I thought my computer came with a year of free McAfee, which is why I was surprised to see that I had to register for the service after three months. I'm also now concerned that maybe it's going to auto-renew on me, and I don't want that to happen, either. Since I'm not quite sure what I signed up for when I purchased the computer, I thought the best thing I could do was call McAfee's 866-622-3911 phone number and just ask.
Luckily, it turned out to be a short phone call. Initially, I was concerned, because listening to the options, I realized there's probably a lot of reasons why people call. One big reason is because of issues with identity theft or fraud, but also, they could have billing or technical issues. When it comes to tech purchases, it seems like there are always issues, so I'm just happy that I didn't have to sit on hold for hours. I didn't even have to wait for two minutes as it turned out.
When I first called, I was greeted and received a list of options. The automated assistant said, "Thanks for calling McAfee customer service. If you have questions about billing, recent charges, or your account press 1. For help with fraud or possible identity scams, press 2. For all other technical support, press 3." At first, I wasn't sure which option to go with, but I decided that billing made more sense than support. After all, they should be able to sort out why I had the product and how I signed up for it. Plus, if necessary, I'm sure they could've just transferred me over to support.
After pressing three, a recording started playing that said, "Have you ever looked yourself up online and found your address, birth date, family members, or more? McAfee can help you stay protected against robo calls, scams, and more. Ask our representative about Internet Cleanup. Please hold a minute while I transfer you." An upbeat melody started playing for a few seconds, and then someone named Jay introduced himself and said thank you for calling.
Jay had a slight accent, but he was helpful and explained that the program came pre-registered with my computer system. We talked through my options and what the different plans would entail, along with billing options. By the time I hung up, I had a plan picked out that suited my needs, so I don't have anything to complain about.