False renewal notice

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Several years ago, I used AVAST free antivirus software to see if I liked it and would work as described.  I liked what I saw, so I decided I would pay for AVAST antivirus software.  However, it seems that now I am a paying customer AVAST has now started it's campaign of deception.

If not that, then why would AVAST send me a notice that I needed to renew my AVAST software?  I received an notice on 12/27 claiming I needed to update my software.  I should have checked when I paid for service, but I updated because I figured they were keeping a closer watch on that than I was.  However, once I renewed & paid, the product that was downloaded on my computer was not what I initially had purchased.  After updating & noticed it was not the same software, I checked my records & noticed that I had paid for 2 years service in March 2015.  I also paid for anti virus software only, not AVAST Internet Security.  I have repeatedly called AVAST for help & even filed a service request form on January 6, 2015 (Ticket ID: 127914) with hopes of handling this situation.  I received a confirmation notice that I would be contacted within 48 hours.  It has been almost 3 weeks & I have still not received a response from AVAST.  I have also contacted support by phone on  multiple occasions & all I get from them is they can't do anything without completing a form.   When I tell them I have, again they say they cant help.  I don't even get "I'm sorry we shouldn't have sent you a fraudulent email telling you that you needed to update your software.  AVAST wants customers to believe in their services, but how can we, when we are deceived & receive no contact at all from AVAST? One other thing I have noticed is that AVAST has my software listed under 1 of my email accounts, but contacts me with my private email account.  Maybe someone who works for AVAST can contact me & prove they aren't out to deceive their customers.

Since paying AVAST for software, that didn't require an update, I have had nothing but problems. I know it is the latest AVAST update, because before that I had absolutely no problems with my laptop.  I repeatedly get a blue screen, with a woman's voice informing me that I have either a virus or malware on my computer & I need to contact the number shown on the blue screen.  There are, on occasion, that I am able to restart my laptop & use it for a short period of time, before the blue screen reappears or my computer crashes.  With such interferences, I wonder whether AVAST has downloaded some type of malware.  With the repeated problems, I am left paying for internet service, the original 2 year payment for anti virus software & now the latest AVAST Internet Security that I didn't want or need.

With no response from AVAST,  I have contacted my credit card company about AVAST fraudulent actions & non contact, but I will also be taking any other necessary steps so that I can be reimbursed by AVAST due to their fraudulent actions & failure to follow up on my demand for refund as well as removing the AVAST Internet Security from my computer.  I will be retaining a copy of this message to AVAST and it will be saved along with other contact with AVAST so that I can send a copy to those I mentioned.  I will also be sending other previous emails received from AVAST & my emails to AVAST.

[Eddy]

If not that, then why would AVAST send me a notice that I needed to renew my AVAST software?

avast never send such emails. avast sends 2 (or 3?) mails when your subscription is about to expire and a auto-renewal is coming up.

However, once I renewed & paid, the product that was downloaded on my computer was not what I initially had purchased.

Renewing a subscription does not make avast download/install things on your system. The only way that something from avast will be downloaded/installed is if you manually do so or if you have automatic update(s) enabled. With automatic updates enabled only updates for what you have installed are downloaded/installed, not other things.

I have repeatedly called AVAST for help

That is not possible. You can only call a third party that offers very limited support for certain avast products.

I don't even get "I'm sorry we shouldn't have sent you a fraudulent email telling you that you needed to update your software.

Ofcourse you can't. avast doesn't send fraudulent mails nor do they send mails that say that you need to update your software.

One other thing I have noticed is that AVAST has my software listed under 1 of my email accounts, but contacts me with my private email account.

avast only contacts you (when needed) through the email address that you have provided them when registering a avast product and/or created a account. avast doesn't know your email address(es) unless you give them to avast.

I repeatedly get a blue screen, with a woman's voice informing me that I have either a virus or malware on my computer & I need to contact the number shown on the blue screen.

The voice was removed many version ago and for sure it never ever did sound at a bsod !

Reading everything is looks like you have received a scam mail and fall for it.
I strongly suggest to have a thorough malware check.
Follow the instructions and attach the logs to your next post :
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

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avast never send such emails. avast sends 2 (or 3?) mails when your subscription is about to expire and a auto-renewal is coming up.

Eddy, are you the official spokesperson for AVAST & how would you know what showed on my computer as well as the conversations I had & emails I received from AVAST?

  Renewing a subscription does not make avast download/install things on your system. The only way that something from avast will be downloaded/installed is if you manually do so or if you have automatic update(s) enabled. With automatic updates enabled only updates for what you have installed are downloaded/installed, not other things.

OK, so saying download/install may have not been the best choice of words, but what would you call it when the message I received required me to restart my computer, after I paid for an update, in order for the renewal to be recorded/accepted or whatever other word you choose to dissect my comment.

   You can only call a third party that offers very limited support for certain avast products.
Geez, why do you dissect everything someone says in order to make you or AVAST seem as if nothing could ever go wrong with their product?  When I initially called, I thought I was talking to an AVAST representative, because nobody told me otherwise, until I talked with the 3rd person who answered the phone & helped me make out a ticket. I also asked him why my AVAST was updated when I had paid for a 2 year service of antivirus software only.  He specifically told me that my AVAST software had been updated & showed that a payment had been made on the date I received the notice to update.  Still want to believe that AVAST couldn't do anything outside of their standard policies?

