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:12/14/2023

  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.

  I subscribed to this service in 2018 for my son's computer. In 2019 the computer died. On 12/10/2019 after seeing a charge for renewal of service I called to cancel the subscription. They told me that my cancellation was complete. Every year since they charge me twice; once in November on my USAA credit card and again in December on **** of America credit card. Every year I call to complain and every year they tell me sorry and they will cancel my service. And once again, I've been charged twice in 2023. This year, however, none of their 800 numbers are receiving phone calls; nor is there an email to communicate with. I'm so tired of dealing with this and need help desperately.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/22/2023

  Dear ********,

  Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention through the Better Business Bureau. We are committed to resolving this matter to your satisfaction.

  
  Upon reviewing your account associated with the email ******************************** we confirm the existence of two subscriptions: one purchased on December 12, 2018 (Malwarebytes Premium 2 devices/1 year), and the other on November 13, 2019 (Malwarebytes Premium 1 device/2 years). We have checked our records and, regrettably, we do not find any previous calls or emails from your provided email address regarding this issue. For future reference, you can reach us via Live Chat on our website (*******************************************) or through the contact form at www.support.malwarebytes.com.

  We acknowledge you have disabled the auto-renewal for each subscription on December 14, 2023. As a result, we have processed refunds for the latest two orders and confirm that there will be no further charges to your accounts. Please allow **** business days for the funds to reflect on your respective credit card statements.

  Additionally, we would like to clarify that Malwarebytes sends out renewal reminder emails ************************************************************************************************ disable their subscriptions. Our records indicate that these reminders were sent to you on November 10, 2023, and October 13, 2023, respectively.
  
  If you have any further concerns or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us through the aforementioned channels.
  

  Best regards,

  Malwarebytes Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/12/2023

  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.

  I purchased Malwarebytes Anti-*********************** starting in 2014. Sometime after that the company set my account to auto-renew without my permission and then, starting July 2016, began to double-bill me for a subscription I never ordered and they have continued to do so to date.I had incorrectly thought for some reason that they billed bi-annually however I was incorrect or I would have caught this issue sooner. When contacting the company to be made whole (live chat was the ONLY option) I was informed that they could not provide a refund for the entire amount I was double-charged!This is absolutlely rediculous and amounts to theft! I would like my money refunded by ************/Malwarebytes (with interest) ASAP an my account permanently removed from Auto-Renewal.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/14/2023

  Dear ****,

  Thank you for reaching out to us through the Better Business Bureau. We acknowledge your concerns regarding the charges related to your Malwarebytes subscriptions, as detailed in your complaint.

  Regarding your request for a refund of past years' renewals, our policy does not permit refunds for periods that have already passed. This policy is in place to ensure fairness and consistency for all our customers. We would like to remind you that our system sends out renewal reminders and confirmation emails to the address associated with your account. These communications begin one month before each renewal date, and you have the option to disable auto-renewal at any time through your My Account profile.

  We understand that there was some confusion regarding the number of subscription you initially purchased. Here's an overview:

  Subscription 1: License key ***********************, originally bought on Jul 2nd, 2014. This has been renewed yearly as per terms of use

  Subscription2: License key ***********************, originally bought on Feb 9th, 2016. This has been renewed yearly as per terms of use.

  As a gesture of goodwill and in response to your concerns, we are prepared to refund this year's renewals or refund this year's renewal for one of your subscriptions and offer a three-year extension on the other. The second solution is intended to address your concerns while providing continued protection and value.

  Should you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

  Sincerely,

  Malwarebytes Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/14/2023

   
  Complaint: 20990949
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  

  #1.  I NEVER purchased a second Malewarebytes account for additional device coverage!

  #2.  I NEVER requested my subscription to auto-renew!  

  I have been incorrectly billed for a service I did not want nor use for over 7 YEARS!  This is unscrupulous business practice at best!

  I want a COMPLETE REFUND WITH INTEREST for the incorrect billing ASAP!

  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  Business Response

  Date: 12/22/2023

  Dear ****,

  
  Thank you for your response and for allowing us the opportunity to further address the issues you've raised.

