Web support that wasn't really Netgear

[melRory]

Hi,

A client of mine was having issues with their Extenders and went online to get help from Netgear. They managed to be directed to a company called The Soft tree inc. (https://mywifiexxt.net)who remotely connected to their PC and spent 40 minutes doing stuff, as the client explained. Thye charged them $149.99 for a support contract.

My question to you and Netgear is, how can a company pretend to be Netgear and be allowed to con clients into forking out $150 when they could have got support direct from Netgear for free under 90 warranty support.

The client typed in Netgear into their search engine and received this company, whose website was full of Netgear equipment. I have attached a screenshot.

I would appreciate it if someone could let me know if they are legitimate Netgear support people?

Thanks,

Mel

[antinode]

> My question to you and Netgear is, how can a company pretend to be
> Netgear [...]

   You seem to be asking the wrong people about everything.  I'd seek
legal advice from some competent source (that is, elsewhere).

> The client typed in Netgear into their search engine and received this
> company, [...]

   Among many others, I assume.  Netgear's control over Web search
results is negligible.

> I would appreciate it if someone could let me know if they are
> legitimate Netgear support people?

   Did you scroll to the bottom of that web page?  When I did, I saw:

      About Us

      mywifiexxt.net is an independent third-
      party service provider giving information,
      support, and troubleshooting steps to
      help users fix issues related to WiFi
      range extenders, Genie Setup, and other
      networking gadgets.

Does that sound to you like official "Netgear support"?  Compare:

      http://support.netgear.com/

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveat_emptor

[eyes4arts]

I encoutered exactly the same situation you'd described in NetGear Community forum. I wonder ed if NetGear purposely allows Soft Tree Tech, Inc. to scam their customers so their technicians can make extra money.  Their technicians must have close relationship to this company.

[antinode]

> [...] I wonder ed if NetGear purposely allows [...]

   Get serious?  How, exactly, do you propose that Netgear stop them?

> [...] Their technicians must have close relationship to this company.

   "must"?  Your "proof" in unconvincing.  "Proof" and "assertion" are
spelled differently for a reason.

[eyes4arts]

No where in Netgear instruction pamphlet shows www.mywifiexxt.net is an independent third-
      party service provider giving information,
      support, and troubleshooting steps to
      help users fix issues related to WiFi
      range extenders, Genie Setup, and other
      networking gadgets.

That's why many customers got confused and scammed by Soft Tree Technologies, Inc.

Please see the attached image.

[antinode]

> No where in Netgear instruction pamphlet shows www.mywifiexxt.net is
> [...]

   Why would you expect that?  There are millions of other web sites
which have no connection to Netgear which are not listed in Netgear
documentation.  Do you expect them all to be?  Why?

   Where, exactly, did you see what, exactly?  "www.mywifiexxt.net" is
not anything.  If you mistyped wherever you saw in some real Netgear
documentation, do you believe that Netgear is to blame?

> That's why many customers got confused and scammed by Soft Tree
> Technologies, Inc.

   Another explanation would be that some people believe everything
which they see on the Internet.  Which would be folly.

>       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caveat_emptor

   Centuries-old wisdom is not all made obsolete by modern technology.
Quite the opposite, in some cases.

[StephenB]

---

@eyes4arts wrote:

That's why many customers got confused and scammed by Soft Tree Technologies, Inc.

---

https://www.mywifiext.net brings up this screen for me:

So you probably didn't type it correctly. There's not a lot Netgear can do about a mis-typed name, other than file an abuse complaint with the appropriate registrar. 

However, if you did type it correctly - and get a different screen when you navigate to https://www.mywifiext.net (or https://www.mywifiext.com ) - then there is a DNS problem that Netgear needs to take care of.

Note that if you are connected to the extender wifi you will see a different screen than the one above (but not the scam website).