  DennisPremium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL
kudos:5
Chicago
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Home Improvement
1 edit | No kidding I tried to cancel my mom's account after she died (I had been paying for it) and it was like trying to squeeze blood from a stone.
Every time I tried to cancel, they kept offering me a free month. So I let it slide a bit...but when I finally tried to cancel for certain, they pulled this BS out of their butt's that "if anybody logged on again with the usernames" the account would reinstate itself automatically.
What a freakin' scam... | |
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 |  koamPink PeckerPremium
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
 ·Shoreham Telephone
| Re: No kidding I'm not sure I understand...if a user logs on to a cancelled paid service again using the username and password, what's wrong with having to pay for that? If the user doesn't want to pay again, and he doesn't use it, he doesn't have to pay.
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Danieli Consulting LLC, Strategy and Branding »kdanieli.com | |
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| |  oliphantI Have 8 BoobiesPremium
join:2004-11-26
Corona, CA | Re: No kidding Because 'cancel the service' means 'cancel the service'. | |
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1 edit | Then how would you be able to test if the service is actually cancelled? | |
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| | |  kapilThe Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL | Re: No kidding If a canceled account logs on, it isn't automatically reactivated...the user has to click on some dialog boxes with explicit information saying that the account will be reactivated and the billing will resume etc. etc. Additionally, the account isn't canceled on the day the user calls...it is done on the day the current billing period ends.
I'm no fan of AOL but let's place blame where it belongs and not just bash AOL. If someone is too stupid to click on 'start billing me again' then, well, maybe they belong at AOL after all.
...then again we live in a land where people see 'click here to activate 911 with your VoIP service' and think it actually says 'sue us and rob us blind'
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Buy Stuff From Me! - »www.DomainObjects.com | |
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| | | | | | Re: No kidding AOL goes much further than having a reinstate account button. They truthfully keep an account open well after you have it cancelled. They continue to bill you for the account you no longer access and requested cancelled. They tend to "forget" those phone calls where you said you wanted out. Then (at least in the early days) they call you incessantly getting you sign back up again. I know this from personal experience. | |
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| | | | |  khc987
join:2001-08-22
Jacksonville, FL | Re: No kidding said by SRFireside:AOL goes much further than having a reinstate account button. They truthfully keep an account open well after you have it cancelled. They continue to bill you for the account you no longer access and requested cancelled. They tend to "forget" those phone calls where you said you wanted out. Then (at least in the early days) they call you incessantly getting you sign back up again. I know this from personal experience. But didn't you get a cancel confirmation number? Did you read the notice sent by US Mail stating that your account was canceled or remained open or did it go straight to the trash? mabee you got no letter because you never updated your contact info. No confirmation number means no cancelation and member was told the account is still active. | |
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| | | | | |  DaveDudeNo Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
kudos:1
 ·Vonage
·ViaTalk
| Re: No kidding said by khc987:said by SRFireside:AOL goes much further than having a reinstate account button. They truthfully keep an account open well after you have it cancelled. They continue to bill you for the account you no longer access and requested cancelled. They tend to "forget" those phone calls where you said you wanted out. Then (at least in the early days) they call you incessantly getting you sign back up again. I know this from personal experience. But didn't you get a cancel confirmation number? Did you read the notice sent by US Mail stating that your account was canceled or remained open or did it go straight to the trash? mabee you got no letter because you never updated your contact info. No confirmation number means no cancelation and member was told the account is still active. Thats lame, if someone calls and cancells it means they dont want the service. Your sound as bad, as those people against do not call.
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Feed your Faith, not your doubts | |
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| | | | | | | | AOL comes pre-installed on many machines, CD's arrive in the mail, it's on the driver install CD's for lots of unrelated products, and you can sign up for AOL online in any number of ways.
But to unsubscribe, you can't do it online and have to call and wait usually for an unacceptable length of time, to talk to someone who's main goal is to revent you from doing what you were forced into calling them on the phone to do.
If you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel the same way. | |
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| | | | | | | | | Re: No kidding said by 8744675:If you can sign up online, you should be able to cancel the same way. I remember way back in the day when you could do just that. I guess I can't blame AOL for taking that option away since it was SO easy to cancel after signing up for a "trial" membership when on vacation away from home for a week.