  Upon a thorough review of your account associated with the email ********************* we confirm that both subscriptions (License keys *********************** and ************************ were indeed purchased and associated with this email address. As part of our commitment to transparency and to aid in your understanding, we have resent the initial set of emails for each subscription, including the order confirmation and invoice. These Invoice emails outline the details of the purchase and the terms regarding auto-renewal, specifically mentioning that the subscription needs to be canceled to prevent future renewals.

  Additionally, we have compiled and included a detailed list of dates when emails, including renewal notices and invoices, were sent to your email address for both subscriptions. For your reference, here is the history of invoice emails sent for each:
  For License key ***********************:
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  For License key ***********************:
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************
  - ****************

  While we empathize with your situation and understand that this is not the resolution you were seeking, our review confirms the legitimacy of the transactions and the consistent communication regarding them. As such, we are unable to accommodate a full refund with interest for the duration mentioned. We must adhere to our policies and ensure fairness and consistency for all our customers.

  We have refunded both of the renewal orders from 2023 as a gesture of goodwill and to help alleviate some of the distress this situation has caused. We hope this offer demonstrates our commitment to your satisfaction and our willingness to find a reasonable resolution within the scope of our policies.
  
  Best regards,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/07/2023

  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.

  I am receiving malwarebytes antivirus subscription charges to my checking account randomly which are also being made through the ****** play store which is an android mobile phone version of the Apple App Store for iPhone. Im a iPhone user so I should not be receiving fraudulent charges from malwarebytes through the ****** play store. I dont have android notifications r ****** play store I repeat I am an iPhone user which means this charge to my account is absolutely fraudulent! Ive contacted malwarebytes customer portal they dont respond and try to Direct me to contact ****** play store but I cant BECAUSE I OWN AN IPHONE AND IM AN IPHONR USER! Today they drafted $12.83 from my account unlawfully in a fraudulent manner and I want my money back and want this issue resolved without being told to contact another third party who I have no connection to when its their product which is the underlying reason for my account to be illegally charged!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/14/2023

  Dear *****,

  Thank you for reaching out and making us aware of your concerns through the Better Business Bureau.

  Upon reviewing our records with the details you've provided, we were unable to locate any accounts associated with your email address ******************************** To assist you further and investigate this issue thoroughly, could you kindly provide the first and last four digits of the card that was charged, along with the date and description of the charge? This information will be crucial in helping us locate the order and understand the situation better.
  

  Additionally, I'd like to clarify that Malwarebytes products are sold as subscriptions, which require renewal for continued service. Understanding this might shed some light on the nature of the charges. Once we successfully locate your order, we are more than ready to assist you with the cancellation process and address the refund.

  We are committed to resolving this issue for you. Your cooperation in providing the requested details will be greatly appreciated and will enable us to take the appropriate actions swiftly.

  Best regards,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/07/2023

  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 November 21, I used the desktop app for Malwarebytes Premium, which I bought a year ago, to cancel the *************** under the header tab of My Account and that day, the service reverted to Free. However on November 29, my credit was charged for another year of Premium for $**.50. There was no phone number for ***************** no email option, only the Robot Chat which gave me a Ticket Number saying a support agent will follow up via email. There has not been any contact from Malwarebytes regarding this unauthorized charge.2 days later, another Chat with the same response. I still only have the Free version which is all I want.When I signed up for the *************** using the desktop app after using the Free for several months, Malwarebytes created an account in my name. I requested a password to log into the account on their website and discovered there is a button to also cancel the Auto Renewal, I clicked on it and it then submitted another charge of #**.50 for another year of Premium. My bank has prevented this second charge from being approved.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/12/2023

  Hello,

  I'm very sorry for the trouble you had with canceling your subscription, and contacting the Support Team. We do work to reach all of our customers in a timely fashion. In reviewing your case I saw that you first opened your support ticket #******* on November 29, 2023, we responded on December 5, 2023. During that interaction our Support Agent provided you a full refund of the renewal that you did not want in the amount of $48.50. The refund typically can take anywhere from 2-7 from processing to show at your financial institution, if you do not see it yet you should in the next couple of days.

  Also, in reviewing your case I certainly understand the confusion and will provide the feedback to the product team. The deactivation option is My Account is device specific, allowing you to move your subscription to a different device if desired. To cancel a subscription, that is managed through our on-line portal at my.malwarebytes.com.

