Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: lindawing on November 09, 2010, 01:10:36 AM
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Today, in my e-mail, I've received what looks like a legitimate renewal promo, for 30% of the usual renewal fee for my 5-computer-licensed Avast! Pro.
I'm suspicious, however, because of four things:
(1) Though the e-mail came to my correct e-mail address, it was addressed (as you'll see in the copied text below) "Dear avast! customer";
(2) I did click on the link in the e-mail, but now I'm rather wishing I hadn't. Too late, now. It may be legit, but it does NOT have my actual account information in it when I go there. It does tell me I have a license for 5 computers, but it requires me to put in my account information, which I would think would NOT be necessary if this were actually sent out from the real Avast! subscription/billing department;
(3) When I go to the home page for Avast! and do a search, or look through all the support areas, I can find NOWHERE, where there is a "renewal" department, or any pages that come up with "renewal" in them; and
(4) The e-mail says that my license will expire in 30 days (the e-mail is dated November 8, 2010). That's not true. My Avast! information tab tells me that my license won't expire until January 25, 2011--still nearly 90 days away.
So...either something's fishy, or the promo department needs to upgrade its methods a bit! I would appreciate knowing whether or not I should go ahead through the e-mail link, because I really COULD use that 30% discount. That's a big deal when the entire license is going to be nearly $90, otherwise!
In case you need it, here's the text of the e-mail:
Dear avast! customer,
Thank you very much for using avast! antivirus. Your license will expire in 1 month. To stay protected you need to renew your security.
Special offer: If you renew now, you will receive a special 30% discount.
Click on the link below to purchase a new license key. The whole process will take only a few minutes to complete.
Renewal link with 30% discount:
https://dr-store.avast.com/esales/checkout.html?PRODUCT%5B300339582%5D=1&COUPON1=10Q4NEW3579&utm_source=USA&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Renewals
If you need any help please contact our help team at sales@avast.com
Thank you again for choosing avast! antivirus.
We hope your computer and data stay safe and secure.
The avast! team
This email was sent to your e-mail address because this is the address that was used when your avast! purchase was registered. If you did not register the product yourself (e.g. somebody else registered on your behalf), please forward this message to unregister@avast.com
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Well the site link appears to be legit.
It is for Digital River Element 5 that handles the avast on-line payments for licenses. See image for whois look up on the IP of the link.
The email address used "If you need any help please contact our help team at sales (at) avast (dot)com" (modified by me) is correct. So you could enquire there about the expiry dates.
So I believe the email although the renewal/expiry dates don't match is likely to be genuine.
The other thing that I don't know is when you renew your license when that new license starts, as the normal 'initial purchase' of a license starts from the day of purchase. So this is something that you could clarify with sales, though I would imagine it should be from the end of the current license.
However, there is nothing on that page to indicate that, so something else to ask sales.
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Same here:
Dear avast! customer,
Thank you very much for using avast! antivirus. Your license will expire in 1 month. To stay protected you need to renew your security.
Special offer: If you renew now, you will receive a special 30% discount.
Click on the link below to purchase a new license key. The whole process will take only a few minutes to complete.
Renewal link with 30% discount:
It really expires on Jan 30, 2011. That's a little more than a month according to my calendar. ;)
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So I would suggest that you both contact sales about this so they can get on to Element 5 to find out what they are doing when the expiry dates don't match. Otherwise it appears nothing more than a scare tactic (not good PR for avast, whom they represent) to make you renew early. Especially if you do renew and it is for the dates they give not the actual renewal dates recorded on your installation, losing you time.
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I got the same email today. My subscription also expires late Jan 2011. Such lame attention to detail is bound to arouse suspicion.
I tried making an online enquiry via Element 5 website but at no stage did it prompt me for my actual question! ???
Can someone at avast! get on to Element 5 and politely encourage them to get their act together?
Also, while we're at it, under which large rock has their currency exchange department been hiding?
Currently on planet earth, 1 x USD = 1 x AUD - but on 'Element 5', avast! renewal retail, USD $59.95 vs AUD $99.95! :o
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Well i haven't checked anything else you're talking about, but the webpage is legit and is 100% avast.com, meaning you can be sure it's safe. You can check it yourself, go to www.avast.com, select a product, select buy and download and you'll be redirected to dr-store.avast.com. The same page you're mentioning. As far as other stuff goes, you have to contact sales department.
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I just upgraded a couple of my licenses and the expiration date was set to 1 year from the renewal date not the prior expiration date. I have submitted a support request and will update here when I hear back.
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Hi lindawing :)
Although a bit off topic, at the moment there is a 55% discount offer on Wilders for both Avast! IS and Avast! AV Pro :
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?s=07294f0e8e14d2fa2d61212f93520fd5&t=285920
The discount is not only for Wilders members :
The discount is for anyone who wishes to use it. :D
... but we have no idea how long the discount will remain valid :
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?s=07294f0e8e14d2fa2d61212f93520fd5&p=1778634&postcount=48
I hope it will help you :)
Greetz, Red.
