Avast help---not so much

[REDACTED]

I received a notice about a month ago stating that my credit card had expired and it was time to renew my license.  I did not respond as I did not want the renewal processed.
Today I receive a note that it was renewed (how did they get my renewal info when I did not authorize this).  It told me to go online for info using the order # and password given.  Only problem...no password was given.  I've copied and pasted the letter:


Dear Blank,
This is just a friendly notice to let you know that your license has been renewed and Avast will continue to protect you from the latest security threats and privacy issues! Congratulations on your decision to keep yourself protected.
Avast auto-renewal keeps you protected and worry free so you can focus on what is important to you.
Your Avast software will update your license automatically, so no further action is required.
Auto-Renewal Order Summary

Product:
Avast Internet Security - 1 PC, 1 Year

Order ID:
15005889800
Price Charged:
Subtotal: $39.99
Tax: $0.00
Total: $39.99
Next Expiration Date:
April 8, 2016

If you want to check the order status or download an invoice, please go to avast.com/find-order, sign in, and check the order details.

The login credentials you need to sign-in are:
Order ID: 15005889800
Password:
Auto-Renewal Plan
 

Auto-Renewal Plan Terms
By completing your purchase, you have authorized Digital River to automatically renew your purchased license for successive renewal terms equal in length to your initial license term but no longer than 1 year, at the then-current renewal license price (plus applicable taxes) using your payment information provided for your initial purchase, until you cancel.
At least one email will be sent to you to remind you of each upcoming renewal. The Digital River Terms of Sale and Privacy Policy will apply to each renewal transaction. You also agree that Digital River may, upon notice to you, transfer your responsibility for the processing of renewals of your purchased license under the Auto-Renewal Plan to Avast Software a.s. (“Avast”), in which case Digital River will transfer your billing information to Avast or their payment processor, and Avast’s terms of sale and privacy policy provided to you in Avast’s reminder email will apply to each renewal transaction.
You may cancel your auto-renewal plan at any time by logging into the My Subscriptions portal (access information are included in this email or on the Customer Service Help page), selecting your product, and selecting the option to disable automatic renewal.
We are here to help you
    avast.com/support
Best regards,

Avast Software Customer Service
avast.com/support
 
Please note:
 
•    Your credit card statement will show Digital River as the merchant for this purchase.
•    This email was sent from a notification-only address that cannot accept incoming email. Please do not reply to this message.

I then tried to call to get this renewal stopped only to find that billing did not allow phone calls.  Since I could not get online without password nor could I call??!! So I went online and tried to access my account, and advised I did not remember my password and asked that they send reset password help.
That was at 11:01am.  I finally received an email for resetting my password 12:33pm.  Good thing I was not holding my breath.  Of course now that I have gotten into my account, it does not show that i have a premium account. Back at 11am I tried calling and talked to 4 other people at Avast only to give up after almost an hour of dealing with really bad advise and customer service reps that make "customer service" an oxymoron.  I am beyond frustrated.  Can anyone help get this renewal stopped? I know I can go to my credit card company and have them contest the bill, but it would be a really nice change to be able to get help from the people trying to take my money.
 

[schmidthouse]

I'm not sure I understand as you state: "I received a notice about a month ago stating that my credit card had expired and it was time to renew my license".

How could a Renewal Transaction be processed on an "expired Credit Card"?

[Eddy]

I received a notice about a month ago stating that my credit card had expired and it was time to renew my license.

If your credit card expires (don't know why it would except if you don't pay the credit card company) it has nothing at all to do with a license from avast.

Today I receive a note that it was renewed (how did they get my renewal info when I did not authorize this).

As has been explained many times, you did authorize it. When buying the avast license you had the choice to enable/disable auto-renewal. Since you did choice the automatic renewal you authorized it.
It clearly says:

By completing your purchase, you have authorized Digital River to automatically renew your purchased license for successive renewal terms equal in length to your initial license term but no longer than 1 year, at the then-current renewal license price (plus applicable taxes) using your payment information provided for your initial purchase, until you cancel.

[REDACTED]

I cannot cancel as I cannot talk, email or discuss this with anyone.  My account info says I do not have a premium account.  The letter stating they have renewed does not offer any way for me to contact anyone.
I thought that since I did not give them renewal info on credit card I could not be charged.  I agree that was my error, as they obviously went around my lack of response to get the renewal info.
How can I get to someone to cancel this auto renewal???

