Complaints Logo
Everything
Latest Complaints News & Stories Tips & Tricks Questions Videos Images Recalls Groups Submit Complaint

Recently Discussed Complaints

1. (0 mins ago)
Lane Productions
Rip off
2. (1 mins ago)
White smile pen
want my money back
3. (1 mins ago)
American Fresh Ducts
Waste of time and money
4. (1 mins ago)
Buylowauctions
need to cancle buylowauctions
5. (2 mins ago)
CPlpay.com
fraud

Consumer Tips & Tricks

Worst rating

4. Raintree (-8)

Subjects of Wide Speculation

1. Dr.Sahar Rakhshanfar Very Nice Dentist (137)
Dr.Sahar Rakhshanfar Very Nice Dentist
2. US LOAN AUDITORS (67)
Any one else having problems?
3. IBSN tax (48)
Not trust worthy
4. the purse forum (43)
FRAUD & HARASSMENT FROM THE PURSE FORUM ON EBAY
5. ROBIN SCHULDER (35)
puppy mill
6. Dr.Sahar Rakhshanfar (35)
Dr.Sahar Rakhshanfar The Best Dentist Ever
7. Raintree (27)
Trying to charge a "Special Assessment"
8. paradigm ias academy (24)
cheating
9. Creepy Hollows (21)
CREEPY HOLLOWS BEST SELLERS ON EARTH
10. NOKIA UK MOBILE PROMO (20)
Fake lottery

Latest News & Stories

Stay Away

1. Airtel (19)
2. Magic Jack (10)
3. Sears (17)
4. Nokia (30)
6. Direct TV (24)
7. Smoke 51 (13)
9. Dell (9)

Latest Questions
VoteAndDate.com

CyberDefender Complaints - Don't use

Review all CyberDefender complaints

CyberDefender
Posted: 2008-09-04 by Jerrold Greenwood  [send email]
Don't use
Complaint Rating: 98 % with 44 votes
Company information:
CyberDefender
United States
cyberdefender.com

I downloaded cyberdefender from a freeware site (yea- I know, you get what you pay for). I ran it and it found LOTS of problems that Windows LiveCare didn't. HOWEVER, this freeware only identifies "problems". You have to register and pay to remove these mysterious problems. Here's where it gets fun. If you decline to pay, it becomes a "virus warning" popup. I tried to uninstall but it didn't work. But boy that popup sure was working! I tried to remove it in control panel add/remove programs and THAT wouldn't work. Finally I went into program files and removed all files and folders that it would let me remove. I was able to disable the program so that it's not *** me off every 30 seconds, but it took an hour of diligent folder searching, etc. to get rid of it. It seems to me that CyberDefender antivirus is just plain vindictive when you decline to buy the software.
Comments United States Software & Games
Share with others:   Digg it!  Del.ici.ous  Yahoo My Web  Share on Twitter  Facebook My Web 
Was the above complaint useful to you?    
More CyberDefender complaints
CyberDefender - scam
CyberDefender - scammed
CyberDefender - Technical and Customer Support
CyberDefender - Free anti-virus protetion scam
CyberDefender - SCAM and illegal practices
CyberDefender - cannot uninstall, installed a toolbar without asking
CyberDefender - can not uninstall program
CyberDefender - fraud
CyberDefender - spyware can't uninstall
CyberDefender - Can not uninstall from pc/do not need

