# Anti Virus Trying to Rip me Off AGAIN
**URL:** https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [July 25, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235 "2023-07-25T23:11:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Perpatriddle](https://community.clark.com/u/Perpatriddle)
#### Post date: [July 25, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/1 "2023-07-25T23:11:03Z")
So I got a new laptop last year and switched anti virus from one big name to another big name, cancelled the first one which was literal torture, took hours over the phone (over 2 days ), but finally cancelled (or so I thought) , they said my account was cancelled…billed yearly, well got a hit on my credit card for 133.67 yesterday from them.
What are my options ?
Get on phone again which will take hours again ? which I don’t feel like doing.
Call my CC company and dispute ? Maybe they can help ?
Sue them for time and aggravation ?
File criminal charges against them ?
Thanks
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### Author:  [@robertpri](https://community.clark.com/u/robertpri)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 12:50am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/2 "2023-07-26T00:50:29Z")
> [@Perpatriddle](#):
>
> Call my CC company and dispute ? Maybe they can help ?
I don’t have an answer, but one comment about calling your CC company. Do NOT challenge it online! They will automatically CANCEL your card and mail a new one. Instead, call and make certain you are only disputing THIS ONE CHARGE,
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### Author:  [@NancyM](https://community.clark.com/u/NancyM)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 1:08am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/3 "2023-07-26T01:08:31Z")
In general for all of my annual subscriptions (software, news, etc) I turn off the “auto-renew” option which is usually the default option. I think that auto-renew should not be the default, but that you have to opt-in to have it.
Sure, I have to manually make my annual payment, but it’s better than fighting to undo a payment. I usually get an email reminder from them that my subscription is about to expire, etc.
Years back, I had a payment charged by Norton, even after I had already CANCELLED my subscription (but I did get my $$ back).
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### Author:  [@Lavarock](https://community.clark.com/u/Lavarock)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 1:11am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/4 "2023-07-26T01:11:03Z")
I buy a multi-user license for Norton through Amazon or Ebay, wherever I can find the cheapest. It usually includes an automatic renewal at a very high price. I take the authorization code and add the software to my Norton account, then go to the various computers and install their oen copy. Finally I cancel the automatic renewal (and ignore the please to keep it and the offers for a free month or whatever).
When the year is up I repeat the process.
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### Author:  [@robertpri](https://community.clark.com/u/robertpri)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/5 "2023-07-26T02:28:21Z")
> [@NancyM](#):
>
> I think that auto-renew should not be the default, but that you have to opt-in to have it.
Agree, but for this retired widower in poor health, it’s wonderful. Most of my life is on autopay, fire, house, insurance, medical, etc.
However, for things like subscriptions, I have virtual CC’s on Citi bank, I can set the expiration date, usually one month before the year runs out. If I want to cancel it, I simply don’t reset the date so the VCC expires.
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### Author:  [@H200h](https://community.clark.com/u/H200h)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 4:12am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/6 "2023-07-26T04:12:40Z")
> [@Perpatriddle](#):
>
> What are my options ?
> Get on phone again which will take hours again ? which I don’t feel like doing.
> **Call my CC company and dispute ?** Maybe they can help ?
> Sue them for time and aggravation ?
> File criminal charges against them ?
I’ve had this happened to me. When I disputed the charge with my CC company and never used the program, the AV company canceled the charge.
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### Author:  [@NancyM](https://community.clark.com/u/NancyM)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 2:18pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/7 "2023-07-26T14:18:38Z")
> [@robertpri](#):
>
> I have virtual CC’s on Citi bank
What’s a virtual credit card?
Never heard of it!
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### Author:  [@NancyM](https://community.clark.com/u/NancyM)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 2:20pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/8 "2023-07-26T14:20:39Z")
Don’t get me wrong – I use autopay for recurring monthly charges (insurance and credit cards, etc).
But for the annual subscriptions that I might not renew, I get rid of auto-renew.
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### Author:  [@robertpri](https://community.clark.com/u/robertpri)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/9 "2023-07-26T20:34:56Z")
> [@NancyM](#):
>
> What’s a virtual credit card?
VCC’s are credit card numbers that only exist in Citi’s computers and mine if I’m logged in. They are “virtual” and not physical cards.
I have a physical card from Citi that is the “parent” of my dozen or so virtual numbers. I can create a new VCC with a simple click. Once created, I set the expiration date within the subscription date. If I buy a new one year virus program, I set the expire date within the year.
So when it tries to autonew, the card has expired. Worthless. I get an email from that virus program asking for a new CCN. I then decide if I still want it, and if so, I simply log into my account and extend the expire date.
If I don’t want it, I just ignore it because that VCC is dead.
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### Author:  [@billinin](https://community.clark.com/u/billinin)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/10 "2023-07-26T22:54:37Z")
> [@Lavarock](#):
>
> I buy a multi-user license for Norton through Amazon or Ebay, wherever I can find the cheapest
I do the same routine.
I usually find that the day after Thanksgiving has the best deals. In some cases it is less $ to buy more licenses than you need. The expiration clock does not start until it is activated on the first machine.
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### Author:  [@NancyM](https://community.clark.com/u/NancyM)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/11 "2023-07-27T19:08:04Z")
That’s really interesting – I don’t think my bank has such a thing.
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@robertpri](https://community.clark.com/u/robertpri)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2023, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/anti-virus-trying-to-rip-me-off-again/3235/12 "2023-07-27T20:01:02Z")
> [@NancyM](#):
>
> I don’t think my bank has such a thing.
> Thanks!
Years ago, I read an article about VCC’s and found two banks that offer it:
Citi and Capone.
Could be many more.