Class Action Lawsuit: ZeoBIT Dupes Users into Buying MacKeeper Upgrade

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A Pennsylvania woman has filed a class action lawsuit against ZeoBIT LLC, claiming that the company’s computer security program identifies problems that don’t exist and generates false error messages to scare users into purchasing an upgrade.

ZeoBIT makes a program called MacKeeper, a computer security program that claims to identify and remove harmful files from Apple computers, enhancing the computer’s speed, performance and security. However, according to the class action lawsuit, MacKeeper fails to live up to its promises.

According to the class action lawsuit, plaintiff Holly Yencha downloaded the free trial version of MacKeeper and later purchased the full version of the software for $39.95. She says that she relied on ZeoBIT’s representations that the MacKeeper program would optimize and improve her computer’s performance and eliminate security and privacy threats.

“Once installed, MacKeeper prompts the user to conduct a diagnostic scan,” the MacKeeper class action lawsuit says. “This scan purportedly detects errors that lead to the problems identified in ZeoBIT’s marketing materials (i.e., performance issues, security and privacy threats)—problems that MacKeeper is supposedly designed to fix.”

However, the ZeoBIT class action lawsuit alleges that after the diagnostic scan is completed, MacKeeper reports that it identified thousands of issues that cause the computer to be in “critical” condition. While the trial version of MacKeeper purports to “fix” a limited number of the issues, customers are encouraged to purchase a full, registered version of the security software to fully repair the computer.

Yencha alleges that neither the free trial nor the full versions of MacKeeper perform reliable diagnostic testing of the computer. “Instead, ZeoBIT intentionally designed MacKeeper to invariably and ominously report that a user’s Mac needs repair and is at-risk due to harmful (but fabricated) errors, privacy threats, and other computer problems, regardless of the computer’s actual condition,” the class action lawsuit alleges.

According to the MacKeeper class action lawsuit, Yencha says she “purchased a product under the falsely created belief that MacKeeper was capable of honestly and accurately assessing the condition of her Mac and was otherwise able to remove harmful errors and threats from her Mac as promised.” Because average Mac users typically don’t have the technical expertise required to understand how MacKeeper works, Yencha claims that ZeoBIT betrayed their trust and duped thousands of consumers into purchasing and using MacKeeper.

Yencha filed the ZeoBIT class action lawsuit on behalf of herself and a class of all individuals and entities in the United States that have purchased MacKeeper. She also seeks to represent a subclass of Pennsylvania individuals and entities that have purchased MacKeeper.

The MacKeeper class action lawsuit alleges violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, fraudulent inducement, breach of contract and unjust enrichment.

Yencha is represented by William R. Caroselli of Caroselli Beachler McTiernan & Conboy LLC and Rafey S. Balabanian, Benjamin H. Richman and Courtney C. Booth of Edelson PC.

The MacKeeper Upgrade Scam Class Action Lawsuit is Holly Yencha, et al. v. ZeoBIT LLC, Case No. 2:14-cv-00578, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

UPDATE: Instructions on how to file a claim for the MacKeeper class action settlement are now available! Click here or visit www.YenchaSoftwareSettlement.com for details.

UPDATE 2: On Mar. 7, 2016, Top Class Actions readers started reporting that they received checks in the mail from the MacKeeper class action settlement!