Comments

 Sort by: Date | Rating
 454 days ago by Neil Blatt  [send email] +1 Votes
Last night was fun! First my computer was attacked by a virus known as Antivirus 2009 and everything was slowing down. The antivirus was in fact a virus that prevented any activity. I went to Google web site for advice and they recommended Spybot that then directed me to Cyberdefender. After signing on the entire process was a sales pitch where they held my data hostage. The product purchased, I was informed that I needed a technician to remove the attack that was now developing exponentially with threats of immediate loss of all memory. However, this did not occur until I allowed the butt heads from Bombay onto my computer. I called a friend who directed me to a program called Viper and I attempted to download the protection. Cyberdefender blocked the download for 30 minutes until complete. By midnight Viper had resolved the problems. When I restarted my computer Cyberdefender was now the sign on for the internet. By the way at 1AM they called to continue the sales pitch. I am more disappointed that the Google help site directed me to this bunch.
 346 days ago by   traveler818 +1 Votes
Don't feel like installing the free version goes under the category "you get what you pay for." I paid for it--I ended up paying for 2 programs thinking if I paid for a good program I'd get good protection. Ha! I can't get my moneyback. The no questions asked guaranty gets you on the phone for 1 1/2 hours explaining why you don't want the program. It only works for 1-2 days and quits. So I cancelled. They are rude CROOKS. If I can't get a refund, I'll spread the word wherever I can that they are crooks. I recommend that everyone who got burned do the same thing. The least we can do is put them out of business since their business is ripping poeple off and treating them like !%!%.
 346 days ago by   traveler818 0 Votes
What worries me is that they are advertised at the top of this page.
 307 days ago by   private 0 Votes
ANOTHER SCAM. STOLE MY MONEY. WASTED MY TIME. MADE ME FEEL LIKE CRAP.
 300 days ago by   theTroll 0 Votes
I heard an add for this on the radio and wondered if it was a scam or actually something useful. I happen to be in a great position to test this because I had just installed Vista and the machine was completely clean. Hadn't even been on the internet yet. Downloaded and installed and did a spyware scan. Much to my surprise it found 11 spyware. I now understand why they claim to find more spyware then ANYONE else, well because they find spyware that doesn't exist. I even went through and looked up all the ones the claimed to find and no where on my computer were anything that would lead you to believe that spyware was there. COMPLETE SCAM!!!
 285 days ago by   fand4me +1 Votes
Wow, I had a completely different experience. I got the $40 version, and it cleared off all the viruses that their 'free' scanner found. After that, I had no problems and Cyberdefender has been working great. Last month, got attached by Antivirus 2009 - and cyberdefender alerted me to it and got much of it off my system. Still I had some browser issues, and contacted thier 24/7 help line, and they went into my system and in 20 minutes had it all taken care of. They were great, so it seems that there are these compaints, but they have millions of users so it can't be that bad a product - and my experience has been very positive.
 238 days ago by   cosmo 0 Votes
You can't get rid of it, right click on the toolbar icon and you see activate purchase and exit but when you click exit it opens it.
 226 days ago by   Blackowl6 0 Votes
I think these Hyjackers need to answer a few questions at the FBI high-tech wire fraud department...Having someone elses hostile programs popping up on there system is corrupt, unethical, and down right perverse...This is a scam and outright blackmail, I hope they haul the jerks off to prison...There is no excuse for this kind of crap, I don't need this garbage on my system, it is a virus pure and simple ...
 221 days ago by   burgerbob 0 Votes
Don't let anyone fool you. Cyberdefender is a blackmailing SCAM operation. Once you get involved with them they screw up yor computer so that you are forced to sign on with them or else. I was blackmaied into buying their contract that covers three computers for $225 annually with a free $40 gas card which I never received. I can verify that they are scammers because twice last year they mistakenly thought that my contract expired and crashed my computers. My contract is about to expire in a few days so does anyone know how I can get these clowns out of my computer so that I don't have to resign?
 152 days ago by   kszoo 0 Votes
I had the same experience. This is such an OBVIOUS scam! How are they getting away with this? I called the tech number to complain that I wasn't getting my free trial as promised. They asked me how many viruses had been detected (the scan is free, to remove the "viruses" you have to buy the program). I said 61, so he said that was too many for the free program and I had to buy the program. I said forget it, this is a scam and I'm not buying anything. Then when it popped up again I noticed the scan said "your computer MAY have these 61 viruses.
I downloaded Avast which is a good free antivirus program and found out I had no spyware or viruses on my computer.
 126 days ago by   txtree 0 Votes
I too have had the same awful experience with cyber defender. It is a scam. I also highly recommend avast for those people out there that are searching for a fully functional freebie.
 126 days ago by   C-Luv390 0 Votes
This is a damn shame, that these people are out here doing this to consumers and their computers. I mean computers are not cheap,
they are very expensive especially if you don't have the money and these jerks are out here messin' up people computers with their
garbage, they need to be ran outta business A.S.A.P.!!
 123 days ago by   laurak1236 0 Votes
ATTENTION EVERYONE WHO IS PUTTING COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE NEEDS TO REPORT THIS SCAM TO THE FOLLOWING: Google.., us-cert.gov.., securitywonks.org.., stopbadware.org.., icrontic.com/forum.., jasonblogs.., techsupportguy.., internet police & whoever else you can report to...

