Complain about a product or service

Norton, Symantec

Ernest of York PA (06/06/08)
Automatic Annual renewal charge to my credit card even after I removed their software from my computer. Two renewal charges -2007 and 2008. I notice most recent charge and had it removed and then found charge for 2007. Customer support in India repeatedly cited their 60 day policy and refuse to credit my card. This is especially offensive because I removed Norton software from my computer because it was so intrusive. Furthermore, I had to buy special software to uninstall Norton because it refused to be uninstalled otherwise.

The extra charge of 42.39 on my credit card is a small part of this. The automatic renewal feature of the software is not easily found, its default should be in the off position, and in any circumstance it should cease to function when Norton is removed from your computer.

Peter of Hamilton OTHER (05/28/08)
i restored my computer last month when it was rebooting norton 360 showed up i refused to allow it but it forced itsself in my pc i dont want it but it has a firewall running and it conflicts with my avg 8 security it will not go aw ay i want it out as it ismessing up my avg which i paid for /i cant get it out norton forced its way in in spite of my refusal to admit it

Vivek of Bangalore OTHER (04/27/08)
I had purchased a NAV 2007 on 8.8.2007 with 1 year subscription from M/s. Touch Data, But my subscription ended on February of 2008 i.e for 6 months only. When i consulted M/s. Touch data people they told they will inform symantec but till date i have no information regarding my problems.

I the meanwhile my system is affected with Virus. I have lost lot of my files.

Karen of New Milford NJ (04/06/08)
I have Norton Antivirus installed on my computer. 3/29/2008 my computer was hijacked by a virus that Symantec missed. I called the support #. All I kept hearing from the off shore site was $99.95 if you want our help. Let me see your product did NOT do its job & now you want me to pay more money for help. Support knew I could not use the FREE help due to the virus damage & like a stuck recording they kept repeating $99.95. Sending a letter via fax to Corporate HQ's got me another $99.95 offer from off shore help. The product did NOT work and Symantec will NOT be held responsible!

Business computer. I could not work. Damage to computer registry. Emotional damage due to fear of losing all my business & personal information. I felt ripped off by Symantec. What did I pay for?

Ken of Rancho Cordova CA (01/23/08)
I Have been using Norton Computer software products since 1992 and I was pleased with the results, obviously, but I finally resolved myself to the fact they have become non-user freidly. Four months ago I removed Norton from my system and purchased security software from another source. While checking my bank statements I noticed that Norton arbitrarily and without my knowledge, renewed the service and withdrew 49.99 from my bank account. I have spent an inordinately stupid amount of time trying to contact them so as to return my money, folks there is no one home, accept their computer and it has no common sense, God forbid it ever will... there is a new word in our vocabulary Merriam CORPORATERING integrity is vanishing from the corporate world!

Megan of Owensboro KY (05/31/07)
We purchased our computer in the Fall of 2005 and immediately downloaded the Norton Antivirus software. We moved about 4 months later and did not set up our computer again until April of 2007. By then, our original software had expired. I downloaded the newest version and was told the download was successful. We tried several times to run a system scan but could not. Then, one day I noticed Norton had shut itself off.

I called the tech support, only to speak with people overseas who could not understand me. They instructed me to download the Norton Removal tool and restart. After the tool was downloaded, it restarts automatically - only my computer would not start at all! I was transferred to about 6 different people who tried to tell me it wasn't their problem when my computer had been working fine prior to this phone call! Now... I have paid an unbelievable amount of money to try and fix it when it turns out it can't be fixed. They screwed it up so bad that the hard drive has had to be replaced on a computer that has only been used for 5 months! The customer service is rude, hard to understand, and has no idea what they are doing!

Michael of Elmwood Park NJ (05/13/07)

I pay Norton Security/Symantec $69.99 a year to protect my computer from viruses and spy ware, yet a virus invaded my computer and wiped out everything I had! I spent my entire Saturday trying to get help from Norton/Symantec. When I reached the first agent, he/she refused to help me and directed me elsewhere. The agent told me that it would cost an ADDITIONAL $70.00 to check my computer for this virus. Exasperated, I asked the agent why the Norton Security did not protect my computer in the first place? His response was, that is not my problem.

I have lost all of the files in my computer, along with photos, etc. As I already said, I have paid Norton/Symantec $69.99 a year to protect me from this. Their customer service agents were rude and hard to understand.

Jacqueline of Inverness FL (03/13/07)

I tried to download the product but kept getting an error report saying the file was corrupt. I followed all the instructions and it kept happening. I’ve tried to get a refund but the company won’t even contact me.

Ronald of Kingston NY (02/27/07)

I bought an HP Pavilion in October 2006. Thirty days later the Norton Internet Security program was about to expire. I went to the Symantec web site and ordered the updated version at a cost of $69.99, plus $6.00 tax and $4.99 shipping. I promptly installed the program/software into my machine. Within the next couple of days I started noticing that my computer was not only slowing down, but some of the programs I rely on the most would no longer open.

The technician had me down load and run Norton Removal Tool and then step by step instructions to re-install the software. Then I noticed that when I opened that program, I did not have Parental Controls or a Firewall. I contacted the same technician and was told to ignore it, as it was just the nature of the program.

