Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  01/22/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I attemoted the cancel the renewal of my subscription, but I was still charged. Their customer service is only offering a partial refund. Would like a full refund.

  Business response

  02/06/2025

  The refund was processed on  23rd Jan

  Customer response

  02/06/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  **** ******

• Initial Complaint

  12/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased BitDefender Total Security for 5 devices, and even renewed it recently. Then I realized that it constantly turned itself off. Tech support revealed that it is incompatible with the reliable and highly rated product ******* that I recently installed, so I asked them to cancel my renewal as, by their own admission, it simply wont work. After several emails to give them ridiculous amounts of required information, they declined my refund because they couldnt verify it was my account. When i threatened to report them, they said they indeed found my account from the order number (duh!) but it was too late to cancel my annual renewal subscription. I dont know if the product actually works, but their refund system is a total scam.

  Business response

  12/31/2024

  The refund was processed on 18th Dec 2024

  Customer response

  01/02/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ****

• Initial Complaint

  12/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On December 6, 2024, I requested a refund of my auto renewal and cancellation for Bitdefender Total Security and VPN. Unfortunately, I have been given the run around regarding my request for a full refund and to cancel services before my renewal date which is December 8, 2024.The last customer service representative I spoke with today, December 7, 2024, at approximately 11:08pm Eastern Standard Time, named Rares L. was rude and disrespectful.The customer retention representative named ****** *., who sent me an email earlier today at 4:46 AM Eastern Standard Time, tried to charge me $105.77 Bitdefender. He vanished and never responded to my email when I showed him I can get Bitdefender for $******** shocked and disappointed in the poor level of customer service I am receiving regarding my refund. I never would expect this type of behavior from a company like this.

  Business response

  12/23/2024

  We have already contacted the customer about the processed refund 15 days ago.

  Customer response

  01/04/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and I did receive my refund on 12/08/2024. I had to contact the Better Business Bureau because Bitdefender was not willing, initially, to refund my money as requested on 12/06/2024. Instead, I was routed to a customer retention specialist named ******* *., then to ****** *. and then to the rude customer service agent ************ is there so many hoops to jump through when you want to cancel service!? It doesn't make any sense.

  If a customer requests to cancel service and requests a refund they shouldn't be rerouted like this. Its like you're stalling to give the refund. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** *.

• Initial Complaint

  11/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My complaint is in regards to the company BitDefender who uses a predatory auto-renewal policy. There auto-renewal policy is automatically enacted without an option to opt out at time of purchase, and their stated process for cancellation is incorrect and purposely abstract to discourage people from opting out.

  Business response

  12/16/2024

  Please note that we contacted the customer on 2nd Dec 2024 with the following email:
  
  "Dear ******,
  
  Thank you for reaching us.
  
  Before anything else, please accept my apologies for our late reply, it was by no means intended. We are currently receiving a higher number of requests than usual and it takes longer for us to reply. I can assure you of my full availability from now on.
  
  I truly regret to hear of your unsatisfactory experience with our automatic renewal feature and hope you will accept my sincerest apologies for the inconvenience it might have caused
  
  
  The auto-renewal option is enabled by default when purchasing so as not to compromise device security and allows you to retain protection when the Bitdefender subscription expires conveniently. At the same time, it is a widespread option in the antivirus industry and has been implemented as a result of customer requests.
  
  However, we understand that some users do not want this option to be active, and that's why we provide our customers with many ways to disable it:
  
  -following automated notification
  
  -by contacting the support team at anytime
  -from the 2Checkout account
  -from the Central account(if the account is created with the same email address used to purchased from our website)
  
  
  
  The automatic renewal comes per individual subscription and not for the entire account and you will need to disable it for each purchased Bitdefender subscription from **************************** by either by contacting us or by following the steps in this article: *******************************************************************
  
  Also, we try to ensure maximum transparency on the auto-renewal process, both through the information available at the time of purchase and through an email notification sent to the email address used to place the initial order before the renewal is performed. It is always the client's decision if he wants to keep the auto-renewal on or off. However, if within one year of the initial purchase the customer does not manually deactivate or does not contact us to disable it, it is reasonable to consider that the customer agrees to the auto-renewal.
  
  
  I would like to confirm that at your request the Automatic Renewal for Bitdefender Total Security   order no. ********* has been canceled. The product will expire on 2025/11/29 and close to that date,you will receive a reminder regarding the expiration date.
  
  ******, thank you for your patience, please do not hesitate to get back to me should you need further help, I will be more than happy to assist you.
  
  Have a nice day!"
  
  Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  *********. Received an invoice out of the blue for $284.91. No idea what it was for. called and was told *****************. Havent had a computer in several years. Allowed me to cancel (within 24 hrs!) but charged $80 to cancel. Guy (****) just called me back to warn me other agents may call me and not to talk to them. Sounds very sketchy to me.