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Hi lindawing
Please go to PROFILE then Modify Profile then Forum Profile Information then select your country in Please select your country: then update your Signature: with information like my signature as this helps the helpers offer pertinent advice.
In Account Related Settings select Hide email address from public? to prevent scammers and spammers harvesting your flyingacres.com email address.
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OK...I will go to the Avast! sales department to get a definitive answer about the timing. I AM glad to know that I didn't inadvertently start some sort of SPAM chain or worse by clicking on the link in the first place. :o
Thanks for the info, ersmith, that you followed through and the RENEWAL dates became the new date. That is NOT good. I will go to the Sales Dept. FIRST, then.
I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one that this thing bothered, anyway! It's very poorly handled!
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Hi lindawing
Please go to PROFILE then Modify Profile then Forum Profile Information then select your country in Please select your country: then update your Signature: with information like my signature as this helps the helpers offer pertinent advice.
In Account Related Settings select Hide email address from public? to prevent scammers and spammers harvesting your flyingacres.com email address.
YoKenny--my e-mail address can be found all over the internet, I'm not worried about that one. I have others that I don't ever let anyone see. That's my "junk" collecting address, basically.
I will, though, the next time I have a question ABOUT Avast!, relating to my usage of it, on my computer, put the appropriate information in my sig. Thanks for cluing me in on that. :)
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Rednose--I have sent an online ticket to the sales department, referring them to this thread. I hope to receive an answer soon. If I can't get the answer I'm looking for (that my renewal at that promo price would, indeed, begin when my current subscription is REALLY ended), then I will be checking out your link, for sure--hoping it won't be too late.
I would prefer that Avast! get this whole snafu corrected, of course. ::)
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lindawing, I never questioned that this email was legit but I went through the same thing earlier this year. I had data showing that my license expired in April, 2010 and they said NO-IT ends January 30.
I lost but I'm not going to lose this year.
edit- I forgot to mention- I got the same email again today. >:(
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I got a letter from the sales department today:
Dear Linda,
Thank you for your interest in avast! antivirus products.
We apologize for this unpleasant issue, our system generated an automatic renewal email in advance. Your current avast! Pro Antivirus license is valid until 25 January 2011 and there was no need to renew it.
In case you have already purchased a new license, we can now merge your new subscription with the current license, or issue a full refund of your last purchase. Please confirm to do so! Again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused.
If you need further assistance, please do not hesitate to email me.
Best regards,
Iveta Paterova
AVAST Software, a.s.
www.avast.com
I wrote back asking if the promo deal would be good if I wait until 30 days from my REAL due date. Haven't gotten an answer back yet.
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So if any of you HAVE purchased this promo package and lost about 60 days of your rightful time, be sure to write to the sales department. I'm sure they'll make it good!
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I sent this email on Nov 8 and never received a reply.
Received this email:
Dear avast! customer,
Thank you very much for using avast! antivirus. Your license will expire in 1 month. To stay protected you need to renew your security.
Special offer: If you renew now, you will receive a special 30% discount.
Click on the link below to purchase a new license key. The whole process will take only a few minutes to complete.
Renewal link with 30% discount:
I have avast Pro Antivirus
Customer number 26984XX4
Subscription Valid Until 1/30/2011
Do you agree with my information? That is more than one month.
Thanks
Joe
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I would try again, Joe...perhaps reference the name of the lady who answered me (see the copy I posted earlier).
She has now written to me again, assuring me that Avast! WILL give me the discount if I renew 30 days before the actual renewal date. I'll hold them to it. ;-) Of course, now I have to REMEMBER to renew 30 days ahead of time...which (for me) is Christmas Day!...better get in there a few days ahead of THAT, or I won't get that discount! ;D
If you DO need to write to the Sales Department, I'd recommend using the CONTACT form on the main Avast! window, and be SURE to refer to this entire thread, so that the person who gets your letter sees that MANY people have had the problem...not just you!
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If you got the promo with the wrong dates earlier, by now, you should ALSO have gotten this:
Dear avast! user,
on Monday, we sent you an email offering a discounted renewal of your current avast! product.
However, due to an error in our email system setup, it was sent to you too soon. Please accept our sincere apology for this issue, as we have made sure that it will not happen again.
You will receive an email offering the same level of discount for your product 30 days before your license expires, so there´s no need to worry – there will still be a discount for you, even if you decide to renew later.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused you.
Your avast! team
Thanks, Avast! It's nice to know there are still people who care to make things right when something goes wrong. :)
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Got the same this morning. :)
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Me too. Thanks for clearing it up.
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Sometimes it really feels good to know that something you instigated actually got an answer and action. Woohoo! :-) Thanks again to the Avast! team for ALWAYS being so responsive and pro-customer!!!
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lindawing,
I'm glad your issues are cleared up, and thank you for helping others with it. :)
Could you please go back to the first open post in this topic, click the modify button in that Post and change the title/subject, add [Resolved] to the beginning of the title so this thread can be closed.
Feel free to come back any time you need help, to learn something new, or just to ask questions. Thank you.