Cyberdefender... BAD SITE...

I never had problems with my pc until I downloaded

this product.I called them and they said for $229.95

they could fix it.I told them I wasn't paying that & I

wanted to remove their product from my pc.

Everytime I tried to remove it it kept taking me back

to their site to "pay".I had to call them 3 times before

someone would tell me how to remove it.So I removed

it & then searched my pc to make sure it was all

gone. It was NOT gone. One file

(CYBERDEFENDER.EXE-08D84804.pf)remains on

my pc.No matter what I do it will not go away.It sits in

my recycle bin and will not let me remove it. I tried to

open the file & it would not open so I had windows

search the net to tell me who created it & what type of

file it was.The report told me it came from

cyberdefender & this file WAS malicious

software.This site gave me 4 Trojen Horse viruses &

then wanted to charge me to remove them.This site

should be researched for giving people viruses just so

they can make $229.95 to remove them. How can I

get this crap deleted from my pc?? Please help.
Thank you
Laura Kling
laurak1236@hotmail.com
 111 days ago by   Rick Emerson -1 Votes
Rick is my name...I WISH I had come to visit these warnings FIRST, but TOO late...I first did the "trial version, " and of course, it found ALL KINDS of problems with my PC...I WISH I had NEVER heard of this crappy program...I had PREVIOUSLY sent in the amount for a full year, a FOOL mistake...Now, they claim they have NO RECORD of the transaction, and I get NO CyberDefender program (good), nor do I get my MONEY back (Bad)!! I'm filing a Small Claims Court action against them if they do NOT send me my money back...The Court action will get them (in my home county in KY) for NOT ONLY the refund, but also for filing fees, court costs, and the "Current FREE Visa Gift Card" that goes with the purchare...These suckers are going to get it if I do NOT get my money back and the Cyber program COMPLETELY removed!!! I've file in Small Claims twice before, and I WON BOTH times!! Rick
 70 days ago by   Andrew P. -1 Votes
Commenter "cosmo" joined Complaints Board on June 16, 2009, made just one comment on that date praising DoubleMySpeed.com, and as of this writing (December 1, 2009) hasn't been seen again. "cosmo" is obviously a shill for DoubleMySpeed.com, VeryCleanPC.com, or whatever they're calling themselves this month. Any business that uses shills, masquerades under different names or spontaneously switches names is almost certainly up to no good.
 53 days ago by   PegS0202 -1 Votes
I had a problem with Trojans on my computer while I had CyberDefender, too. When I called the techs (in India, of course) they tried telling me there wasn't any software in the world that could just remove them. They said I'd have to have one of their anti-hacking tech specialists remove it for $240! Well, guess what? GO TO MICROSOFT'S website. They'll scan your computer for FREE and quarantine the viruses. I also downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus program. It's FREE, also! My computer runs great now.
 53 days ago by   xSILV3Rx -1 Votes
My mother was getting pop-ups and her computer was running slow, then she made it worse...she downloaded cyberdefender virus removal and the registry cleaner. She is not computer savvy so she accidentally bought the back-up disc on the page where you purchase the software and she also bought the 4 additional keys to install the software on more computers. She paid 89.94. I happened to stop by her house and she was excited about her new purchase. I called them immediately to inform them that she did not want the back up disk or the additional keys. They put me on hold for about 8 minutes while they "processed it"-when the music ended I was simply hung up on. I called back again, same result! I called back again and they told me I was breaking up and they could not hear me; I was on a land-line. I called AGAIN. This time I told the guy that I was hung up on twice and that I did not want to be put on hold. He processed the refund for the back-up disk and the additional keys in about 5 seconds.