  Business response

  12/02/2024

  We tried multiple options using the complaint details but no account was found.
  
  The customer mentioned receiving an invoice. If that is the case,the invoice should contain the email address associated with the account, the order number, and the product's name.
  
  We can use those details to identify the account but bear in mind that many scammers tried to trick non-Bitdefender customers using fake invoices for fake products and different amounts.
  
   Unfortunately, the amount mentioned is not associated with any of the home products we have in our portfolio but maybe the invoice is for a business product.  Either way, the invoice details will help us know for sure.

  Customer response

  12/02/2024

  Invoice INV202411-1570

  Due date November 15, 2024

  Invoice amount $284.91

  Funny thing is, thinking it might be a scammer, I looked up the company phone number and it was the same so thought it must be legit.  So I can only presume that someone within the company was the culprit. Doubt his name was really ****. Mystery. 

  Customer response

  12/02/2024

   
  Complaint: 22561838
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Invoice INV202411-1570

  Due date November 15, 2024

  Invoice amount $284.91

  Funny thing is, thinking it might be a scammer, I looked up the company phone number and it was the same so thought it must be legit.  So I can only presume that someone within the company was the culprit. Doubt his name was really ****. Mystery.
  

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

  Business response

  12/13/2024

  Dear *****,
  
  Thank you for the additional details provided in your comment on the Better Business Bureau platform.
  
  Based on your description of the events, it is likely that you were targeted by a scam exploiting our company's name.
  
  After carefully reviewing our records, we found no purchase or account associated with your email address, ******************* nor any invoices issued in your name. Moreover, even if an account or purchase were present, please be assured that Bitdefender would never request additional payment to process a refund. We also confirm that no individual named **** is employed by Bitdefender.
  
  If you have already paid the $80 requested by this individual, we recommend contacting your bank immediately to dispute the payment. Additionally, we encourage you to report this incident to the authorities ***** ********************, FTC: ****************************).
  
  For more guidance on handling scams, please refer to the articles linked below:
  Beware of Scammers Pretending to be Bitdefender Support
  What is Phishing? Recognize, report & avoid Phishing Scams
  What are Tech Support Scams?
  
  You can also use Scamio,our free AI-powered scam detector chatbot, to verify whether a text, email,social media message, link, or even QR code you received is safe or potentially a scam attempt:
  
  **********************************************************
  
  We understand how distressing this situation must be and we regret that you had to go through such an unfortunate experience.
  
  We remain at your disposal if there is any other way we can assist.
  
  Stay safe and take care!

  Customer response

  12/26/2024

   
  Complaint: 22561838
  
  This matter has been resolved by the bank.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  11/15/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had cancelled my bitdefender account quite awhile ago, however an auto renewal still went through, kinda shady to allow a cancelled account to auto renew, it is more than apparent I did not want that or I would not have cancelled the account right ?These guys refuse to listen, and think it is ok to charge me while the account is cancelled meaning I cannot even use the product as it requires a log in, and the account is cancelled.

  Customer response

  11/15/2024

  They just refunded me now after 2 days of playing games, After I told them I was contacting the bank and BBB

• Initial Complaint

  10/12/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On Oct 11, 2024, The company auto-renewed a subscription to their software for ****** dollars, even though I had previously logged into my account on Sept 11, 2024, and cancelled the subscription and my account. I can't even login to this account on their website, because it is closed, but they still billed me for something for which I did not consent. I submitted a help desk ticket on Oct *******, ticket number **********. Their support replied to my complaint with either offering me a free year of subscription or half of my money back. Screenshot attached. I have replied to this ticket stating that neither of these options are acceptable, and that I want a full refund. I have not heard back to this reply.

  Business response

  10/14/2024

  The customer was contacted by our retention and loyalty team which proposed to him to keep the product for a better price or for a longer period, but he can still receive a full refund if that's what he wants.
  
  Our team will issue the full refund, and the customer will be informed.

  Customer response

  10/16/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22414359, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Stephanie Crane

• Initial Complaint

  10/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We purchased a ******* router in 2021 and signed up for Bitdefender. As stated on our account page for ********************** "Sep 27, 2021 02:46 - The product (NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender) was purchased and activated." Additionally, the second account page states "Activation date: September 27, 2021" I have included pdfs of both. From that period forward, we understood that we were protected with Bitdefender and paid the annual fees. In September 2024, we uncovered that we did not have an active subscription - although the account page stated we did. We contacted *******, and then we contacted the billing company ********* and finally Bitdefender directly. The team at *********, stopped future billing until the matter could be resolved. We have spent a considerable amount of time trying to resolve the issue with Bitdefender. We have paid for a subscription that was inactive for 3 years, although our Account Page states it was activate. We have asked Bitdefender why they did not alert us to this but continued to bill us automatically. They have not provided a response, other than the automatic billing for the past three years is correct.

