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Subscription Status Not Activated

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I entered a new Keycode for a one year subscription for SecureAnywhere under My Account on my computer. The subscripton had expired two days earlier. Upon entering the new code, the program runs perfectly only it says under My Status that my subscription is Not Activated. It also will not count down the days on my subscription, it says 365 days left and is stuck on it. 
 
I tried to get support to fix this issue, but they told me the software came from Best Buy and Best Buy has to activate the code. I had purchased the software through a Seller on Ebay for SecureAnywhere with CD in a factory sealed box. After spending an hour on the phone with one department after another from Best Buy, I was told they can't do anything on their end to activate the keycode since it was not scanned at checkout. The keycode is automatically activated only when scanned at checkout.
 
Bottom line, the software runs fine, there seems to be no expiration and yet Webroot does not have my copy in their system so it is as if the software is not running on their end. My issue with this is if I need technical support from Webroot, they will not show my subscription as active and will not provide help.
 
Any thoughts as to what you would do about the subscription stating it is not active? I can't return the software to the Ebay seller at this point and the software runs fine.
 
 
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Best answer by JimM 8 August 2013, 21:27

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14 replies

Rakanisheu Retired
Userlevel 7
I heard the support people asking about this. If you bought it on ebay did you pay using Paypal? If so you can use Paypal to get your money back. As for the support issue if the KC reports into our database we should still be able to see threats etc. However if it doesnt work there really isnt anything we can do.
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The software runs perfectly and there is no end to the subscription. I am thinking a glitch gave me a lifetime copy of the software. I can also check for updates. The only downside is if I were to get a virus on my computer and need to contact Webroot, they will not show that my subscription is active. I paid only $5 for the software on Ebay. For that price I do not want a refund.
 
My gut feeling is the software originally did come from Best Buy but somehow it left the store without being scanned at checkout. The Ebay seller had a number of copies being sold. 
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Thanks for the info. Time will tell whether the software stops working. Right now it says clearly, "There are 365 days remaining in your subscription" and the days do not count down. A trial copy should not say this. It runs perfectly too. 
RetiredTripleHelix
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Never buy any software on ebay if it needs activation such as Webroot SecureAnywhere they can't be trusted and you will never find WSA at the price of $5.00 and being legal to use copies.
 
Daniel 
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I have expired software for some products that does run with no expiration, only you can't update the programs. Webroot Window washer and Registry Mechanic on some versions will work fine. Most software today will scan but then they programmed it so it will not repair or remove issues until you register. Not the case with some older versions that work fully after expiration. 
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I spoke with a number of departments at Best Buy including the Geek Squad, Account Maintenance and Security department. A supervisor from tech support finally explained to me that the keycode can only be activated at checkout while being scanned. They showed no listing for the serial number on my software box. Only Webroot traced the copy to Best Buy. The serial number and activation of the code appear and are stored by Best Buy only when scanned. I can't return the copy to Best Buy since I did not purchase it from them. I will just leave all alone for now and see how long this software runs. 
 
I never had a demo version of any software tell me that my subscription is good for 365 days.
RetiredTripleHelix
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@ wrote:
I spoke with a number of departments at Best Buy including the Geek Squad, Account Maintenance and Security department. A supervisor from tech support finally explained to me that the keycode can only be activated at checkout while being scanned. They showed no listing for the serial number on my software box. Only Webroot traced the copy to Best Buy. The serial number and activation of the code appear and are stored by Best Buy only when scanned. I can't return the copy to Best Buy since I did not purchase it from them. I will just leave all alone for now and see how long this software runs. 
 
I never had a demo version of any software tell me that my subscription is good for 365 days.
If it does stop you will see a Gray Icon with an Exclamation mark but you can still scan but it will not remove anything as that keycode could get blacklisted at anytime. Like I said you will not find a legit copy of WSA for $5 bucks as Webroot is a company that needs to make money to survive.
 
TH
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Webroot distributes their software to retail stores. If I were to buy a copy from a retail store and then choose to sell the unopened item to anyone, for whatever price I choose, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with that. If Webroot wants to sell their software at the premium price of $30 then they can choose not to distribute the CD software to retail stores. There is nothing illegal about purchasing an item, never using it, and then selling it on EBay. A bootleg copy is illegal.
 