But still that is no excuse to make it ridiculously difficult to cancel on the phone. I got so fed up with the tactic that I stopped using AOL for internet access during vacations and just went with tollfreeisp.com and pay by the minute. I never use the internet that much during vacations anyway, so it comes out a whole lot cheaper and with no anti-customer support representatives. | |
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| | | | | | | | said by khc987:But didn't you get a cancel confirmation number? Did you read the notice sent by US Mail stating that your account was canceled or remained open or did it go straight to the trash? To be honest I do not remember any confirmation number. Then again I have NEVER had to see confirmation numbers or mail notices when cancelling other services, including other ISP's. Oh waitaminit... AOL did everything online. They never mailed statements anyway. So that avenue is out. Are you sure you know what you're talking about? When somebody calls in to cancel their service that's all the confirmation that is needed for just about everybody else.
If AOL indeed was using your methodology on cancellation then they would definitely be in the wrong since it would be easy to "just forget" to give the confirmation number and "lose the mail" for any postal statement. That would help AOL with their continuing to bill because those would be handy excuses. Too bad they don't do that. Just listen to actual ex-AOL users who had to deal with this. There are thousands of them out there... at least. | |
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| | | | Reviews:
 ·WOW Internet and..
1 edit | actually the account is cancelled on the day before the next billing period is what they say.
I just cancelled and they locked my account saying Password Invalid so i can't see if they cancelled mine. But i do have the cancellation number and the guys employee ID number if its true---but i'll be calling the bank to have charges sent back if they try and bill again.
got charged $50 in 800 number charges for dialing a local number using a guest account at my step sisters house... but they offered 2 free months if i paid $10 which wasn't supposed to been charged to begin with! LMAO
the rep even started to ask me why i used AOL--such as websites visited and such. I told him it was none of his business.. and he asked me what to put in the box that he had to fill in. told him to put none of the computer's business. other wise without the questions being answered and them being nosey it doesnt cancel. | |
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| |  eliasPremium,VIP
join:2000-07-24
Miami, FL | said by koam:I'm not sure I understand...if a user logs on to a cancelled paid service again using the username and password, what's wrong with having to pay for that? If the user doesn't want to pay again, and he doesn't use it, he doesn't have to pay. Because cancelling an account means deleting the username or at least deactivating it. That way it's impossible to login again.
What you're describing sounds like "suspending" the account or something else.
-- Elias
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My Webmaster Gig | Crunching the Midnight Oil | |
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|  JeffreyWilpon please sell the MetsPremium
join:2002-12-24
Long Island
kudos:3 | I regret not recording the phone call a few years ago when I tried to cancel. It was like a comedy bit. | |
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|  avantareGo Tribe
join:2000-02-16
Warren, MI | Back in 1993 or 94 I wanted to quit AOL because I found a better dialup provider. It was hell trying to get my account cancelled. Always the same run around. You sure you want to quit, you can't quit, we'll give you a free month, yada, yada, yada...
I finally got fed up with it and started recording all the phone calls I was making to them (you can do this in Ohio with out letting the other party know) after the 5th call I got a VERY belligerant CS rep that called me an asshole and then some. SWEET, just what I was waiting for. I had her get a supervisor while I rewound the tape. When the supe finally got there (30 minutes or so?) I had him listen to what I recorded and told him if my accound wasn't cancelled immedialtely I was going to an attorney with the recordings. My account was immediatley disconnected and I never heard fromm them again.
My question is why did I need to take these steps just to get an account cancelled. Utter BS in my book.
Chuck
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A computer is not a tool. When was the last time you had to do maintenance on your screwdriver? | |
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| | | apparently none of you have heard of customer retention.
It's when a company tries to prevent you from canceling a product or service. which is legal and ethically viable.
This is a Gross injustice against AOL. | |
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| | DaveDudeNo Fear
join:1999-09-01
New Jersey
kudos:1 Reviews:
·Vonage
·ViaTalk
| Re: No kidding said by anonpronman :
apparently none of you have heard of customer retention.
It's when a company tries to prevent you from canceling a product or service. which is legal and ethically viable.
This is a Gross injustice against AOL.
Please explain mr anonymous ?
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Feed your Faith, not your doubts | |
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| | | | | Re: No kidding Explain what? get a dictionary. | |
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| | | | Reviews:
·Mediacom
| Re: No kidding said by anonpronman :
Explain what? get a dictionary.
troll - One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument. | |
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| | | | | Roop
join:2003-11-15
Ottawa, ON Reviews:
·voip.ms
·Cybersurf Corpor..