  Business response

  10/10/2024

  The customer received the answer below:
  
  "When you initially subscribed to our service, the auto-renewal option was activated. This means that unless you manually cancel the automatic renewal, it will automatically renew each year.Our billing platform operates independently from the Bitdefender Central account, where your subscription is managed. As a result, the billing system does not have visibility into whether the subscription is active or not on your Central account.
  
  The entire billing process is automated to ensure continuity of service without any interruptions. There is no manual intervention involved in this process, and no one has intentionally continued billing you without your consent. 
  
  Additionally, since this process is automated,we are unable to individually check if every user has activated their subscription and send them a notification. I am afraid this responsibility lies with the users.
  
  Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, we are unable to process refunds for past billing cycles outside of our standard refund policy. As per our policy, refunds can only be requested within 30 days of the initial purchase or automatic renewal date. "
  
  The last charges are from September 2023 and 2022, so we are not able to process a refund. The customer was informed via email before the auto-renewal took place, and also received a confirmation at the date of renewal.

  Customer response

  10/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 22400175
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1) This isn't an issue about the auto renewal.  This is an issue with Bitdefender stating we had an active subscription, when we didnt. 

  2) When we contacted NETGEAR in September, they stated there was no subscription.  Yet, when we logged into our Bitdefender account it listed the following:
  
  Oct 01, 2023 02:47 Product was renewed automatically
  Sep 25, 2023 23:46 Product is pending automatic renewal by 2Checkout (now Verifone)
  Sep 25, 2022 23:47 Product was renewed automatically
  Sep 25, 2022 23:46 Product is pending automatic renewal by 2Checkout (now Verifone)
  Sep 27, 2021 02:46 The product (NETGEAR Armor powered by Bitdefender) was purchased and activated
  
  Explain why no one from Bitedefender contacted us stating that we were not protected, although the system showed Purchased and Activated.  If there is a different definition of Activated, provide that definition and how it was communicated to us.   If that was communicated to us, provide those communications. 
  
  It is very clear Purchased and Activated on the account page.   
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* Cool

  Business response

  10/29/2024

  Upon checking the case I noticed the customer complaints were about the fraudulent renewal of the ******* subscription.
  
  Our agents, inform the customer that when he initially subscribed,the auto-renewal feature was enabled to maintain continuous protection and service. 
  This setup means that the subscription renews automatically each year unless it is manually turned off in his account settings. Our system is designed to prevent any service gaps, with renewal reminders sent in advance to keep users informed.
  Although the subscription might not have been activated on your devices, the billing process continued because the renewal was not manually canceled. The automated billing operates independently of whether the service has been installed or activated. 
  Our intent is not to charge users unfairly, and we send notifications in advance about renewals.
  Also, although we send a confirmation email when a purchase or renewal occurs, activating the subscription on his devices is a step that remains within his control. 
  Notifications about the devices protection status are only sent once the subscription has been activated.

  Customer response

  10/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22400175
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  The issue was not that the auto billing was in place.  The issue is that the system said activated.If we had been protected, as the system stated, we would not have had an issue with the auto billing.  We questioned the billing for three years without receiving any notice from Bitdefender that we were not protected.  Although, their systems stated and continues to state purchased and activated as of 9/27/2021.  Per Bitdefenders request last week, we sent screen shots of the account information with this.  They have not provided an update stating they were still researching this as of 10/25/2024.

  Sincerely,
  
  ******* Cool

• Initial Complaint

  10/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I want to cancel my subscription to bitdefender but it's virtually impossible to figure out how to do it. I can't figure out how to remove it from auto pay and I just need the **** thing canceled

  Business response

  10/10/2024

  We contacted the customer and offered her the answer below:
  
  "Kindly note that the automatic renewal feature for the order number 221567731 has been disabled.
  
  The auto-renewal option is enabled by default when purchasing as to not compromise device security and allows you to conveniently retain protection when the Bitdefender subscription expires. At the same time, it is a widespread option in the antivirus industry and has been implemented as a result of customer requests.
  
  However, we understand that some users do not want this option to be active,and that's why we provide our customers with many ways to disable it:
  
  -following automated notification
  -by contacting the support team at anytime
  -following the steps available on our official website: *******************************************************************"

  Customer response

  10/23/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* *******

• Initial Complaint

  10/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bitdefender fraudulently turned on my auto renewal and has been billing me for new subscriptions

  Business response

  10/07/2024

  The customer had the auto-renewal active on his subscription from the moment of purchase. He was informed about the auto-renewal from the shopping cart, and he also received reminders before the auto-renewal took place.
  
  He contacted our support team, who explained the process to him and initiated the refund process

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