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I recently wanted to test a new anti-virus software, and I ended up with some infections on my computer. I decided to go back to AVG Security Suite, but wanted something that would bail me out quickly, if possible, until I could get AVG loaded. I decided to try STOPzilla.
Problem #1: I wasn't told before I used the product that I would have to pay before I could remove any threats found.
Problem#2: I did make the modest payment of $9.95. Then I received and entered a key (number) and removed the threats. Then I loaded AVG Security Suite and Spybot S&D.
Problem #3: I wanted to use STOPzilla again today. It ran forever (at least two hours) and reported 80 infections. I entered my key number (which was supposedly good for a year) and it came back invalid. I called STOPzilla tech support, and ended up in an extremely long conversation. The support person told me my entire computer was messed up by an IP address attack. He then "proved" it by showing me a boat load of errors in Event Viewer, and telling me there were over 2000, and they were replicating every second.
I'm no computer expert, but I've looked in Event Viewer before; I've managed to do eight clean installs over the years; and I didn't trust what this tech was saying. What he said included the news that I would need the assistance of a Microsoft specialist. He could set me up with such a person -- for a price. I told him if I needed a technician, I would contact someone I knew locally. I also said I wanted him to remove the infections STOPzilla had found.
Problem #4: The tech didn't want to do that. He said it wouldn't do any good, because my computer was so completely messed up, etc., etc. I reminded him I was a paid up customer, and I wanted the infections removed (if there were any infections in the first place. I'm not even sure they ever existed.) The third time I told him I wanted the infections removed, he did remove them. I thanked him and hung up. Then I closed everything and reopened Event Viewer. The 2000 + errors had disappeared.
I poked into various nooks and crannies of my computer (to the best of my ability) and didn't find any hidden junk, and everything is working fine. I have two opinions on what STOPzilla is up to.
1. It actually does a job the first time (although very, very slowly), and, because the price is modest, a person is tempted to pay and remove the threats. The second time you want to use it, STOPzilla finds the key invalid; you call the support center; they convince you your computer is half past dead, and hook you up with a Microsoft "specialist" -- for a price. It's a sorry situation. Just wanted to let someone know about my experience, in case it helps someone else. Thanks. Cheryl
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
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Uninstall it, cancel your payments, and check up on those payments.
I was told I could get Stopzilla for free. It didn't give it to me so I bought $59.00 worth of protection including Stopzilla. Less than a week later, I got a huge WARNING on my computer and I can't open anything. I called Stopzilla and they told me I was infected (their stuff doesn't protect against what infected me) and they would fix it for $209. What the hell does it protect against. I believe the scam is to put the thing on a computer, infect it and then charge to fix it. Is there any recourse here? The outrage of it!
Yesterday I had a rotten experience with STOPzilla that cost me several hundred dollars and about 3 hours of time. This morning I have been looking through the complaints on this and other forums and am now convinced that STOPzilla is operating a confidence scam.
I downloaded STOPzilla to repair a couple of infections that I had found and I did this because their advertising indicated that their product removed viruses. Although I successfully bought the product and down loaded it the liciense key provided did not work. Their site claimed a live chat technical support, but no-one was there so I sent an urgent email (that no-one has responded to 16 hrs later). Eventually I decided to call their tech support on the number supplied. Living in Australia I had to call either UK or USA, I called UK as it is cheaper and I thought that this should take less than 10 mins. They answered the call very quickly which was good, but I did get a guy who didn't speak english too well and it took over 20 minutes just to communicate my e-mail address and telephone number. An hour later he had got the liciense key to work.
As soon as this issue was sorted he launched into a search through my system ending up in Event Viewer (about 40 hazards and attn) which led to an anouncement in much better english that my system was on the edge of failing and that STOPzilla V5 was never going to fix it. He did, however, have a solution which was to pay up $210 and a microsoft certified engineer would leap to attention and fix it in less than half an hour. My response was sceptical, if it had taken a couple of hours to give them my e-mail address, sort out a liciense key that should have available without spending money on tech support and so have a scan of the system, why would it take such little time for a fix?
Throughout my questioning the techy got more and more animated with regards the dangerous condition of my PC and his english also progressively improved.
My point was that I had already invested $50 for a virus remover (advertised at $34.50 but bundled with something else) and $150 on the phone to make it work. STOPzilla had already miss informed me of the ability of its product and the simple issue of a liciense key had taken alot of time and resource to resolve, why should I believe that a further investment of $210 would result in a sucessful repair. I could get a GEEK to drive round and fix the thing in my house for $99 and I would only have to pay if they were successful.
The evidence I have experienced is that the STOPzilla V5 product is designed to get you to contact the support team who's job it is to convince you that your system is in immediate and significant danger so that you buy a premium but unnecessary product.
I just had the same exact thing happen. They are criminals! They told me I had no idea what I was doing. and that my computer cannot possibly be working with the 2300 errors i had in my event viewer. I firmly believe this company is installing this virius when they VPN in.
Especially since we all have the same exact issue, and they have given us the same exact sales pitch.
I have been using this antivirius for 3 1/2 years, and it does work good.
I have recommended it to plenty of people. I will not be giving them anymore of my hard earned AMERICAN money I can assure you all that! StopZilla Needs To Be STOPPED! CRIMINALS!
I have just had the same experience, the same high pressure techniques to scare me into paying them hundreds of dollars. I am stunned. I thought Stopzilla was real. Now, as I look back on the 4 months I've been using Stopzilla I believer my computer is much worse than it was before I started with Stopzilla. I bought it to remove About: blank and it is still there and is worse than ever.
they are crooks, go with webroot antivirus
Just discovered an unauthorised payment to Stopzilla on my bank account. I'm going to leave it with my bank to recoup the payment as, from what I've read, there seems no point in engaging directly with them. Hopefully the good people at Visa will have some method of blacklisting.
go with Webroot ? I would not recommend them to anyone
AVG even the free version is great
Kaspersky
CA
i started useing stopzilla 3 years ago and renewed it after the first year, found it was not doing any good, and took it off my computer, and they have never sent any means of a reminder about renewal or means of removal, have since paid to have my coputer repaired, and payments still being taken from my bank, what can be done, obviously stopvilla not very helpfull, and read so many bad coments about them as not leaving any way of removal, or further payments.