Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/25/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Company auto-renewed a service I do not want and have tried to cancel on multiple occasions. Web site directs customers to no meaningful help whatsoever, mostly error messages and dumping into its "knowledge base" which apparently doesn't "know" how to let customers cancel the service. Latest transaction reference number is *********.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  Hello *******,

  Firstly, my apologies for the frustration and confusion around auto-renewal. We do send renewal reminders 30 days prior to renewal. 

  I see that you have opened Support Ticket ******* on October 24, 2023. On October 26, 2023 an agent responded to let you know that a full refund was submitted for order *********, and the future renewals will be canceled. I have double checked the billing systems and can confirm that the refund was submitted at that time and auto-renewal was canceled. Typically, it can take up to 5-7 days for the refund to show at your financial institution.

  If you do have any additional specific questions regarding your refund you can open a new support ticket directly at **************************************************************** please reference your original ticket number ******* so we have all of the information together.

  Best Regards,

  Malwarebytes Support Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/31/2023

   
  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

  Date:10/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I accidently subscriped to the premium service with MalwareBytes, there user interfaces are deceiving, initially I had a ********************************************************************** time due to the circular website user support which directs a consumer to articles and prohibits triggering a support request to the company, this also dececeptive and forces a consumer into an endless loop of auto-renewal. There is simply no customer service communication point, additionally the so called chat feature for customer feature for customer service will not activate. I would like the premium service cancelled and to be refunded the ***** subscription fee.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  Dear ***,

  I'm sorry for the confusion and frustration you've experienced with our platform and services.

  Please be informed that users can indeed submit tickets for support from our dedicated support page: www.support.malwarebytes.com. We strive to make this process as intuitive as possible, and we'll certainly take your feedback into account as we continue to improve our user experience.
  

  For future reference or for anyone you might know who uses our product, to deactivate the Premium Trial, you can follow these simple step-by-step instructions from within the program itself at any time during the trial: ****************************************************************************************************************************************

  We have processed a refund for your order number *********. The amount of $59.99 will be credited back to your **** card. Please allow a few business days for the transaction to reflect on your statement, depending on your bank's processing time.

  If you have further concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out.

  Sincerely,
  Malwarebytes Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

   
  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

  Date:10/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I downloaded the malwarebytes free trial for premium to my windows 10 pro desktop. I decided to uninstall it only to find it had turned into what it promised to protect against. it will NOT uninstall. it ignores accessibility settings for the blind and will NOT allow windows uninstall to removie it. instead it keeps trying to reinstall itself and then an error message say "unable to uninstall". The website forums provided by malwarebytes said to download their mini tool to removie it. i was met with a GLARING white screen that would not obey my dark screen accessibility settings. It demands that i agree to not file a lawsuit before they would agree to let me use their software., but I cant even find where to agree and choose the advanced option told on the forums and hitting enter doesnt work either. My screen reader couldnt find anywhere to check to agree nor did it read any "advanced" option to pick as the forums said.i cant get rid of this program, the site provides no support, and the phone number is a lie. no one answers and so say others who have tried it. no matter what time day or night no one an=swers. no support is provided and no option is given on thje website. i downloaded this program in good faither to try out before purchase and it has become ransomware. i am BLIN. if i am not provided help with getting this disgusting thing off my BRAND NEW computer that i JUST bought from "***********************" i will file a lawsuit. malwarebytes used to be a good company that provided a useful product. this is PREDATORY. i expect support to call me , since i am blind, and help with this removal. Putting a product online that causes this KNOWN problem, so much so that it requires a SEPERATE download NOT part of the initial program is negligent at best at worst it's CYBER BLACKMAIL AND RANSOMWARE, since the "mini tool" isnt doing it's job

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  Hello.

  Firstly, I want to deeply apologize for the difficulties and frustration you've experienced with our software, and more importantly, for the barriers you've faced in accessing the support you need. It's essential that all our users, regardless of ability, can efficiently use and remove our products without undue hardship. I'm truly sorry that this was not your experience.
  To clarify a few points:

  1. Support System: Our free users typically receive support via our forums. Direct support contact is mainly designated for paying customers. This distinction is meant to prioritize and streamline our support processes, but it's clear that in your case, it has added to your challenges.
  2. Uninstallation Process: We are not typically aware of issues uninstalling our program using standard uninstallation procedures. The Windows uninstallation instructions, which can be found here, should generally work for users.
  3. Accessibility Concerns: I'm genuinely sorry to hear about the accessibility issues you've faced, both with our product and with our mini tool. It's essential that our software and support materials are accessible to all, and we take this feedback very seriously. I assure you that we'll review and improve our accessibility settings.
  4. Direct Support: Given the unique challenges you've experienced, one of our support agents will contact you directly by phone to guide you through the removal process.
  

