Bitdefender Total Security 2015 Review

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melen

Honorable
Dec 11, 2012
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10,510
Bitdefender FREE for 6 months http://www.bitdefender.com/media/html/spread/betanews-ts2015/
 

cappajay

Estimable
Sep 17, 2015
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4,510
Buyers Beware. I have had trouble contacting Bitdefender, leaving message after message after failed chat links. I get Avangate in India instead.

Google search shows many negative comments on Avangate, and similar experience to mine. My BitDefender Total Security 2015 would not install on

my upgrade to Windows 10 official release, and instead installed 2016 which was not registered. It worked but was not registered and I could not

find a link to the download. The file I previously downloaded was not compatible on Windows 10 preview which I was testing and when I tried to

install it on Win10 official version it installed non registered 2016 version, prompting my call. I paid for BitDefender Total Security 2015. I

looked for a toll free number on Google for BitDefender and got Avangate in India, who remoted in and told me I needed a $200 cleanup of my pc in

order for them to correct the problem. They brought up a windows services list, sorted the list so services not running were on top and told me

the problem was with my pc. Only they could correct it for $200 charge. I asked for a download link for my paid version, and that I'd wipe my

hard drive and start with a fresh copy of Windows 10 and they repeated that would not work, only they could install it remotely and they'd still

have to 'clean' my pc. They constantly spoke over me and said I was yelling. I wasn't yelling and told them I had to raise my voice because they

were trying to charge me for a product I already paid for and that they were speaking over me. I already paid for the product and just wanted a

link to the correct software, version 2015. They repeatedly said they could and would not, and would only install remotely after $200 'cleanup'

and they'd give me a 'courtesy' credit of $50 so it'd 'only' be $150. I hung up, and called a different toll free number after searching Google

again for BitDefender and again got Avangate in India. I asked for a USA phone number.

I was told BitDefender wasn't in the US and was an Indian company and only they could help me and there was no way I could install the software

myself, only they could do it remotely after 'cleanup' on my pc. Again, the 2016 version was working but had a button to register it, and that

was the only reason I called, because I wanted the version I paid for, Bit Defender Total Security 2015. I believe I paid about $60 for it and

paid for a prior version in 2014 as well. I looked at Bitdefenders website and found management pictures and all seem to be American.

I found complaints on the Better Business site in California about Avangate. I lodged one myself. I suspect BitDefender may be working through

Avangate, or at least was. Someone is trying to rip off customers and has, according to my research, may times, done so with a similar $200 scam,

which some have paid, so again, beware, and stay clear of this product, or at least anything to do with Avangate. I will update this if I finally

get a reply from BitDefender confirming Avangate has no ties with BitDefender. Currently, Bitdefender web chat link for tech support numerous

times resulted in saying it was connecting me, then prompting me to leave a message, which I typed in, and I still haven't heard back from

anyone. I've tried during both normal business hours, later and earlier, and the chat never seems to succeed in connecting me after a long delay.

It then prompts to send my message by clicking a Send button, and I get an email confirmation it was received within a few minutes, but no call

back after 24 hours so far.

I hope pcworld includes my experience and other similar ones I've seen on numerous review and complaint sites in their review of the product. It

appears to be a top rated product feature wise everywhere I searched, but it's not worth it if you cannot get support and are ripped off for

hundreds of dollars to 'fix' something which isn't broken. Hope this helps potential buyers and I hope the review people here can be of some

assistance as well.
 

CreativeTechShop

Commendable
Mar 6, 2016
1
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1,510
The really bad: Firewall that does NOT allow you to specify WiFi networks that you trust. It forces you to trust a range of addresses that you have on an adapter. So if you trust say 10.0.0.1..100 for your home network on WiFi then ANY WiFi network in that range you might connect to in the future will magically be trusted. Bad design. The firewall also lacks the capability of allowing a port specifically open and requires it to be attached to a program. Bitdefender claims that is a security weakness if they allow just a port. I'm tending to lean toward they don't feel like adding the feature as security didn't seem to be a concern with WiFi networks.
 
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