Regarding Tunnelbear

[Second_Fry]

It seems to be common knowledge that LinusTechTips doesn't promote unreliable things. I've used Tunnelbear even before stumbling upon LTT and after watching enough prerolls of Tunnelbear was kinda glad I've made such choice.

Sadly all things change.

 

17.11.2017 – I've paid for Grizzly Bear with BTC. Invoice – https://i.imgur.com/50qYSB6.png. Billing history – https://i.imgur.com/A3ncoJt.png. Email confirming purchase – https://i.imgur.com/YqM9BvJ.png.

 

04.12.2017 – Tunnelbear tried to charge my credit card for service – https://i.imgur.com/6DLM2LA.png.

 

07.12.2017 – Tunnelbear still trying to charge my credit card for service – https://i.imgur.com/8jEBaHA.png.
At this point I've became concerned about this activity and tried to respond to that email – https://i.imgur.com/ngxOtfB.png.
...only to find out that Tunnelbear have bounce back on payment related emails – https://i.imgur.com/DG7zK8i.png.
I've became really concerned so I've contacted support via webform and got "We’ve received your message." – https://i.imgur.com/q7FOV1Q.png.
I have never got any response for that request. I've never got any email confirming receival of webform data (they did send these in the past – https://i.imgur.com/cDzSWCh.png).

09.12.2017 – Tunnelbear canceled my service – https://i.imgur.com/Yv6eJ65.png.
I've tried to contact support via webform again. And again I've never got any email confirmation or any response for that request.

 

10.12.2017 – I've contacted Tunnelbear's Twitter – https://i.imgur.com/IOc5VUo.png – and got no response.

 

19.12.2017 – First response from Tunnelbear was answer for 1 star on Google Play review (15 days into the problem, 10 days after service cancellation) – https://i.imgur.com/NRfd9k6.png.

 

20.12.2017 – I've sent an email to support@tunnelbear.com directly, but didn't get automatic response (like "ticket created, please wait" or anything).

I do think that my emails landing into Tunnelbear spam folder which doesn't make any sense anyway.

 

I hope this info will serve as proper warning about services in our digital age.

 

Update #1:

29.12.2017 – Problem was silently fixed sometime in last 3 days (https://i.imgur.com/Yci0Off.png). Still going to contact support to get proper answer. All in all, 15-20 days without service is better than no service for full year, yet still worse than answering and fixing situation right away.

Edited December 28, 2017 by Second_Fry
Tunnelbear silently fixed the problem

[SansVarnic]

Not going to defend tunnel bear here as I don't use it BUuut as with all services there always a few bad experiences.

I would be careful not to spread dissension until the situation has reached a point that no solution can be found.

It may take a bit more time to resolve this.

 

My suggestion is to maintain all track of attempts and each transaction copy until you are able to contact or be contacted. As it is the holiday season there is a higher chance of slower response to customer issues, this is not uncommon.

 

Bear this in mind.

[ZTech]

I've had the exact fame issues as you,  and it is enfuriating...... unfortunatley I never got a response from tunnel bear even after opening a BBB ticket...... I just contacted my bank and stopped all transactions from this company. If you ever get in contact with someone there please post their contact info as I'm still owed a credit for 2 months

[Theguywhobea]

I've been using it on my phone for probably 6 months now and I haven't had any issues with my service. I know that doesn't make your experience better but it is weird that we've had such different experiences. 

[russell_314]

I'm thinking of getting it.  Are the speeds fast enough to watch movies and listen to music?  US blocks most of the pages for copyright

[TetraSky]

33 minutes ago, ZTech said:

I've had the exact fame issues as you,  and it is enfuriating...... unfortunatley I never got a response from tunnel bear even after opening a BBB ticket...... I just contacted my bank and stopped all transactions from this company. If you ever get in contact with someone there please post their contact info as I'm still owed a credit for 2 months

And did you pay with Bitcoin as well or with your credit card?

OP, from the images you showed, it seems you got a yearly subscription with bitcoin and because of that, you didn't have a credit card linked on your account? Is that it or did you add a credit card to the account? (Because that email make no sense if you did already have a credit card linked to your account, they ain't billing you, they wanted you to add a credit card... so... yeah, makes no sense)

 

From the image of that email, Tunnelbear contacted you(automatically, it's a robot) to add a credit card to the account, not to charge you, so that next year when your current subscription expire, you can get a new subscription without hassle. (because they don't assume you will be paying with bitcoin again)

 

The email bounced back not because it's payment related, but because that's a NoReply email, that's a bot, nobody is checking that inbox.

No answer from the support sucks, this is the one big thing here.

Then TunnelBear cancel your subscription, probably because support decided that your message was you being mad with the service and thus to cancel the subscription, really depends what you told them and if you were polite.

 

So overall, to me it sounds like you misunderstood their automated email, got mad about it, contacted support, you were then misunderstood as being dissatisfied with the service and a support staff decided they would just cancel your subscription so that you would go away.

Not defending TunnelBear, don't even have a subscription, but that's what I got from this.

