My personal data being sold

[Cricky]

I have AVG popping up on my laptop telling me that my service provider could be selling my personal data. It then goes on asking to upgrade AVG for a fee. 

Anyone out there getting similar notice. 

 

[inThailand]

Not getting this message.

 

But you can take it to the bank, selling data is big business and most companies do it, regardless of what they profess.

[2008bangkok]

I think its probably some kind of con to get you to upgrade to the paid version as that version probably can block this.

What information could the Service provider actually sell? Most communications to sites which require forms being completed would be encrypted using SSL.

And any data selling normally comes from the companies who forms you completed.

 

Sorry con!

[Zyxel]

I get this message quite often together with some others also from AVG, like my computer could run faster, warning about potential ransomware, my personal data is not protected etc...I have been using AVG free for many years and I am quite satisfied with it. It is fair game for them to try to have you to upgrade for a fee but trying to scare you with potential threats is wrong IMO. I heard that Avast free is superior to AVG if you are interested to switch. When I see the popup I just click on the X before it disappears by itself.

[Na Fan]

The free AVG used to be really good. Nowadays it feels like they invest 90% of their development in figuring out how to spam you with ads to get you to buy something.

 

And whatever software you run on your desktop pretty much can't do a thing to prevent the ISPs from selling your browsing & history data - unless you're using Tor or some such. 

 

 

[soalbundy]

Never had this message. Selling personal lnfo is big business, hard to stop or control. While living in Munich I applied for a passport by post to the then British embassy in Duesseldorf, on the form I put down my office telephone number. Two weeks later I was inundated with telephone calls from the UK offering me everything from insurance to investments. I rang up the embassy to complain and was told it wasn't them they don't do that sort of thing. The company I worked for was BMW, they have a very big security department and don't take kindly to this sort of behaviour, I gave the matter to them and the calls miraculously stopped.

[bazza73]

What do you think Facebook does?

[nobodysfriend]

If ur using Firfox as browser , you can install an adblocker ( blocks pop-up's ) easily ... IE , I dunno ...

[Zyxel]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

If ur using Firfox as browser , you can install an adblocker ( blocks pop-up's ) easily ... IE , I dunno ...

These AVG popups don't show up in a browser but at the right bottom corner of the screen.

The following link will tell you how to stop these AVG popups:

https://www.howtogeek.com/289789/how-to-get-rid-of-avgs-notifications-and-bundled-software/

You will be able to stop the annoying popups but keep those warning you about a real threat.

Edited September 24, 2017 by Zyxel

[Mrjlh]

Why can't all the cheap charlies just break down and by a decent Antivirus program. Do a customer survey search to pick one and just do it. Then problem solved. Not promoting any particular program but I've had mine for years and never ever had a problem. Gotten lots of security reports showing attacks so I know it's working. In fact just last week I gave some files to a friend on a flash drive and he said all the data was gone. I stuck it back into my machine and it killed a virus a soon as I did. His machine was infected. He had "Free" AVG on it. Later he found he was missing several large files.

[The Deerhunter]

11 hours ago, Zyxel said:

I get this message quite often together with some others also from AVG, like my computer could run faster, warning about potential ransomware, my personal data is not protected etc...I have been using AVG free for many years and I am quite satisfied with it. It is fair game for them to try to have you to upgrade for a fee but trying to scare you with potential threats is wrong IMO. I heard that Avast free is superior to AVG if you are interested to switch. When I see the popup I just click on the X before it disappears by itself.

After being fabulous and free for years they sold the business and the new owners are trying everything to get their money back.  Con!  I was using Avast free for a while after also becoming unhappy with the new AVG and had Kapersky on my phone.  But have gone back to a paid system because the risks are quite high now with Ransom ware.  I have gone back to ESET  Nod32.

Edited September 24, 2017 by The Deerhunter

[473geo]

I bought AVG antivirus and PC clean, I canned the PC clean , when I was advised my payment would be taken, PC runs ok, I get offers to buy again with discount regularly. There is also a VPN offer that crops up now and again to ensure privacy, have not taken that yet either. I don't find the offers intrusive.

 

I am very careful now as one well known anti virus provider a few years ago took payment without permission, the worrying part was my card had been updated so the CC record from the last payment they held should have failed!! What does that tell you!! This is when I changed provider to AVG, used it for free then bought.

[Doctorbu]

12 hours ago, Na Fan said:

The free AVG used to be really good. Nowadays it feels like they invest 90% of their development in figuring out how to spam you with ads to get you to buy something.

 

And whatever software you run on your desktop pretty much can't do a thing to prevent the ISPs from selling your browsing & history data - unless you're using Tor or some such. 

 

 

I agree 1000%....

Also have paid AVG ultimate and still get spammed. Also I would advise anyone who has a paid subscription to make sure your auto renew is off because they will charge you full retail to renew and there's no way to cancel or get your money back. 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Never mind AVG, everyone is selling your details, especially if you do Twitface or the other social nonsense.

Zuckerberg (etc) would still be living on a mediocre salary otherwise.

 

[willi2006]

If you have legal copy of Windows you can just use the built-in Firewall and Virus protection. It's now called "Windows Defender", a while ago "Security Essentials". I'm using this already many years and never had a problem with viruses.