Fake Norton Support Web Sites

I am posting the information I am sending on to Norton Corporate. This is something that happened to me and I feel there should be legal action taken against this Norton fake support company that tried to scam $120.00 from me yesterday. I hope nobody here has been take by this or similar companies on the Internet. I realize I made some mistakes, but that doesn't justify these fake Norton support companies from committing fraud.

 

Hopefully there are others in this community that will help get this stuff stopped.

 

 

January 5, 2014

 

To: NORTON SYMANTEC (please respond)

 

I purchased a NORTON ANTIVIRUS CD at OfficeMax on January 3, 2014, for $49.99. I purchase a Norton Antivirus CD every year to keep my computer protected.

 

I have always used Norton since the mid-1990s because I always feel safe and secure with your products.

Every year I used the CD and Installed the Antivirus without any problems.

 

The CD instructions seemed really easier than in the past. When the CD started I got a box with selections on it, and since I was using a CD, I selected “Install using CD” instead of “Install using WEB” (even though it said recommended). It prompted me to click on I believe a “Next” Icon to download latest updates, and then another “Continue” Icon and a message came back saying “Please Wait”. Nothing happened and my protection days was still not updated and showed only 5 days remaining. I thought it was strange because I was not prompted to enter the “Product Key”.  I tried again after restarting my computer and again nothing happened.

 

Instead of using the site address on the instructions because they said: “If you are unable to recover your PC, go to”, and gave a site address. And since this was not the problem I was having, I wanted to contact general support.

 

I realize I made mistakes and misunderstood the instructions. I think you should revise the instructions to clarify the indicate selection list because if a person is using a CD, it implies (to me at least) to use the “Install using CD” instead of “Install using WEB” (even though it said recommended). I also think you should indicate on the instructions that there is another support site address if you experience other problems. A site with phone numbers as well as chat and/or other site address(s) to use.

 

Next, I decided to get contact information from Norton by doing a search for Norton support on the Web

 

I did a Bing Search using “Norton support” as my search.

 

I got a whole page of sites and contacted the following site phone number:

(This site also had the little green box saying “OK” followed by NORTON)

 

Support for Norton - Call Toll Free:  1-855-257-3853 .

guruaid.com/norton-support

GuruAid's Support for Norton Antivirus

guruaid.com is rated  on Bing (901 reviews)

 

I called the number and got a technical support person from India and explained my problem which was: “I could not get my new Norton Antivirus installed and needed help. I tried to explain what I did so they would know what failed and why.

 

They (can’t remember name of individual) said they needed access to my PC and directed me to a web address that prompted me to allow them access to my PC. I thought this was strange because they showed no interest in installing using the CD I purchased.

 

They said that it may be because I have errors, etc. on my PC, and there was a problem or problems preventing the installation. They said they wanted to Scan my PC for problems and check it further, I agreed and a small window popped up showing a scan in progress. They said this could take a while and relax while the scan continued, but asked for my phone number in case they needed to call me back. Then I lost them on the phone (connection dropped) and in around 10 to 15 minutes, a message appeared in the chat box saying they are calling me back. They called back and they said sorry for the disconnect problem, etc. And the scan ran about 2 to 3 minutes and completed. They said I had many errors/problems and needed to get them repaired, and they could do it online for $120.00. I told them I didn’t have enough money to do this. I asked them if we could go ahead and install now because my coverage days were almost expired. They said because of the errors/problems, the new antivirus update I had could not be installed without fixing the errors/problems first.

 

I told them no and decided to wait and contact Norton. I wanted to make sure I had reached Norton and not another company saying they were a Norton Support group implying they were a Norton Support Company authorized by Norton.

 

Today I decided to try to install again from the CD, only select “Install using WEB” this time, thinking it couldn’t hurt to try this. I successfully installed my new Antivirus Update in about 5 minutes.

 

I am really concerned and have a lot of fear that since I gave these people access to my PC that I am now vulnerable to Identity Theft, etc.

 

I believe this company and I am sure other similar companies on the Internet use this same ploy to make money from unsuspecting people world-wide. By them saying my Norton Antivirus Update would not work without them taking $120.00 from me first to run software against my PC to repair errors/problems, is in my opinion Fraud.

 

This company and others like them use your name as if they are an authorized Norton Support Company. That is misleading, a deception and a way to gain access to PCs and do whatever they want unknowingly to the customer they have online. These companies should be contacted by Norton’s legal people and stopped from using the Norton Name as bait for their businesses.

 

Norton, I am sure has software that cleans PCs, and if Norton Customers wanted to use software like this, I am sure they would purchase it from Norton; I know I would because I already use your products and trust your products.

 

At the very least all of your products should have clear contact sites, etc. so your customers need not have to do a web search to find general contact information. I feel Norton is allowing these type companies to exist only because Norton does not provide clear contact information to its customers, and should do so with all of its products either purchased by CD, etc. or Online.

 

I am so upset about this event; I am going to contact my two Senators and Representative, and any other agencies that govern consumer protections, etc. for the citizens of the United States. And hopefully they will initiate laws to prevent this type of Consumer Fraud in the future.

 

Dante Vignaroli

Des Moines, Iowa