  Again, I apologize for the confusion and delays in responding to your Support Ticket that is not the experience for our customers.

  Best Regards,

  Malwarebytes Support

   

  Customer Answer

  Date: 12/13/2023

  Hello,

   

  I just received a letter from your complaint Specialist with the complaint number of ID ********.

   

  This issue has been resolved, money was refunded and Malwarebytes acknowledged an issue with the cancellation of the auto renewal process.

   

  Thank you for your help.

   

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

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/01/2023

  Type:Order 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.

  Paid for subscription and they locked my account where I cant access my settings, I'm using the free program and paying for the full one...This is a ongoing problem for the last 8 months

  Business Response

  Date: 12/04/2023

   

  Dear ****,

  Thank you for reaching out through the Better Business Bureau to express your concerns regarding your Malwarebytes subscription. I understand the frustration you are experiencing with your account being locked and the issue of being unable to access the settings of your paid subscription, leading to you using the free program. Addressing and resolving your issue is our top priority.

  Reviewing our records I can see that your request is currently being addressed under Ticket Number *******, which was opened with our support team. Rest assured, our team is actively working on resolving your concerns. Regarding the locked account issue, the ********************** My Account may temporarily lock as a security measure if incorrect login information is entered multiple times. The lock on your account has been lifted and you should now be able to attempt to log in again. If you encounter any issues with your password, I recommend using the "Forgot Password" option to reset it securely.
  

  Our support team is actively working on your case. You can expect further communication and assistance through this ticket.

  We apologize for any inconvenience this situation has caused and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve it. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or if there is anything else we can do to assist you.

  Best regards,

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/15/2023

  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.

  I never signed up for malwarebytes services to auto renew but unfortunately I was just notified that my credit card was charged for their service. I have used their services in the past but I never signed up for automatic renewal. Furthermore I have not used their products in over a year. I demand a refund and that they issue an apology for parying on the customers in such a predatory way!

  Business Response

  Date: 11/16/2023

  Dear *********, 

  Firstly, please accept our sincerest apology for not replying to your request immediately. As a courtesy, Malwarebytes defaults to an automatic renewal model upon purchase. We understand how this could result in unintended renewals. I see we had sent you a reminder of your renewal/expiration on October 28, 2023. Understandably, it may have went into a spam/junk folder or been overlooked. 

  We have issued a full refund to you in the amount of 44.99 USD. You should have received an email this morning informing you of the refund. Your subscription will no longer automatically renew. 

  I hope this action satisfies your desired outcome. Should you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to use again. 

   

  Thank you for choosing us for your malware prevention needs. 

  Malwarebytes Support Team
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/16/2023

   
  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. Thank you both to the better Business bureau and to malwarebytes for addressing the situation.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/14/2023

  Type:Customer Service 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 a premium Malwarebytes account. The program itself is working fine and was suggested as one of the best options for security. I recently received an email from this company advising me that I still have remaining installations which can be installed on my family's, etc. devices. I am completely locked out and unable to get into my account so I am unable to "Protect more devices and take full advantage of your Malwarebytes subscription. Share your subscription with family - it's not only allowed, it's encouraged! " because there is no resource available (as I've read and has been repeated many, many times), THERE IS NO WAY TO TALK TO A HUMAN. The chat doesn't work, and it is impossible (if you can't log in to your account) to directly make a complaint without coming through the BBB.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/21/2023

  Dear *********,

  Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns through the Better Business Bureau. We understand the importance of accessing your Malwarebytes Premium account and are here to assist you in resolving this issue.

  1. Account Setup and Email Invitation: Our records indicate that your subscription, purchased under the email ***************** does not show a fully set-up account in our system. To address this, we have sent a separate email to ******************* with an invitation and instructions on how to set up your Malwarebytes My Account. This step is essential for managing your subscription and accessing its benefits.

  2. Accessing Support:
  - Live Chat: Once your My Account is set up, you can obtain support via the Live Chat feature available within the account. This service is designed to provide real-time assistance.
  - Support Website and Ticket Submission: If Live Chat is not accessible or if you face issues logging into your account, please visit our support website at ******************************************. Here, you can find answers to various questions and issues. By clicking on any category, you will also find the option to submit a ticket directly to our support team. The *** for this support website is also included in the confirmation email you received after placing your order.
  - Chatbot Widget: Additionally, each page on the support website features a chatbot widget (labeled "Help"), allowing you to interact with our automated chat assistant or submit a ticket for more personalized assistance.

