Spybot customer service scam

[Bridger]

Bought 3 year VIP account in May and unable to get it to work to date, as critical files do not download. Calls to their "24/7 tech support number" connect you with a billing/account agency rep named "Francis" in Bangalore or the same neighborhood, who can only handle account info. He offers to have them send an email with a customer support link/email, but clicking on the link opens a web form that, upon submitting, sends autoresponder msg: "address does not exist." Subsequent phone calls to "Francis" confirm that "the company will not talk to you on the phone, only in email." I cancelled my account on the spot and will spend my $$ with a real company, not scam artists. Might be a nice picture of a box and all, but don't try to get any tech support assistance. They're following the airlines model.

[tashi]

Hello Bridger,


Bought 3 year VIP account in May and unable to get it to work to date, as critical files do not download. Calls to their "24/7 tech support number" connect you with a billing/account agency rep named "Francis" in Bangalore or the same neighborhood, who can only handle account info. He offers to have them send an email with a customer support link/email, but clicking on the link opens a web form that, upon submitting, sends autoresponder msg: "address does not exist." Subsequent phone calls to "Francis" confirm that "the company will not talk to you on the phone, only in email." I cancelled my account on the spot and will spend my $$ with a real company, not scam artists. Might be a nice picture of a box and all, but don't try to get any tech support assistance. They're following the airlines model.

I am confused, which company are you speaking of? Spybot-S&D is free for personal use.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/home/index.html

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/support/index.html

Best regards.

[md usa spybot fan]

From:
Betanews
Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.6.2.46
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Spybot-Search-Destroy/1043809773/1


Bridger (http://www.betanews.com/profile/Bridger)

Reviewing 1.6.2.46 (Jun 13, 2009)

Total scam. I downloaded and bought 3 year VIP account in May. Been trying to get it to work up til today with no luck. Emailing their "24/7" tech support (via their online form) returns the autoresponder: "no such address exists." Calling their tech support number gets you a "billing services" agency somewhere in Bangalore or some place, who cannot help with anything but acct info. They offer to have the company "send an email" with the same "tech support link", but you cannot speak to a live customer service tech rep. I cancelled the acct and will spend my money with a real company.

spybotStefan (http://www.betanews.com/profile/spybotStefan)

Reviewing 1.6.2.46 (Jun 15, 2009)

Reply to User Bridger:

The program you downloaded can not be Spybot-Search & Destroy. You probably clicked on a advert instead of the download button and got the wrong software.

Spybot - Search & Destroy is completely free of charge for home users and we offer free email support and a free support forum. There is no such thing as a "3 year VIP account" for Spybot Search & Destroy. We also do not offer phone support (there is a third party firm that officially does though). We have no relations with call centers in India.

You must have been using a different software. You review has nothing to do with Spybot - Search & Destroy.

[tashi]

Hello,

I cancelled my account on the spot

Keep an eye on your credit card activity, the charges billed by software ripoffs and scareware rogues are often higher than one expected. Also watch for renewal fees.

So how did I get infected in the first place? (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=279)

Regards.

[md usa spybot fan]

tashi:

This scam is reminiscent of the one reported here:
Are other sites allowed to sell SpyBot?
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=31105

[tashi]

Thank you md usa spybot fan,

http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.php?p=236772&postcount=7

3 Year VIP Membership Hits the target.


Bought 3 year VIP account in May

Added a link to "So how did I get infected in the first place?" Post # 3
http://forums.spybot.info/showpost.php?p=21234&postcount=3

Pinned Are other sites allowed to sell SpyBot? (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=31105)