[Rednose]

Hi,

I am sorry you have this experience, but for a refund you must submit a ticket https://support.avast.com/

Than post your Ticket NR here in your next reply.
I will try to get some attention to this.

Greetz, Red.

[schmidthouse]

Hi,

I am sorry you have this experience, but for a refund you must submit a ticket https://support.avast.com/

Than post your Ticket NR here in your next reply.
I will try to get some attention to this.

Greetz, Red.

In addition to info given by Red, do not submit more then one ticket or add information to the existing ticket as this only slows any response.

[Rednose]

Yes,

But I have already reported it. And my experience is that they pick it up earlier than
Although I don't know with the holidays now.

Greetz, Red.

[REDACTED]

Thanks for your help.  I submitted a refund request Ticket ID#VNG-955-47356. Hopefully now that I actually have contacted someone, this can be fixed. So frustrating when I could not phone, email or otherwise contact them.  By the way, the next complaint is these verification letters.  I have to try and post three or four times before it works.  I cannot read these letters at all. (When I hit the listen to the letters the link appears to be broken) It's like Avast wants to make an easy transaction just as hard as it can possibly get.

[DavidR]

<snip>
By the way, the next complaint is these verification letters.  I have to try and post three or four times before it works.  I cannot read these letters at all. (When I hit the listen to the letters the link appears to be broken) It's like Avast wants to make an easy transaction just as hard as it can possibly get.

The captcha is a necessary evil to combat spammer, however it is only for the first 3 posts, which you now have.

Obviously they have to be difficult or they wouldn't combat bots trying to spam the forums.

[Quiksilver]

For the record, there are two types of "expired" credit cards:

1. Card is cancelled due to suspicious activity or fraud claim. Customer obtains a new credit card number, from bank, future transactions from Digital River or Nexway cannot be processed.

2. Card expires as most cards do. Customer obtains a new credit card number, from bank, however, due to previous subscriptions and/or commitments, all transactions are honoured by the credit card company, sort of like mail forwarding by the post office. We do not "guess" the number or even contact the bank to obtain a new number.

More than 50% of customers with expiring credit cards fall under Type #2.

Ignoring such a reminder, or uninstalling the software, does not cancel automatic renewal.

[REDACTED]

My request for refund ticket was closed with the auto renewal being removed from my account by the support team working the ticket. (Thanks Rednose for the link to set up the refund ticket) The account I could not gain access as I was not sent a password or reset password notice when this whole thing started. 

I was advised that the renewal could not be halted even though I am not actually there yet 4/6/2015 start date.  This has been an eye opening experience. I worked in insurance for years.  You could always cancel a policy at any time, even after it was in the middle of the coverage time.  Had no idea you could not cancel a product before it even became effective.

Probably for the best, I now have a password vault as it has been proven you cannot count on  the websites to help you gain access to your account by "forgot password" link.

I have stopped all auto renewals I could find on other websites as the idea that a company could renew a product I do not want without any way to cancel that renewal is frightening. (Thanks Quicksilver for your explanation of why I should never use auto renewals)

It was interesting that the Avast seemed to be the only one that could not cancel the auto renewal by phone or online.  Everyone else felt billing issues were something you could take care of by phone.

I'll use this license this year as I have paid for it and cannot get my money back.  But I am telling everyone I know that Avast will not let you talk to a live person, will not cancel a product not even in effect yet, and don't hold your breath while you wait for a password reset so you can get into your account.

If I had not found this forum, I do not think I would have ever got anywhere.  So I do thank everyone for your help!!

[Quiksilver]

@ptmbooks I'll look into VNG-955-47356 - We do have a 30 day return policy, but also keep in mind that depending on how the request was formed, or the time - I haven't looked at your ticket yet, but if you contact us the day of renewal, for example, there is very little we can do to actually "stop it" from happening.

If the request was the day of, or day after renewal, and it says "please cancel auto renewal" we understand it to mean: "I don't want to renew next year" but if the ticket clearly says "...and issue refund if charged" well that is certainly more clear as to the customer is expecting.

Another thing to note is that tickets not answered to by the customer in 3-4 days will close automatically, it doesn't mean that we closed it, ignored your request, or refused service. An answer was provided but not responded to by the customer and the ticket closed itself.

Either way, let me look on VNG-955-47356, if I can.