VPN server says United States, log in alert from Amazon says Nigeria

[Blueser100]

We have Bitdefender security software for our Apple devices and have been pretty happy with them. I have their Antivirus for Mac and we have their VPN software on our computers and mobile devices.

I have an intermittent problem where I launch the Bitdefender VPN on my laptop (making sure the location says United States) and then I log into my Amazon.com account and very often an alert from Amazon says I have logged in from Nigeria. I get alerts all the time from Amazon, as the VPN signs in from various places - FL, GA, NC, and around my home state. In the past, it has indicated I've signed in from some other country but lately it's only Nigeria. I have gone back and forth with Bitdefender for months, and they keep insisting they've fixed the issue. Then it happens again (today, and last Thursday) and I send another email complaint, and most recently they've asked me to install some software on my computer and then to try to create the problem and then send them the log. The problem is it is intermittent, and I'm not confident that they know what they are doing to try to fix it or explain.

I'm curious to know what the security and tech experts here think about this. I'm real close to dumping Bitdefender. They've been pretty good up until this problem though they can take weeks to reply.

 

[lclev]

First - I never run any kind of anti-virus on my macs. There are tons of posts on this forum of many others who also do not. It causes slowdowns and issues plus it is not needed. I run DetectX which is a stand a lone scanner monthly and I have never had issues. The macs I have at work never have an issue either and I don't have them on anti-virus. I only use anti-virus on the Windows computers at work - actually it is a whole security package and still my users can manage to get into trouble.

As for the VPN. I do not use BitDefend but if you are getting notifications of a Nigerian connection that would cause me to be concerned. A lot of computer issues come out of Nigeria.

I use NordVPN when I feel I need to and I have never gotten any kind of warning like that.

Lisa

 

[Blueser100]

First - I never run any kind of anti-virus on my macs. There are tons of posts on this forum of many others who also do not. It causes slowdowns and issues plus it is not needed. I run DetectX which is a stand a lone scanner monthly and I have never had issues. The macs I have at work never have an issue either and I don't have them on anti-virus. I only use anti-virus on the Windows computers at work - actually it is a whole security package and still my users can manage to get into trouble.

As for the VPN. I do not use BitDefend but if you are getting notifications of a Nigerian connection that would cause me to be concerned. A lot of computer issues come out of Nigeria.

I use NordVPN when I feel I need to and I have never gotten any kind of warning like that.

Lisa

Thanks for your reply. I think I may have solved the issue, will see. I've been using a smile.amazon.com URL (for donations to charity) but I have stopped for the time being and am logging in directly from Amazon's main URL. So far, so good. Will see what happens. If it continues, I will probably reach out to Amazon as well.

 

[MacInWin]

Just get rid of all BitDefender stuff. That will stop the errors. Then get a good VPN. I use NordVPN as well and am very happy with it. Never goes anywhere except where I ask.

 

[Blueser100]

Just get rid of all BitDefender stuff. That will stop the errors. Then get a good VPN. I use NordVPN as well and am very happy with it. Never goes anywhere except where I ask.

Thanks so much. I solved the issue. It's not Bitdefender but had to do with Amazon Smile link.

 

[MacInWin]

Nevertheless, the recommendation stands--get rid of all things BitDefender. Life will be much simpler.

 

[IWT]

@Blueser100,

Nevertheless, the recommendation stands--get rid of all things BitDefender. Life will be much simpler.

+1111 for that recommendation. There is absolutely no need for their Anti Virus (or any other AV of that nature), and there are far better and safer VPNs.

You said that you have all their "equipment" on all your devices. We can only recommend. Naturally, and properly, the final decision lies with you.

Ian