  To conclude, I understand your frustrations, and I assure you that we take them to heart. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Please expect our call within the next two business days. Should you have further concerns before then, feel free to reply directly to this response.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/20/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Purchased Malwarebytes Premium 18-month subscriptions from Amazon on October 8, 2023, Order # ***-1224649-4398612. Each product key protects two devices, and I purchased two Mac/PC keys.I created an account and one of two devices was activated (CBCCR-8J7DQ-J2TKW-DXKX5). The second, macOS High ******* reported that "live scan" cannot be activated, without which the product is useless for real-time threats. The help document did not resolve my issue: ************************************************************************* I attempted to open a help ticket, ******* on October 18, and again via the Malwarebytes chat assistant on October 20, 2023, ticket *******. I spent quite a bit of time detailing in the first ticket what I had done to resolve the problem only to immediately receive back-to-back, do-not-reply auto responses indicating that my ticket was created and IMMEDIATELY CLOSED because the email on file is not associated with a subscription. The automated reply indicated that I should open a new ticket with the correct email but I am a first-time customer and I have never used any other email but the email I registered with. (Wasting a customers' time is a BAD first impression!)On October 20, 2023, the automated chat again wasted my time by sending me in circles, with no "live support" option (routed into the same failed ticket process). I then called the company number on this BBB profile but there is no extension with a live operator or even a voicemail option.I can't return a partially used (1 of 2 devices) product to Amazon for my money back and I can't get any help over chat, phone or email. I even tried to GUESS a valid email address by forwarding my ticket to support@malwarebytes, help@malwarebytes, orders@malwarebytes and customerservice@malwarebytes in the hope ONE of those would bypass the broken ticket system, which apparently has no idea that I registered under this email address. All efforts to communicate wasted time/money, hence this BBB complaint.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  Dear *****,

  First and foremost, I'd like to extend our sincerest apologies for the challenges and frustrations you've encountered. We understand how important seamless customer support is, especially when dealing with potential security threats, and we're truly sorry for not meeting your expectations in this instance.

  I'm genuinely sorry that the provided help document did not offer the solution you were seeking for your macOS ******************* We recognize that real-time scanning is a vital feature, and we're committed to ensuring that our users have access to full functionality at all times.

  Upon reviewing our system, our records indicate that your Malwarebytes Premium subscription is currently active on two devices labeled "2020 iMac" and "2017 iMac". We'll ensure that any issues related to these devices are addressed during the follow-up support. In light of your experience, I'll be ensure that a senior support representative contacts you at the phone number you provided. This representative will guide you through resolving the scanning issue on your macOS High ****** and discuss any other concerns you might have.
  

  Please expect our call, and if you have any further concerns in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out directly to this response.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/20/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been trying to remove Malwarebytes from my computer. Ever since I stopped using their product I have been besieged with Malwarebytes sales popups. When I try to remove the program it asks me for my product key, but it does not work when I enter it. I e-mailed support for help, but they did not respond. I called them and it says you have to contact them via their website. When I contacted them via their website the response I got was "we're unable to locate a subscription with the email provided. If another email address was used to purchase your subscription, please submit a new ticket with that email address." There is no other e-mail and all my correspondence with them has been at the same e-mail address. Malwarebytes has become Malware!

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  Dear ********,

  I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you're experiencing. We pride ourselves on delivering a product that safeguards computers worldwide, and it is never our intention for any user to feel as if our software itself becomes a hindrance. Let me address your concerns, point by point.

  1. Subscription Records:

  Based on the email address you provided, our system does not indicate an active Malwarebytes subscription associated with it. It's crucial to ensure accuracy, especially when dealing with subscription-related matters. If you believe you have an active paid subscription, please provide us with the email address associated with the purchase. If you cannot remember it, we can also look up the subscription with the license key or the first and last four digits of the credit card you used for the purchase. This will allow us to assist you further.