 

(Do they still accept Bitcoin as method of payment? If they don't, that could also be why they were asking your credit card information)

[LogicalDrm]

TunnelBear isn't first VPN to sponsor LMG. I don't remember if there was one or two before, but one (of them) was dropped by LMG because of too many bad user experiences. Not to defend anything or anyone. With these kind of sponsors I draw a line (same goes to anyone taking sponsor money from grey market key marketplaces).

 

Overall service can be good for ones and bad for others. Customer support can depend on person doing the job. I've had good experience with Gigabyte support in past. Others aren't so lucky. You can see time to time rants posted about dbrand, another well known LMG sponsor. Still LMG keeps them around.

[ZTech]

1 hour ago, TetraSky said:

And did you pay with Bitcoin as well or with your credit card?

 

I actually paid with a Credit card, Paid for a full month, and ended up canceling the sub after the first few days because the VPN didn't do what I needed it to (should have done more research) but after canceling and sending me a confirmation e mail they still kept charging my card.... and they are pretty much impossible to get in contact with. its been 5 months I've basically given up and written this company off as a joke.

[LAwLz]

16 hours ago, russell_314 said:

I'm thinking of getting it.  Are the speeds fast enough to watch movies and listen to music?  US blocks most of the pages for copyright

Don't get Tunnelbear.

PrivateInternetAccess is just flat out better.

[Second_Fry]

18 hours ago, TetraSky said:

~msg~

1. I have opted for monthly subscription 31 Oct, 2017 with credit card. I guess in your wording it means that I've added card to account.

2. Tunnelbear clearly tried to charge for next month of subscription, but that failed due to not sufficient funds being on card.

3. About noreply emails – I may understand using noreply for ads, product updates, etc., but I can't stand using it for important account related questions.

4. Service was canceled automatically "due to payment hunger" (read closely https://imgur.com/Yv6eJ65).

5. And finally yes, they still accept BTC as payment – https://i.imgur.com/iBma8s2.png.

[ProjectBox153]

I'll share my bad experiences. I installed it on my laptop the other day, and after I did, my network adapter hasn't been working right. I have reinstalled all drivers and removed TB, but I don't know what their software did. I can't switch networks 80% of the time. That's the only experience I've had with it.

[michaelocarroll007]

22 hours ago, TetraSky said:

Snip 

@Second_Fry

 

 

Clicked through them Sorta Quickly. have to mostly agree with Tetra Sky. 

 

But it seems you bought tunnel Bear With BTC

Then you Got an automated email because all companys want your Card on file for future renewals since thats how they make money

You took it out of context maybe read it too fast? 

Started replying to a bot that is a no reply email 

Kept getting mad that it was a no reply email not replying to you.

Finnaly contacting the Service department and they cancled on you.

 

 

Pretty much only weird thing here was a mis understanding between you complaining for no reason and getting it canceled. They should Reinstate your account or give you a pro rated refund at this point though as the right thing to do and its pretty shitty they havent replied at all. 

 

Some of this has to be on you though as Wrong as tunnel bear is for having bad non asnwering customer service you at the start had no problems with them that you even would of needed to contact them? your account didnt stop working correct? ( Till after all the Complaints)  they never said they tried to charge your card and your account was ending because of that. 

 

 

I installed TB for like a day the Free Service was like 500MB i thought that was too Low so i just uninstalled it and it was very sluggish for the few MB i used it for.  this was like over a year ago. not sure if paid accounts are faster but the trial didnt impress

[Steemax]

I tend to stay away from VPNs that are software based. I like BTGuard, been using them for 3 years now. You set it up through Microsofts Network panel. Just right click on your network icon in the task bar and click connect whenever you want to use it. Speeds aren't bad either. I have a 100mbs connection, usually average about 70mbs when connected through VPN.

[BuckGup]

Just make your own people. It is better in every single way except ease of setup. Which now days literally is pressing 1-4 four times to select the options you want.

[Steemax]

39 minutes ago, Keith W said:

 

Mmmmm......... 

and?

I'm guessing you think BTguard is just for BitTorrent. They offer a full open VPN service as well. 

[LAwLz]

2 hours ago, BuckGup said:

Just make your own people. It is better in every single way except ease of setup. Which now days literally is pressing 1-4 four times to select the options you want.

Your own VPN, and renting a VPN, serves two different purposes.

[dalekphalm]

23 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

Your own VPN, and renting a VPN, serves two different purposes.

I think he means something like renting a VPS (probably in a different country) and then setting up a VPN tunnel.

 

It certainly might work for basic stuff, but anyone targeting you (most especially law enforcement), can most likely tie the two together, and with a warrant, force your VPS provider to give up all the records they have.

[Salacious B Crum]

On 12/20/2017 at 2:00 PM, russell_314 said:

I'm thinking of getting it.  Are the speeds fast enough to watch movies and listen to music?  US blocks most of the pages for copyright

I tried here on the east coast in the states and it was slow as heck and I'm getting 600 down and 800 up with my isp went with ipvanish and thats been working out well I just chalked it up that they are in canucksville and wasn't optimized for me here

[Shreyas1]

On 12/20/2017 at 9:23 AM, SansVarnic said:

 

Bear this in mind.

I see what you did there

[Second_Fry]

So today I've randomly checked my Tunnelbear account and found that problem was silently fixed. I've got no response email or anything.

Betting that this thread actually made some difference.

 

Going to contact support again until proper answer.