All customer service reps were Indian and each one was different, just thought I should throw that out there.

Now she continues to get pop-ups taking her to sites every time she searches for something. There is no doubt its the cyberdefender software.

DO NOT PURCHASE THIS SOFTWARE!!! IT IS A NIGHTMARE!
 43 days ago by   CEJONES 0 Votes
Go to www.malwarebytes.org and download the free program malwarebytes and run it. If your computer is infected, you may have to use another computer and download to a flash drive.

Lots of tech support people today are using this program to remove malware, including the ones mentioned above, from their computers.

The other option is to back up all your files to an external drive. Then, use your installation disks to re-install your system. This actually takes less time than trying to clean a heavy infected computer.
 40 days ago by   BlueMondays 0 Votes
Wow, what a giant advertisement for "I Don't Have Any Idea How to Email Support or Dial a Customer Service 800 Number" this is! I use Cyberdefender Early Detection and Malwarebytes on my computer and they've both worked just fine for years.

IIRC Cyberdefender offers a money-back guarantee if the program doesn't work for you, just like Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro, Avast, AVG, et cetera et cetera. You can try it for a month and if it doesn't work they give you your money back (hint hint.) I kept their antivirus program but I returned their registry clean program, and they gave me my refund within a couple of days.

One tip for people who get a virus -- the solution is NOT to then download 86 trillion different antivirus programs onto your computer trying to get rid of it, because that'll just make things worse. I've seen I don't know how many people make this mistake. Even legitimate antivirus programs can be antagonistic to each other (for example if you have AVG on your computer it will try to block Cyberdefender from running. Same goes for Norton and Symantec.) The interaction between the virus and the various antivirus programs will tax your computer's resources so much that nothing can get done. Just try one antivirus program at a time, because antivirus companies all have their own proprietary database of virus fixes. Sometimes MalwareBytes can fix stuff that Norton can't and sometimes Cyberdefender can fix stuff that McAfee can't and so on and so on. If MalwareBytes doesn't work then take it off again before you install Avast or whatever. That will prevent antagonistic reactions between antivirus programs and save you all kinds of headaches.

Anyway I just checked at the Cyberdefender website and they've got customer support available. There's a phone number (866) 793-0454 and an email resource too: support@cyberdefender.com.

I just don't see why if you weren't happy and wanted your money back can't you just contact them and ask for it? I guess it's more fun to go on and on about being OH NOEZ A VICTIM OF BLACKMAIL!!1!! on a complaint board than just doing something sensible like, I dunno, ask for your money back maybe. I didn't have any problem getting a refund from these guys. Just make sure you ask for your refund within the guarantee period.

But I guess that's not as fun as taking up sueing people for a hobby like like Rick Emerson apparently does.
 4 days ago by   sueric 0 Votes
I am also a victim of these scam artists. I purchased and installed the program, it worked for a few days and then my computer started acting up...slow to open programs, slow going from one website to another, and worst of all, whenver I emailed my client she received this message in the subject line: "Suspicious URL."

I uninstalled the program, it is running fine now, but trying to connect with billing or customer service has been the biggest nightmare!

I am a fool!