  2. Free Version and Pop Ups:

  If you are currently using the free version of Malwarebytes, this is capable free version is capable of removing malicious software from your computer when you initiate a manual scan. It is genuinely a complimentary tool for users. However, unlike our premium version, it does not provide real-time protection. With that said, the pop-*** you're seeing are a way for us to notify users of the advantages of our paid version. While we offer a valuable free tool, we are, at the end of the day, a business. The revenue from our paid subscriptions allows us to continue developing and offering top-notch security solutions, as well as maintaining the free version for users like yourself.

  3. Uninstall Instructions:

  If you decide that you no longer wish to have Malwarebytes on your computer, you can easily uninstall it. Depending on your operating system, the steps may vary. For example, if your device is on Windows OS, you can follow the step-by-******************* provided by Microsoft: *********************************************************************************************************************************

  If you have further questions or issues, please don't hesitate to reach out.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/29/2023

   
  Complaint: 20757222
  
  I am rejecting this response because it does not tell me how to get rid of Malwarebytes from  my computer. As you can see, the person who responded clearly did not read my message, or if read, did not understand my message, or perhaps they intentionally avoided my question. In my original message I pointed out that I was no longer using Malwarebytes, but it will not remove from my computer. It keeps asking me for my key to remove it, but my license key does not work. When I put the key in I get says uninstall failed because of a wrong password. Likewise, I pointed out there was no way to contact Malwarebytes, and in their response they did not provide a way to do that. I was kind enough to take 2-3 years of a subscription from them, but they don't want to help get their software off my computer. 

  How do I remove it because the program keeps sending me sales pop*** to renew my subscription. To complicate matters, in the process of continuing to try to remove it from my computer, after I sent the first message to BBB, in the process of trying to close a Malwarebytes popup, I inadvertently activated a trial of Malwarebytes, via the pop*** it relentless sends me via the software I can't completely remove because the key does not work. 

  Malware bytes has become malware on my computer, sending me multiple sales pops *** everyday and I want it off my computer. It has taken me a lot of time to try to get the residual elements of their software oof my computer, and so I also want them to refund the last subscription I took from them because I should not have to go through this and waste my time like this. I can see by looking for a solution to this on the internet that I am not the only person with this same problem. 

  Sincerely,

  *********************************

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2023

  Hi ********,

  First off, please accept my apologies for the continued troubles that you are experiencing.

  The request that you are seeing asking for your license key is a security feature called Tamper Protection, this helps prevent unauthorized uninstalls leaving your device unprotected. To help us determine what may be happening that is preventing your license key from being accepted I have created you a support case with ticket id ******* and a senior support agent will be reaching out to keep assisting.

  Again, I am sorry for the trouble you have faced that is not the experience we intend for our users. Please be on the lookout for our email.

  Best Regards,

  Malwarebytes Support Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/18/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Could not get into my account to cancel my subscription. I was then charged $78 with no way to reverse the charge because I cannot get into my account

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2023

  Dear ****,

  I'd like to address the concerns you have mentioned in your complaint submitted with the Better Business Bureau.

  The charge you referenced was for a Malwarebytes Premium + Privacy yearly subscription. Upon reviewing our records, it appears the purchase was made in 2021 under a different email address than the one you've provided in the complaint ******************** This could be the reason you had trouble accessing the account associated with the charge.

  We always aim for clarity and transparency with our customers. I'd like to emphasize that our products, including the one you subscribed to, are offered as yearly or bi-annual subscriptions. This is communicated in our terms of use and during the purchase process in the shopping cart. Additionally, we send out renewal reminders to the email address used at the time of the initial purchase. In your case, the latest renewal notification was sent on September 10th, 2023, providing a 30-day window to opt out of the renewal if desired.

  I see that you reached out to our support team on October 16th, under ticket number *******. We have already processed a full refund for the most recent charge, and additionally, we have cancelled your subscription, so there will be no future charges.

  If there are any other concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We're here to help.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2023

   
  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

  Date:10/06/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  this company charged me for a service i didnt appove of

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  Dear ******,

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. We genuinely apologize for any inconvenience or confusion regarding the automatic renewal of your Malwarebytes Premium subscription.
  

