Antivirus software renewal shock

Darth_Paul

In March 2004 I purchased 5 years’ cover of eTrust antivirus from Excid.com. Four years later I bought a new computer and did not install the eTrust program on my new machine.

Seven days ago I received a final demand from MySecurityCenter.com regarding an invoice for the renewal of the software. They claim that their terms and conditions state that they must be informed if you do not want the software to be automatically renewed at the end of the period, otherwise they will bill you whether you want the antivirus or not. MySecurityCenter must have taken over Excid.com in 2007 or before as I received an acknowledgement from MSC that year when I informed Excid.com of my change of email address.

I am apparently now subscribed to “MySecurityCenter Internet SecuritySuite with an annual renewal”, which is not what I signed up for originally as it appears that eTrust is no longer produced.

The demand says that I should have received previous demands, which I haven’t (unless they have gone straight into my junk folder). I am therefore not at all happy about having a further £10 of late payment fees added to a renewal charge for software that I haven’t used in years.

They have threatened to recover the money via a third party if I do not pay within 14 days. As 7 days have now gone without them replying to my email asking for evidence that I signed up for automatic renewal I am down to my last week and getting concerned.

I have fired off another email to them today, but wondered if I am liable despite never having downloaded the software they are charging me for. As the original Excid.com website now redirects to MSC I have no way of knowing if I ever agreed to the terms that they quote.

Any advice would be very welcome.

voiceofreason

Tell them to f* off and then go and download AVG.

HTH

Darth_Paul

I have been using AVG for the past couple of years. That's why I don't need MySecurityCenter's software.

adouglasmhor

voiceofreason wrote: »

Tell them to f* off and then go and download AVG.

HTH

Good advice, they are at it and have not complied with your request for a copy of any agreement. Give them sod all.

bingo_bango

I suspect this would fall foul of UTTCR S.5(1) -


5.

—(1) A contractual term which has not been individually negotiated shall be regarded as

unfair if, contrary to the requirement of good faith, it causes a significant imbalance in the parties’

rights and obligations arising under the contract, to the detriment of the consumer.

I would question the validity of the contract initially though (which you have written to do) because if there is no contrat, then there are no terms to be deemed unfair.

As already stated, dump them and switch to AVG / Avira etc.

Darth_Paul

Thank you for these statutory details, Bingo Bango. It is good to have something with which to back up my argument.
In the email I sent them I asked MSC to cancel my subscription. AVG is doing just fine for me at the moment.

Update: I've just noticed that the contact details that MySecurityCenter supplied on the demand email may be wrong. They gave me a co.uk address to write to, whilst the website shows .com.
I've now had to send an email to that address as well. No wonder there's been no reply for a week. Idiots.

sadsack7_2

I received this final demand e-mail a couple of days ago. I received a 3rd reminder in august last year but non before this, didn't have a clue who it was off so asumed it was spam. I signed up for etust for 2 yrs in Feb 2005 when I bought a new computer. The computer is long gone so this was a bit of a shock. I will be sending off an email for evidence of the automatic renewal aswell but would like to know which email address you get a reply off.

Cheers Darth

Darth_Paul

Whereas nothing has been received from the co.uk address, an automated email acknowledging receipt arrived shortly after I tried the .com address. This said it may be 48 hrs before a member of support staff would reply.

Darth_Paul

Just letting you know that I received a reply after requesting a copy of the contract and quoting them Bingo Bango's advice:

"Dear Sir, We write to confirm that we have cancelled this subscription and no further action is required. Kind regards, MySecurityCenter".

I checked that this meant no monies were outstanding, which they duly confirmed. Result.:T

voiceofreason

Glad to hear