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Don’t Recommend PC Bug Doctor

Tuesday, August 30th, 2005
by Lockergnome

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Gnomie Joseph Anderson writes:

Hi.

Wanted to share my experiences with a product known as “PC Bug Doctor.”
My PC (1.6 MHz P4, 1 GB RAM, Win XP SP2, IE6 - all current updates)
has been running slow as molasses (3GB bandwidth) for the past week.
I knew something was wrong, but what?

I received an e-mail tonight from Maximumsoftware for its PC Bug Doctor
product. It claimed to detect and fix virtually any problem. It seemed
the ideal product for detecting whatever might be retarding my PC’s
performance.

I visited the PC Bug Doctor Web site and read everything possible about
the product. It seemed okay, and it came with a 60-day return policy.
I decided to purchase it and evaluate its capabilities. Big mistake!
After downloading and installing PC Bug Doctor, I was naturally eager
to run a scan.

As the scan progressed, the “Error(s) found” counter steadily increased.
Suddenly, as the counter reached 79, it reset to 1. The scan continued,
and the counter reached 82 before the scan completed. I lost faith in
the program because of its counter flaw. It’s supposed to resolve issues
on my system, yet it can’t even maintain an accurate counter.

When the scan ended, I was offered the ability to “fix errors.” As soon
as I pressed the button, I was shocked when the program terminated and
told me that my license had expired. Say what? This was my first scan!
How could my license have expired when I had purchased the product only
minutes earlier? This made no sense.

I carefully re-examined the purchase confirmation e-mail I received from
Maximumsoftware immediately after purchasing the product. Did I overlook
the registration number imbedded in the e-mail? No. There was no
registration code in the e-mail. What gave?

Then I received another e-mail from Maximumsoftware providing a link to
obtain my license number. Oh, that’s goofy and inefficient but I figured I’d give it a try.

I linked the registration Web site and was utterly astonished to learn
that I had to buy a separate license before PC Bug Doctor would
resolve the errors it detected in my scan. A one-week license cost
$19.95 (in addition to the $29.95 for the dysfunctional PC Bug Doctor
software). I could buy a year’s license for $59.95; or I could buy
a lifetime license for $129.95. Without the license, the program does
nothing but examine one’s system. This is an unethical marketing
scheme - totally unlike any other software I’ve ever purchased. I
am livid with anger. Maximumsoftware made me feel like an utter
sucker tonight.

Against my better judgment, I decided to buy a one-week license
to resolve as many errors as possible, and then return the product
and get my $29.95 back. The return policy period of sixty days
is fine. But one must mail or fax two pages of documentation to
the company. It’s happy to accept one’s online order, but
it is insistent that one mail/fax the documents.

As I tried to process my license order, I learned that I had to
fill out a complete set of order forms. The company doesn’t keep one’s
purchase data.

Finally, I ordered the license key. I was informed that it
would send me a registration shortly by e-mail. I waited and
waited. Finally, a half-hour later, I received an e-mail
concerning my registration code. I opened the e-mail and
received another shock.

It was from another company named Plimus Sales. I quickly
glanced at the letter for my registration code. Nope. It
wasn’t there. I examined the letter in more detail, and
learned that Plimus Sales would send me the registration
in 12 hours! It claims that it’s examining my order
for “quality control.” What quality control? My order
for the product and its license key were processed, and
my credit information was approved. What’s left? As I
write this, I still don’t have my registration key.

Your readers don’t deserve this treatment. Please don’t
recommend PC Bug Doctor. Thank you.

Thanks for listening.

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11 Comments

Patrick Wilson - PC Bug Doctor Support

December 11th, 2006
at 2:01pm

Hi Joseph
You should have got your unlock key immediately. You can email us or open a ticket at our online help desk and we would fix your problem in just a few minutes as well. http://www.maxfaq.com We wouldn’t charge you right after charging you a first time.

Feel free to email and include your post above and my reply, we will be happy to send you a couple of free cd’s and downloads for your trouble.