  As part of our commitment to ensuring our customers are informed about any upcoming charges, we sent a renewal reminder email 30 days prior to the renewal date, on Sep 03, 2023. This email was sent to the address on file, which is the same address from which you submitted this complaint. Since we did not receive any instructions or actions from your side after the reminder, your subscription was automatically renewed, resulting in an order (Order #*********) with a charge of *****USD. Once you contacted our support team expressing your concerns, we promptly processed a full refund for the order on Oct 6th. You should have received, or will soon receive, this refund on your card. We have also cancelled the auto-renewal feature for your subscription. This means you will not receive any future automatic charges from us related to this subscription.

  If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us directly. We're here to help.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/29/2023

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On 8/25/23 MALWAREBYTES charged my *************** charge card for $44.99. Numerous attempts were made to contact them to cancel service. I am 80 years old and do not need such service. The pc i now have has such service included. below is the message mailed on 8/19/23 to Malwarebytes. Unable to access my account to cancel current service and renewal. Unable to do so online via Comcast.net which is no longer valid. Please contact me at ********************** (CURRENT EMAIL) OR VIA PHONE ************ asap. A number of phone calls and messages left them with out any reply.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  Dear *******,

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns. I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you've faced and the delay in our response.

  First and foremost, I want to assure you that we've stopped the automatic renewal for your Malwarebytes subscription. You will not be billed for any future renewals for this service.

  Regarding the refund for the charge on August 24th, 2023, I noticed that you've opened a chargeback with your bank for the said transaction. Once a chargeback is initiated, the matter is taken over by your bank/payment service provider to investigate the claim. The amount you've been charged is temporarily held and deducted from Malwarebytes. Your bank/payment service provider is currently investigating your claim. If they rule in your favor, they will process the refund for the disputed amount. During this period, if we were to issue a refund from our end, it would result in a double refund: one from us and one from your bank/payment service provider. There's two available options:
  - Allow your bank/payment service provider to finish the investigation.
  - Alternatively, you can choose to close the dispute with your bank/payment service provider. Once the dispute is resolved and closed, we will be able to process your refund immediately. If you opt to close the dispute, kindly send us the closure confirmation.

  Again, I deeply apologize for any frustration or inconvenience this situation may have caused you. We are here to assist in any way we can.

  Sincerely,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/28/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  sells software that can't be uninstalled without paying for an uninstaller, apparently.Malware detection tool is in fact a virus, who knew.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  Hello,

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. I'd like to address each of the points you raised.

  Malwarebytes is designed to be easily uninstalled at any time without the need for any additional tools or payments. The premise of our product is to protect our users, not to create any inconvenience or additional costs. It's concerning to hear that you've had a different experience, and we'd like to assist you in any way possible. Upon checking our system, I couldn't find any records associated with the email address you provided in your complaint. Could you please confirm the email address used at the time of your Malwarebytes purchase? This will help us to further assist you and clarify any issues.

  We do not contact our users by phone for marketing or sales purposes. It's essential to be cautious, as there are tech support scammers who falsely claim to represent legitimate companies, including Malwarebytes. These scammers employ various tactics to deceive and extract money from individuals. I'd like to provide you with more information about this, which can be found on our resource page: ******************************************************************************. This will give you a better understanding of their methods and how to protect yourself.

  In summary, I want to assure you that Malwarebytes operates with the highest ethical standards, always prioritizing our users' safety and satisfaction. If you have any further concerns or questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to help.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/22/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  At the beginning of September, 2023 I signed up for a 10-day trial period to try Malwarebytes. On the 15th I seeming signed up for their Premium Protection with VPN when I thought I was still on the free trial. On the 19th of September I receive a notice hat my trial period was about to end and I needed to sign up that very day. I went into the system and on the page there were two plans: one for $49.95 and another for $59.95. I made the error thinking that the $59.95 package was an upgrade to the first account. I was wrong; I ended up having two separate open accounts. I have been trying to get through to the company to close the first account and have the charge removed from my credit card. The issue has been getting through to request the refund. Their listed number doesn't accept calls and their chat freezes when I try to type in the last four digits of my credit card. It seems that there is a block when trying to get through.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/13/2023

  Dear ****,

  I apologize for the inconvenience and confusion you've experienced with our platform.

  Upon reviewing our records, I found that you indeed have been in contact with our support team via ticket #*******. As per your request and based on the details you provided, I can confirm that refunds for both orders (Order #********* and Order #*********) have been processed. It might take a few business days, depending on your bank's procedures, for the refunded amount to reflect in your credit card account.

  Should you have any more questions, concerns, or feedback, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We're here to help.
  
  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support Team