Thinking it was my mistake, I contacted MusicMatch to find out why that program stopped functioning as I had paid for an up-grade for it also. They had me remove and re-install their program. It still would not function. I mentioned the problems with Norton. They informed that Symantec acknowledges that a conflict does exist but never got back to them with a solution.

Four months later I am still unable to get Norton removed from my computer.

James of Prescott AZ (01/16/07)

I bought a Norton program to protect my computer from viruses. I bought it from Staples Office Products. A series of rebates were offered, such that if all rebates were given, the program would be free. With one of my rebates, I sent the wrong receipt; it was for a return of another Norton program that did not qualify. Weeks later, Norton's rebate company notified me of my mistake. I immediately found and mailed the correct receipt.

Weeks later, they notified me that my receipt arrived after their deadline. OK, my mistake was the root cause of my problem. However, 2 or 3 months later, I began to receive emails from Norton that my program was corrupted, and I should uninstall it then re-install. I did, but within 2 weeks, I began receiving the same message, again. I sent an email to Norton, telling them of my experience, and they replied, asking for all sorts of detailed info about my purchase and the identity of my program. I did not reply for 2 or 3 weeks.

My computer locked up so that I could not control it nor use it. I took it to a local repair shop. They found that the problem was the Norton program.

Randall of Kamuela HI (01/10/07)

Bought a new sealed box of NIS 2007 and followed the instructions per Norton tech support and pamphlet that came with the software. The download showed it installed successfully then would display in the following box that there had been a problem and to download Norton uninstall tool and reload after re-boot. I tried to install three times doing the above instructions and came up with the same results.

I e-mailed tech sup and was advised she could not refund the cost of the software do to the fact I did not buy it from Norton. And referred to it as auction bought software. This was bought from Amazon.com new, sealed, and with rebate on box.

Helena of St Julians OTHER (01/05/07)

My 2004 version of Norton Antivirus diagnosed a virus on my computer and recommended I upgrade the antivirus so that I could remove the threat. I paid for the 2007 upgrade and extended download service but I was unable to install the upgrade. First I had to uninstall the older version, then I was told there was a pending installation of other software. When these issues were solved the installation still would not progress farther than file extraction. Through the purchase confirmation email, I found a link for Technical Support Autofix which told me I had W32.Sober@mm on my PC.

My old Norton version recommended I upgrade as only an upgrade would provide the elimination of the virus. Not only was this untrue as W32 hinders Norton installation (which I learnt after my purchase), but after my purchases amounting to 51.47 Euros, they expected me to pay over 30 to 40 more Euros for another procedure to rectify the situation. I have wasted a lot of time on this and I refuse to waste more of it and more money.

Erma of Chicago IL (04/03/06)

I ordered the Anti-Virus for my computer because I kept getting the message from Norton to renew. I received an e-mail from Symantec saying they had received the $48.98, but I never got the service. Now I am getting popups, etc. Customer service was very rude.

Kenneth of Paramount CA (03/15/06)

Purchased Norton Anti-Virus for computer. Could not activate due to improper code. Three times contacted tech support and proven defective. Told to mail the CD to the above address and it would be 4 days turn around for new software. I have called back three times and keep getting told 4 more days. It has been over a month.

Kris of Mahomet IL (02/22/06)

I had 2 rebates submitted to Symantec per the 'advertised special' with Turbo Tax...buy Turbo Tax, submit the other 2 rebates to Symantec and Norton is basically free. HAH! There were 2 rebates, one for $40 and one for $20, both requested the same UPC, I could only send in one, since the box only had one. I made a copy of the UPC with an explanation and sent the original on the other. They have called both of my rebate submissions invalid.

Daniel of Suffern NY (11/25/05)

After purchasing Norton Internet Security, I completed and submitted the necessary paperwork to receive two separate $30 rebates. I purchased the software online through BestBuy.com and downloaded the program. Several weeks later I received a postcard stating that one of my rebate requests was invalid because it did not include a proof of purchase.

This is the 3rd time in less than two years that this company has attempted to renege on my legitimate and correctly filed rebate requests. It seems to be attempting to make its customers jump through multiple hoops in order to fulfill it's advertised offers.

Debra of Chesaning MI (11/30/04)
I cannot stand Norton Antivirus ware. I paid for an upgraded subscription which is supposed to let me choose whether or not to block something. Norton takes over my options and totally ignores if I choose to permit something to go through. It continues to pop up where I am supposed to be able to choose whether or not to block or permit, but again, Norton wants to decide. I have attempted to contact the Norton people to no avail. I have written up a complaint to them and have not heard back. (Their software probably deleted it.) I cannot find a telephone number to call them.

Bobby of Nyc NY (01/24/04)
Norton Antivirus no longer provides lifetime free updates. This came as a shock to me because I was used to the idea of lifetime updates with Norton. Now you get 90 days of free updates. Beyond that you must pay a subscription to get them. So why did I have to pay for the software in the first place if I must also pay an additional subscription to get proper use of the product?

This is the equivalent of buying an egg carton without the eggs.

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