called the customer service department and was told that I had agreed to the renewal fee when I clicked on the end user agreeement, but that they would cancel my account and refund 43.23 to my credit card. Five days later my credit card was credited for the amount.

As I stated earlier, I was never able to download the software therefore, never even clicked on the end user agreement. Additionally, I just realized that after crediting my account they turned around and recharged by credit card later that same day. I have requested a refund and hopefully this is done but I think that this type of billing practice is fradulant at best and should not be allowed to continue.

Aggivation and 43.23 for the subscription renewal charged to my credit card last year.

Edward of El Cajon, CA February 27, 2009

Cox package gave me free anti virus program install with McAphee. Now the provider of the anti virus is demanding a renewal up grade.

The problem is my pc is unprotected and vulnerable to contamination while this is resolved. so what can I do?

Joseph of Milwaukee, WI February 24, 2009

McAfee is a NYSE listed company with over 4,000 employees. So much is wrong with this company, they should be class action sued just like Microsoft was. They are ripping consumers off in so many ways and no one seems to care. Just putting their pop-up on computers in lower right hand corner (by clock) each and every time computer starts and no way to remove it DUE TO THE FACT DID NOT REORDER complete McAfee Security Suite just paid for VIRUS SCANN. McAfee people know exactly what they are doing and it is CRIMINAL.

Mentally tormented each and every time I start my computer their pop-up box appears telling me my computer is not fully protected. I only renewed my Virus Scan and did not renew the complete Security Suite, so now for months this pop-up appears and no way to remove it. I have eMailed them about it, THEY NEVER REPLY.

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