unknown extra devices in my account

[Swinden]

The day before yesterday I created a ticket (number 2669033) about a strange problem (strange to me anyway) but till now I didn't get an answer, may be on this forum you can help me (I hope it doesn't interfere with that ticket). I used the search function here and tried to get some more information with google searches but didn't find anything.

The thing is: last week I did a clean install of Windows 10 version 1903. After some problems (all solved) I could install Malwarebytes on my Desktop computer. This is absolutely the only computer in which I use (and have used) Malwarebytes. But when I checked the devices in 'my account' I saw an extra device 'laptop SKK5G814' which I had seen before in my old Windows-system but at first it was not in my new account. The laptop itself I don't recognize at all. I deactivated the device without problem for the functioning of my existing Malwarebytes but after a couple of days the laptop device appeared to be back in my account.

More than that: now I see a third device: 'JAKU-PC' which I also remembered as a strange device in my old system but it wasn't in my account till now. Suddenly that device is also back, out of the blue. How is that possible and what does it mean (if anything)?

[Malwarebytes]

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[Porthos]

Don't know where you bought this key but it seems to have oversold and several people have the key. Support will have to confirm. Where you purchased the key(authorized seller or not) will have a big impact on your support ticket.

[Swinden]

Well, I still have a receipt from Cleverbridge, dated 11-11-2008, same key, ID and reference number. This frightens me, because I don't have a clue what has happened. The only thing I can think of is a hack, because my e-mail adres was on the list of 'Have I Been Pwned'. But soon after I found out this I have  changed my password.

[Swinden]

Could anyone please let me know how this problem can be solved? Is it related to a hack or something like that? Do I have to buy a new license?

[SPDIF]

No, no hack here (maybe of your email). Or the seller made a mistake and sold your key three times, or they could read your email and sold the key further.

You can only do on thing; Make a support ticket, they are the only one that help you with this. We at this forum can not change this for you, we are here only to help and guide you. Use this guide for helping you with this problem;

1. The recommended path is to use https://my.malwarebytes.com to manage your subscriptions and make sure that your license is correctly attached to your account. If you can't find the license in your account, make sure to check under the email you originally purchased your subscription with. If you see extra computers in your account that don't belong there, you can deactivate these machines to allow your machine to properly activate using your license. This provides you, as the rightful owner of the license key, protection against further unauthorized use of your license.
2. If the above solution does not work for you, you can reach out to our support teams directly where they can work on getting this issue resolved for you. When you open a ticket with support, be sure to include the following information if you can:
   • A copy of the original proof of purchase
   • The email address you used when you purchased the license

   Providing that information will help our support staff be able to provide quicker responses to your inquiries so you can continue using Malwarebytes without issue.

[Porthos]

3 hours ago, Swinden said:

Could anyone please let me know how this problem can be solved? Is it related to a hack or something like that? Do I have to buy a new license?

Just wait on support. If it was purchased directly from Malwarebytes you have nothing to worry about.

Edited July 26, 2019 by Porthos

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi Swinden,

As noted above, stick with the Support case.  Have patience.  We here on the forum can only just provide generic advice.

You said  "" last week I did a clean install of Windows 10 version 1903 "".

Did you, before doing the wipe / re-install ....Did you do a Deactivate License from inside the program ?  ( deactivation in-program-product ). That is a must do before re-installing  the Operating system.

see the last section here  https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-1037

A question I would pose to you is:  Did you change the "device name" as part of this last  Windows install ?

 

[Swinden]

2 hours ago, Maurice Naggar said:

Hi Swinden,

Did you, before doing the wipe / re-install ....Did you do a Deactivate License from inside the program ?  ( deactivation in-program-product ). That is a must do before re-installing  the Operating system.

see the last section here  https://support.malwarebytes.com/docs/DOC-1037

A question I would pose to you is:  Did you change the "device name" as part of this last  Windows install ?

 

I'm trying to fresh up my memory; a clean install of Windows  demands so many preparations. Anyway, as far as I remember I deactivated the 3 devices of Malwarebytes in the My Account area. I thought these extra 2 devices were a bit strange but didn't give it much attention; there were more little problems in my system, that's why I wanted a new, clean install. After the clean install there was at first only one device, as I expected, but later these other two devices appeared again, to my amazement.

 

I did not change the device name.

[Porthos]

18 minutes ago, Swinden said:

I did not change the device name.

By default, a clean install (wiping the OS partition) will give your computer a new device name.

[Swinden]

What I meant was: I did not take any action to change such a thing like a device name, I wasn't familiar with that, so appearently it has been changed by default.

Please, bear in mind that Malwarebytes was running many years on my computer, there are so many tools and programs you use, if something doesn't need your attention you slowly forget how to handle problems with it, those sure can be important things, but that's the way it goes.

[Porthos]

@Swinden Just stick with your ticket. They can "see" where the computers are being activated from. Also, Where did you buy the license from? Site? I am just curious. Just mention site name not a link please.

[Porthos]

Also, I just had a thought, Have you ever had the misconception that it could be used on more than one computer and gave/installed on anyone else's computer at any time what so ever? Even to "help" a friend/family to clean up a computer? I have seen that with one of my clients.

[Swinden]

The receipt I have (PDF-file) is from Cleverbridge.

And no, I did not give my licence to anyone else. When people didn't want to buy Malwarebytes I simply advised them to use the free on-demand version

[Porthos]

1 minute ago, Swinden said:

The receipt I have (PDF-file) is from Cleverbridge.

Cleverbridge just collects money. They do that for many vendors. Did you buy MB directly from the Malwarebytes website if not WHERE?

[Swinden]

The date of this receipt is 2008, this means it's 11 years ago I bought Malwarebytes. I have to dig deep in my memory where I bought Malwarebytes: I'm pretty sure at first I used the free version and at a certain moment I decided ro buy the premium version, this must have been the site of Malwarebytes itself, that is simply the way I work: always download from the original site.

[Porthos]

30 minutes ago, Swinden said:

The date of this receipt is 2008, this means it's 11 years ago I bought Malwarebytes. I have to dig deep in my memory where I bought Malwarebytes: I'm pretty sure at first I used the free version and at a certain moment I decided ro buy the premium version, this must have been the site of Malwarebytes itself, that is simply the way I work: always download from the original site.

Well support will sort it out.