What sounds suspicious are sellers putting Webroot software for sale at very low prices. At first, I thought all was fine after adding the keycode that I went back to EBay and bought another one year subscription but for a total of $3.75, CD included and free shipping from a different seller.
 
UPDATE: The timer for my copy of SecureAnywhere just started counting down so I got my answer there. I now have 364 days left, it took an extra day to start the countdown. It looks like the software is doing what I thought it would do, work for one year.
RetiredTripleHelix
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Let me say it this way! It could be stolen, deemed to be Destroyed Boxes that didn't and many other factors if you really want to know send the keycode to JimM via PM and he will let you know!
 
HTH,
 
Daniel
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The same thought crossed my mind. I went back and forth with Webroot Support over this issue, and they seemed disinterested in my Key Code or Serial Number. They told me to deal with Best Buy. If Webroot Support did not help, then I will leave it alone. No sense in making a stir about it and heck knows what the reply will be from Jim M, maybe it was stolen from the Pentagon.:S
RetiredTripleHelix
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@ wrote:
The same thought crossed my mind. I went back and forth with Webroot Support over this issue, and they seemed disinterested in my Key Code or Serial Number. They told me to deal with Best Buy. If Webroot Support did not help, then I will leave it alone. No sense in making a stir about it and heck knows what the reply will be from Jim M, maybe it was stolen from the Pentagon.:S
Can you tell me if it's a 2011, 2012 or 2013 Boxed version?
 
Daniel
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Can you tell me if it's a 2011, 2012 or 2013 Boxed version?

Daniel
.................................
 
The EBay Seller listed it as 2012 boxed version. But now that I am looking at the box, I see no mention of any year on the box. The actual CD has printed on it (in extremely fine print) 2006-2011 Webroot Software, Inc.
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UPDATE: 
 
Webroot will NOT Activate my subscription, they told me anything sold by an unauthorized party is not honored by Webroot. Ebay is not a party with Webroot. So, I can use the software but if I should need assistance in the future from Webroot, such as to remove a virus, Webroot will not provide me support. I have to pay the full renewal price of $30 for Webroot to activate my status. As I mentioned earlier, the software does run fine, but is just not recognized on the Webroot end as an ACTIVE subscription.
 
Second,  I found out why many copies of SecureAnywhere are being sold on Ebay. It is not because they were stolen from the retail store Best Buy, rather a free copy of the SecureAnywhere software was included when laptops were purchased at Best Buy. So, people who did not care to open the software, chose to make a few bucks by passing it along to others through EBay. There is nothing illegal in doing this. And, it is the reason why Best Buy did not scan the software to activate it since it was included with the laptops. 
 
Webroot should honor the subscription by activating it on their end, which they could do by swapping a Keycode, but they seem annoyed that others are making money off their free software included in the purchase of laptops from Best Buy.
JimM
Userlevel 7
Sisophous, that is incorrect. A copy of Webroot included in a sale from Best Buy would have been scanned and activated by Best Buy at the time of the sale. The only way the unactivated license could have made it into the hands of an unauthorized seller is by theft or some kind of shipping mix-up.

The license you have will not continue to work. As stated before, your issue needs to be addressed with the seller on eBay or any insurance you may have had on your eBay purchase.

We here at Webroot like staying in business, and that requires turning a profit. The software in question is not now and has never been free, but you are correct that we will not replace a fraudulently obtained license with a complementary free year's subscription.  It can appear to a user that they are free sometimes because they may appear as such on the purchase receipt due to a price override.  They are still sold and activated by Best Buy and Webroot is paid for those copies even though they may sometimes be provided free to a customer from Best Buy's standpoint.  Also, since they are activated when they are scanned, the box does not even need to be opened.

This thread is now locked. Please do not continue to complain on this forum that Webroot is not giving you enough free stuff. You have every right to be upset, but please direct your anger towards the appropriate party - the unauthorized seller on eBay. Thank you.
/// JimM /// /// Former Community Manager - Now Humble Internet Citizen/// /// Also Formerly a Technical Support Escalations Engineer ///

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