Post your Comment

Please check text spelling before submitting a comment
Your attitude towards ComplaintAgree Neutral Disagree
Comment text
Attach photos (optional)

  Register

Videos

ID Theft Can Damage Your Future
More Videos
 

Latest Groups

Today's Mess-Up Photo

Categories

   - Flooring Installation
   - Roofing
   - Contractors
   - Window and Door Installation
   - Banks
   - Scam & Fake Checks
   - Loans
   - Collections Agencies
   - Tax Services
   - Bad Business Partners
   - Credit Cards
   - Savings & Investments
   - Equipment Leasing & Financing
   - Credit Report Websites
   - Inheritance Scams
   - Forex / Currency Trading
   - Car Rental
   - Auto Insurance & Loan
   - Car Service Centers
   - Car Dealers
   - Gas Stations
   - Car Driving Schools
   - Towing
   - Motorcycles & Scooters
   - Dry Cleaners & Laundry
   - Desktop Computers
   - Laptops / Notebooks
   - Mobile & Cell Phones
   - Vacuum Cleaners
   - Washing Machines
   - Digital Cameras
   - Colleges and Universities
   - Schools
   - Driving Schools
   - Casinos
   - Deadbeat Parents
   - Sexual Abuse
   - Online Dating Services
   - Astrology Readers
   - Neighbours
   - Mattresses
   - Passport Services
   - Non-profit Organizations
   - Government Grants
   - Citizenship and Immigration Services
   - Health & Life Insurance
   - Plastic Surgery
   - Medical Negligence and Deficiency
   - Diet Products
   - Cosmetics
   - Dental Services
   - Vision, Glasses, Lenses
   - Drug Stores
   - Hair and Beauty Salons
   - Weight Loss Products and Programs
   - Beauty & Day Spas
   - Doctors
   - Rehabilitation Centers
   - Pool & Bath Services
   - Security Services
   - Appliances
   - Utility Services
   - Plumbing Services
   - Hosting & Web Design
   - Internet Providers
   - Bullying and Harassment at Work
   - Work at Home
   - Employment, Staffing, Recruiting Agencies
   - Employers
   - Employees
   - Model & Talent Agencies
   - Lawyers and Attorneys
   - Solicitors
   - Lottery Scams
   - Ebay Scams
   - Alibaba Scams
   - Phishing
   - Online Surveys
   - Sweepstakes
   - PTC/PTR Sites
   - Animal/Pet Hospitals
   - Cat Breeders
   - Dog Breeders
   - Flowers Delivery
   - Photo Services
   - Department Stores
   - Cleaning Services / Laundry
   - Tobacco Products
   - Retail Stores
   - Traffic Problems
   - Mortgage Companies
   - Apartments Rental
   - Home Insurance / Warranty
   - Timeshares / Vacation Rentals
   - Condo and Home Owners Associations
   - Landlords
   - Fast Food Restaurants
   - SMS Scam Contests
   - Psychics & Mediums
   - Religion and Spirituality
   - Antivirus Software
   - Fitness Centers
   - Fitness / Exercise Equipment
   - Mobile/Cellular Service Providers
   - International Calling Cards
   - Landline & Home Phone Providers
   - Travel Agencies
   - Vacation Clubs
   - Cruise Lines
   - Satellite & Cable TV
   - DVD Order & Rental
   - Annoying Commercials
   - Movies
   - Unauthorized Mobile Charges

 Suggest new category

Smile upon Life :)

RSS Feed
 
Submit Complaint | Consumer Tips & Tricks | News & Stories | Recalls | Groups | View full list of Companies | Updated Complaints | Search Terms | Suspicious Companies | Complaints by Countries | Indian Consumer Complaints Forum | Latest Complaints | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Legal Information | Thank you Emails

© 2009 Consumer Complaints Board
If you have any constructive thoughts, creative ideas, or reasonable offers, please, contact us immediately via E-mail
     
 

Login
Email:
Password:

Forgot your password?