Avast Avast technical "support" is a scam internet

I had the free Avast virus protection, then it warned me that I needed to upgrade and had to pay, so I did and bought additional liscences for all my computers.  I also bought an additional program they warned me I needed after "scanning" my laptop and telling it was too slow--although it did not say the there would be an additional cost for this service until into the registration process, I still paid.

Then I started having trouble with my desktop and tried to instal the additional liscenece for the upgraded avast internet protection I had already paid for, but needed help figuring it out.  I called the support line and spoke to Jorge who pretended to help by taking control and showing me how terribly infected my computer was.  I wanted to download the virus protection--that is why I bought it--so he sent me a copy of my "liscence" which he said would allow me to instal. The liscence had no recogniozable suffex and he said he didn't know what program would open it.  I said, he had to know and was it a PDG? JPG? DOC? But he claimed they changed it all the time.  My computer did not recognize it and could not find any way to open it except wordpad, which just showed the text version. He told me that meant my computer was hopelessly infected and they would do all this list of great stuff to fix it.  I said thank you!  Then he asked me for my address.  Why? For billing--now what is your address?  What billing?  This went on and on, he kept asking for my address never telling how much he was trying to charge until I pressed him over and over and he finally said it would cost me 179.00  What?

He kept saying the proof that I had to pay them 179.00 to clean my machine was that the liscence would not open--that meant my computer was so damaged only they could fix it.  Finally I refused and hung up.

Bottom line--none of my "uninfected" computers would open that file.  Read the small print in the email attached to the file and it said that FIRST you had to download the free Avast program and then IT (the Avast program) WOULD OPEN THE LISCENCE FILE.  Jorge lied to me just get my 179.00!!  He knew that only the avast program would open it.

He knew how to fix my computer for the money I had already spent with Avast and he lied to try and trick me into another $179,00 bill that I never needed.

Do not use Avast! products.  The free version is basically a gateway drug to get you hooked then you are upsold and every turn--even scamming those that already paid for several upgrades. 

Unethical company, lying emplyees--AVOID THEM!