--- company: mcafee title: McAfee — how complaints actually go last_verified: 2026-10-13 --- ## In short Turn off auto-renewal in your McAfee account before the payment date, and take a screenshot. McAfee's published policy (seen only in search-result text, because mcafee.com blocked automated reading) allows a refund request within 30 days of a first purchase or 60 days of an automatic renewal for terms of one year or longer. Fake McAfee renewal invoices that tell you to call a number are a common tech support scam: check your statements and sign in to McAfee yourself, and never call the number in the message. ## How complaints actually go - BBB lists McAfee, LLC (San Jose, California) as not BBB accredited and "Not Rated," with the phone number (866) 622-3911 on its profile. [BBB: McAfee, LLC](https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/profile/computer-services/mcafee-llc-1216-1534510/complaints) - Williamson v. McAfee (No. 14-cv-158) and Kirby v. McAfee (No. 14-cv-2475), in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleged that McAfee charged auto-renewal prices higher than it advertised. [Truth in Advertising](https://truthinadvertising.org/class-action/mcafees-automatic-renewals-reference-pricing/) - A federal judge granted final approval of the settlement that ended both cases on February 3, 2017. [Mealey's, February 16, 2017](https://www.mealeys.com/mealeys/articles/1622751/class-settlement-approved-in-2-mcafee-antivirus-auto-renewal-suits) - Under the settlement, reported at $80 million, auto-renewal class members who paid between January 10, 2010 and February 10, 2015 could get $11.50 in cash or a McAfee value certificate; McAfee denied wrongdoing. [Top Class Actions, July 19, 2016](https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/mcafee-reaches-80m-auto-renewal-pricing-class-action-settlement/) - For two years McAfee agreed to add disclosures about its automatic renewals and to use reference prices that meet set requirements, including showing a former price as a discount only if it charged that price within the previous 45 days. These commitments were time-limited. [Truth in Advertising](https://truthinadvertising.org/class-action/mcafees-automatic-renewals-reference-pricing/) ## What tends to work - Ask for the refund inside the window: McAfee's US refund policy says annual subscribers who ask within 30 days of purchase are eligible, and the most recent automatic renewal charge is refunded in full if you ask within 60 days of the charge. [McAfee: refund policy](https://www.mcafee.com/support/s/article/000001679-refund?language=en_US) - If McAfee keeps charging after you turned off auto-renewal, the FTC advises a chargeback with your card company, a follow-up letter by certified mail, and a report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general. Online renewals are covered by ROSCA (rule `rosca-negative-option`) and, for California consumers, the Automatic Renewal Law (rule `ca-automatic-renewal-law`). [FTC: free trials, auto-renewals and subscriptions](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/getting-and-out-free-trials-auto-renewals-and-negative-option-subscriptions) - Before you dispute, check whether the charge is real: the FTC says to look for an actual transaction for a tech support subscription and to contact the company using contact details you know are real. [FTC: tech support scams](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-tech-support-scams) ## Traps and fine print - Auto-renewal charges higher than McAfee's advertised prices were the subject of the class settlement approved in 2017, and its marketing commitments ran for only two years. Check the renewal amount in your account before the payment date. [Truth in Advertising](https://truthinadvertising.org/class-action/mcafees-automatic-renewals-reference-pricing/) - McAfee does not give prorated refunds, so a request after these windows is likely to be refused. Turn off auto-renewal well before the renewal date. [McAfee: refund policy](https://www.mcafee.com/support/s/article/000001679-refund?language=en_US) ## By the numbers - BBB reports 450 complaints filed about McAfee, LLC in the last 3 years and 106 customer reviews, as of 2026-10-13. [BBB: McAfee, LLC](https://www.bbb.org/us/ca/san-jose/profile/computer-services/mcafee-llc-1216-1534510/complaints) ## Scams that target customers - The FTC says tech support scammers "use the names of well-known companies like Geek Squad, McAfee, and Norton," send notices that you were charged hundreds of dollars to renew, and if you call they ask for remote access, send you to a spoofed refund site, then say they "refunded you too much money" and demand repayment by gift card, wire, crypto or payment app. [FTC: tech support scams](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-tech-support-scams) - McAfee describes invoice scams with a fake invoice PDF or a request to pay by phone, says it will never require you to call a number in an email or text, and asks you to check your subscription by signing in at McAfee.com. Read from search-result text on 2026-10-13; mcafee.com blocked automated reading. [McAfee: Customer Scam Awareness](https://www.mcafee.com/en-us/cyber-scam/customer-scam-awareness.html) - McAfee asks you to report fraudulent emails that use its brand to scam@mcafee.com or 1-866-622-3911 (search-result text, 2026-10-13). [McAfee: Customer Scam Awareness](https://www.mcafee.com/en-us/cyber-scam/customer-scam-awareness.html)