  3. Subscription Usage and Installation on Additional Devices: Regarding your subscription, you currently have two available seats out of three. This means you can install Malwarebytes on additional devices that you own, or share these seats with family members or friends. For detailed instructions on how to install and activate Malwarebytes on other devices, please visit this support article: ******************************************/hc/en-us/articles/1500007196741

  We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused and are committed to ensuring that you can fully utilize your Malwarebytes subscription. If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us through the aforementioned support channels.

  Sincerely,
  Malwarebytes Consumer Support

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/03/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising 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 purchased VPN and malware protection from Malwarebytes. I cannot log in and their website is not working properly so, I am unable to reset my password. I have sent a request to support due to them taking down their 800 number. I was auto-replied with a ticket number of ******* and explained that someone would be assisting me with my open ticket. The only email I received was yet another canned response, asking for my for feedback on their support. Here is a sentence from their canned message: "It was a pleasure assisting you and I hope that we were able to meet all of your expectations."

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2023

  Hi *******,

  I'm sorry for the trouble you were having contacting us and with your account. As you stated I see that ticket ******* was opened on November 1, 2023. Shortly, after the ticket opening we presented you some articles that could have been of assistance. It looks like you may have accidently clicked that one of the articles helped you with your issue and ticket was closed. When you replied that you still needed assistance on November 2, 2023 the ticket was re-opened and queued for an agent. An agent sent you a response on November 4, 2023 to start helping you with the locked account, and your subscription management.

  If you could please review and respond to the agent on ticket ******* we would happy to continue assisting so that we can help you regain access to your account.

  Again, I apologize for the confusion and trouble getting in touch. Our goal is to help our customers, and provide resources to help customers educate themselves as well.

  Best Regards,

  Malwarebytes Support Team

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/03/2023

  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 am trying to cancel their automatic renewal, but you can't get thru to anyone, ever. I have left several messages over the last 2 weeks, and no response. They make it impossible to change a password unless you have some pin that, after 10 years, I have no idea, what it is. So I did call and left several messages, and I have gone on their site and gotten what they call "tickets" for a callback, and zero. Please help me.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2023

  Hello,

  I apologize for the frustration and confusion you encountered. I do see that you were able to open ticket ******* on October 30, 2023, we then responded Friday November 3, 2023. We were unable to locate a subscription under your email address. After providing some additional information a subscription was located under a colleagues email address. Because that email address was the one associated to the order it would have the one to receive the 30 day renewal reminders, and the invoices.

  The located subscription was refunded for the 2022 renewal on November 7, 2023, and canceled so there would be no future ********. Refunds will be returned to the original payment method and depending on the financial institution could take 2-7 days to appear in your account.

  If you have any additional questions please respond to your ticket #*******, or a new ticket could be created directly at ****************************************************************.

  Best Regards,

  Malwarebytes Support Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/27/2023

  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.

  I cancel my service for malware virus detection 3 month ago, and they still charge my credit card $44.00, I contact them 3 times filled a ticket and they will not respond , **************** with terrible service.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/31/2023

  Hello *********,

  Firstly, let me apologize for the frustration caused by auto-renewal. I also apologize for the trouble you had with canceling your subscription.

  For all of our subscribers we do create My Account profiles at my.malwarebytes.com which provides customers access to their subscriptions and the ability to turn off the auto-renewal. Unfortunately, I do see that you had not completed the account setup.

  I do see that you first reached out to our Support team on October 14, 2023. In an effort to help customers with common questions while waiting for an agent we offer some knowledge articles that *** be of assistance. You indicated that one of those articles did provide a solution so that first case was marked solved. You then opened a new ticket on October 25, 2023 with ticket ID *******. An agent responded to that ticket on October 27, 2023. At that time the agent processed a full refund of order *********. I have confirmed that the refund was processed, typically it can take up to 5-7 days for the refund to reflect with your payment method depending on their processing time. 

  If you have any additional questions please let us know, we are here to help.

  Best Regards,

  Malwarebytes Support

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/01/2023

   
  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,
  
  ***************************