  Ofcourse you can't. avast doesn't send fraudulent mails nor do they send mails that say that you need to update your software.   AVAST should take up with their paid spokesperson who told me my AVAST was updated after I was sent the email.  So, sending an email, to a paying customer, claiming they need to renew their service, after the customer had paid for a 2 year service, 9 months before, seems fraudulent to me.

  avast only contacts you (when needed) through the email address that you have provided them when registering a avast product and/or created a account. avast doesn't know your email address(es) unless you give them to avast.

What a total BS comment.  I was sent a renewal notice from an email count that was not used to receive my update notice.  I received a standard reply to the email account I registered with AVAST that they would contact me within 48 hours after I filed a ticket.  Yet, in 5 days, it will be 1 month since I completed the info on the ticket & sent to AVAST.  If they did nothing wrong, then why have they not responded to my ticket?

I repeatedly get a blue screen, with a woman's voice informing me that I have either a virus or malware on my computer & I need to contact the number shown on the blue screen.

The voice was removed many version ago and for sure it never ever did sound at a bsod !

You can claim it was removed many versions ago, but if it had, then how would I know anything about the blue screen & female voice informing of a virus/malware?

Reading everything is looks like you have received a scam mail and fall for it.
I strongly suggest to have a thorough malware check.
Follow the instructions and attach the logs to your next post :
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

I didn't fall for a scam mail, because everyone of the people I spoke to, that were hired by AVAST to answer questions, admitted that my account with AVAST did show that I had paid for another year with AVAST the date I received the email from AVAST.  So instead of trying to make everyone's complaints sound unfounded, I'd prefer if you don't respond to me, since you know nothing about my legitimate complaint, other than what I have said. 

I am not an illiterate who doesn't know how to determine a legit email from a spam email.  That is why I finally posted on the forums because I had 3 computer savvy family members check my computer thoroughly, as well as the 2 emails I received from AVAST.  There was nothing to show that it came from anyone but AVAST.  It also proves that it was a legit email when the hired help for AVAST admit that my account was charged.

[Eddy]

Please don't quote everything but respond in a normal way.

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Eddy,  I can't even believe you commented on whether I quoted "everything".  Since I am new to the forums, I'm sure you realize that not every post has a reply button. 

With that said, I didn't post the entire message.  I only quoted specific parts of your reply to me.  But I didn't do anything that you haven't done, when posting quotes so you can respond to a specific question.  Like I said before, since you know nothing about my complaint, I'd prefer you not respond to my complaints.  You don't work for AVAST.  You are just a customer, like everyone else.  Your opinion doesn't matter, unless YOU are willing to represent AVAST & provide me with a refund & return my computer back to AVAST virus software.  If not, then leave my comments alone & quit being so OCD about everything.  I almost used another word for OCD, but don't want to be kicked off the forum until I can get the attention of someone who actually works for AVAST & receive a refund due me as well as return my computer back to what it was before the fraud committed by AVAST.

Since you think AVAST is so wonderful & would never do anything wrong & they promptly reply to customers, I'd like you to know that it has been 1 month, to the day, that I filled out a ticket about my dissatisfaction.  Yet, I still have not received a reply from AVAST.

Obviously they don't care whether they con someone. If they did, they would have responded promptly to the ticket I submitted requesting that they should provide me with a refund for falsely telling me I needed to renew my software, when I had already paid for 2 years in March 2015.  In addition, when I paid for 2 years, it was for antivirus only, not this Internet Security junk that will not let me use Google Chrome, which I was using, without problems before the update.

But, not to worry, I have contacted my credit card about their fraudulent activity & have turned over every single message I have sent to AVAST & the 1 simple email message from AVAST that stated "This is just a friendly confirmation that we have received your support request.  One of our dedicated team members will get back to you as soon as possible (usually within 24 hours), however response times vary depending on the department and issue."

I guess they are not as dedicated as they would like everyone to think.  Or maybe they only contact those who don't ask for a refund.  Those who are erroneously sent renewal notices & then ask for a refund must be put at the bottom of the stack or ignored completely.

[Eddy]

I'm sure you realize that not every post has a reply button.

There is always a reply button unless a topic is locked.

Like I said before, since you know nothing about my complaint, I'd prefer you not respond to my complaints

Ofcourse I and others know about your complaint. You posted it here on a public webboard. If you don't want people to respond, don't post.

You don't work for AVAST.

I don't work for a car manufacturer either, but I do know how to repair them.

Your opinion doesn't matter

I didn't gave my opinion, I only stated some facts.

Since you think AVAST is so wonderful & would never do anything wrong

You are wrong. I am often one of the first to tell if avast screws up with a small or large thing.

I'd like you to know that it has been 1 month, to the day, that I filled out a ticket about my dissatisfaction.  Yet, I still have not received a reply from AVAST.

Please mention your ticket number here.

In addition, when I paid for 2 years, it was for antivirus only, not this Internet Security junk that will not let me use Google Chrome

IS = av and it doesn't prevent you from using Chrome.
If you have a problem, only thing you have to do is tell about it and ask for help solving it.

avast does not con and isn't fraudulent.

I have asked someone from avast to have a look for you.
Please mention your ticket number here.

[DavidR]

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