cheeky sods

McAfee that is.

I didn't bother renewing my £55 worth of McAfee Security Centre when it
ran out a couple of weeks ago so they decided to help me out by setting
up an auto-renewal system for me in case I'd forgotten. Can they
legally do that if I didn't ask for it when I originally purchased said
security centre or are they laying themselves wide open for me to get
on their cases?

 

They can legally do it (it will have been in the smallprint) & more &
more companies are for things where you pay for a year's 'service'. I
make a point of telling them not to auto-renew with anything like that
now, but even that doesn't guarantee it won't happen.

 

I've had a look through their website and they say that they'll
auto-renew unless told not to but when you consider that for the last
few weeks before the old subscription expires they plague you with
emails and pop ups on your computer reminding you to renew but
forgetting to let on that if you don't they'll take the money anyway.

Luckily my spam filter didn't bin the email telling me they'd done it
so I've kept hold of my cash.

 

Its a grey area . The law states you cant enter into a contract
through inaction or silence .

With these types of service it hasnt really been decided through the
courts wether its a new service contract for another 12 months or
its just a rollover or extention of the original contract .

I tend to do the same make it clear by e mail that they must not
autorenew

 

Norton do the same most companies will cancel if you complain
though because its a policy they dont really want tested through the
courts as its a good money earner .

 

Kaspersky didn't, but they did let me know insistently that it would
expire if I didn't pay up.

 

I've just had the same thing happen to me with my travel insurance with
Insure and Go. I kicked up a stink and they refunded my money, but they made
it clear that they were being lovely people and I didn't have any
entitlement to a refund. I agree with Steve that it appears to be a grey
area of legality.