We actually fix customers computer problems if our software doesn’t. Nobody else does that and they won’t start doing it. We have several dedicated support techs that do nothing but help customers with their computer problems.

Have a great day
Patrick
Maximum Software
Makers of PC Bug Doctor

DGrant

March 7th, 2007
at 9:12pm

Plimus, Maximum Software, whoever and wherever they are today doesn’t matter. These people are loosers who prey on the uniformed. I researched it as well, purchased the product then ran the program (scan + “fix”) three times in a row - the third after a clean reboot. The same error count came up and fix did nothing. I was surprised how quick their customer service said they would refund my money - after I sent their crappy disks back - and of course minus the shipping fee.

Good thing I used American Express. They told me this company has a very poor reputation and also said they were a direct refund account. My charge was negated immediatly.

I am contacting the State of California and Nevada Attorney’s General. What Plimus and Maximum are doing is analgous to selling a car without an engine and not telling you. Well they pissed off the wrong person this time.

CProulx

March 27th, 2007
at 6:59am

I was also taken in by this company. I found the software virtually useless. Months later, they attempted to renew my subscription without my authorization. Fortuanately, I had used a virtual account number which expires after one use. I have notified them not to make further attempts to use my card or to renew a subscription to their worthless (in my opinion) software. I have reported them to the FTC. I recommend others who have had similar experience do the same.

James I Vlaun

May 15th, 2007
at 6:23pm

I also purchased bug doctor for a year and is having problems tried to contact plimus and maxfag to no avail
james

elurrule

June 3rd, 2007
at 11:36am

Be sure to pay by AMEX or Visa so that you can contest the charges if a company runs a scam like the customer describes after ordering PCBug Doctor.

Don Smith

June 17th, 2007
at 7:51pm

I can’t express how much I appreciate the reviews of PC Bugdoctor. I was in the process of ordering the “eternal” program, and for some reason my xp sp2 crashed, so I did a google on pcbugdoctor “problems”. Never saw so many bad reviews. Oh well, I’m not “out” a hundred bucks, but still looking for a problem solver for xp sp2. Didn’t have problems till I purchased a registry repair program—BIG mistake.

Thanks,

Don

Al Rolston

September 21st, 2007
at 10:56am

Thank you for the warning….I frequently have software problems also, but I am wary and founr your critique…Thanks for the tip

Purushottam V Patel

April 5th, 2008
at 11:03am

I am a life member of this BugDoctor software program.
Since buying it 2 to 3 years ago, there has been NO update up to now.
After scanning, I am getting error like ” INVALID CLSID… Access..”
I am trying to clean this but NO HELP given by BugDoctor.

I MADE BIG MISTAKE BUYING THIS PRODUCT.
I WISH I COULD HAVE KNOWN THIS FROM SOME ONE OUT
” NOT TO BUY ”

P V PATEL - LEICESTER - UK.
————————–

Ian Clifton

April 7th, 2008
at 10:45pm

PC Bug Doctor is a Rip Off.I subscribed in April2007 Aud $67.20.
After upgrading to vista it never worked ,they said they’d get back to me.
3 different sets of User names and passwords were also ineffective.
Its impossible to contact the company as rejects your Original order no A/C no and all the passwords given .I have not been able to use this product and they now fax me to tell me my sub is due and will charge my credit card. How come they still have this information but not any of the info ref to my copy of BD. What a unscrupoulus company

Antonio Lora

July 5th, 2008
at 4:46pm

Dear friends,
I highly DO NOT RECOMMEND Bug Doctor. After my original one year subscription, I was very disatisfied with the product. Without my authorization, Bug Doctor renewed the subscription and charged my credit card. I am very upset that Bug Doctor took this liberty. Is this a good business practice that wins over customers? I have called and written Bug Doctor about this, but have not received a response. My credit card company has asked that I make another attempt to contact Bug Doctor before I proceed with other options.
I hope that sharing my experience helps others to not do business with Bug Doctor. I”ll let you know if my situation is resolved. Thanks for listening.
Tony

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