·Caneris
| Re: No kidding customer retention is not something unique to AOL. I read time warner does it on their cable and internet service (rr, earthlink, aol).
my old isp (bell canada) has a retention helpdesk. if you ask to cancel, they transfer you to the retention folks. they said "if you cancel, you may not be able to get your unique email again" and "you have to be careful switching to cable, some of our cable competitors have many hidden fees unless you get their bundled services. cable internet is shared and not as fast as dsl".
i then told the retention agent that i had both dsl and cable. dsl got 1.5mbits and cable got 5.0mbits. that was the one and only reason i wanted to cancel. | |
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| | |  algPassionately apatheticPremium
join:2001-04-10
Houston, TX
kudos:3 | Re: No kidding said by Jeffrey:Customer retention techniques are fine. But, 25 minutes on the phone with a representative explaining over and over that "I want to cancel" means "I want to cancel" seems like quite a burden on the customer, much less a complete waste of time for both. Agree, there is a difference between trying to talk the customer into keeping your service afterall and blatantly ignoring when they say I want to cancel for the 10972 time. | |
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| |  winkyTurn Left At The Moon
join:2001-02-11
Saint Louis, MO | Offering to extend service or other perks is indeed a method of customer retention. AOL however has chosen to hire and train it's representatives as Kamikaze pilots, spiriting unwilling subscribers on the Devine Wind straight to AOLHell. My daughter got suckered into taking 2 months free or some such crap. I just told her to keep repeating "I WANT TO CANCEL MY ACCOUNT" in response to any question, no matter what. I couldn't possibly push someone that hard to take what they don't want, I guess that's what I get for joining the human race.
Troll Rule #6 If you can't be helpful, you better be entertaining.
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Is that a real poncho, or is that a Sears poncho? | |
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| | |  LaurielPremium
join:2003-05-25
Sacramento, CA
·AT&T Yahoo
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| Re: What a troll... I remember repeating over and over that I wanted to cancel my account. The representative just kept going on like she never heard a thing. She asked me who my new ISP would be. I didn't feel that was any of her business, although I'm sure AOL likes to know to whom they are losing business. She asked me questions about whether or not my new ISP had "7 layers of protection." Before I could say anything, she added, "They don't." I finally asked her why she was making it so difficult, after about 15 minutes of trying to cancel. She said to me, "Ma'am, I'm not being difficult, I'm just doing my job."
I would absolutely hate to be an AOL representative. I couldn't stand driving people crazy like that, and dealing with the responses that come with it. AOL probably loses a lot of customers who get some skills and no longer need training wheels and the high price that goes with them. I'm sure that's why they offer all the freebies.
Then they called a few weeks later to try to get me to sign up again. Like someone said, customer retention techniques are one thing, but AOL is like a bulldog--grabs on and doesn't let go. | |
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| | | |  SandSharkLong may you runPremium,MVM
join:2000-05-23
Santa Fe, TX
kudos:3
2 edits | Re: What a troll... said by Lauriel:I remember repeating over and over that I wanted to cancel my account. The representative just kept going on like she never heard a thing. She asked me who my new ISP would be. I didn't feel that was any of her business, although I'm sure AOL likes to know to whom they are losing business. She asked me questions about whether or not my new ISP had "7 layers of protection." Before I could say anything, she added, "They don't." I finally asked her why she was making it so difficult, after about 15 minutes of trying to cancel. She said to me, "Ma'am, I'm not being difficult, I'm just doing my job." I would absolutely hate to be an AOL representative. I couldn't stand driving people crazy like that, and dealing with the responses that come with it. AOL probably loses a lot of customers who get some skills and no longer need training wheels and the high price that goes with them. I'm sure that's why they offer all the freebies. Then they called a few weeks later to try to get me to sign up again. Like someone said, customer retention techniques are one thing, but AOL is like a bulldog--grabs on and doesn't let go. Back in the day, before there were many choices, I had AOL. Even then, seven or eight years ago, I had the same thing happen to me when trying to cancel. It was worse than pulling teeth. Finally, after convincing this person I was cancelling (my blood-pressure must have been off the scale), I was so relieved to get off that phone! Guess what, they kept billing my credit card for another three months afterwards, even though I never used the account again after cancelling.
On a side note, I had the same type of problem cancelling my DirecTV account. The guy on the phone kept asking me question after question until I got so frustrated, I asked to speak to his supervisor. Even after the supervisor got on the phone, she wanted to offer me free months not to cancel. It must suck having a job like that!
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Steve's Images | OpenRAW | |
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| | | | Retention is one thing. After you've asked to cancel and AOL still charges you, it becomes theft. AOL has done this for years. They shouldn't get away with stealing from customers that wish to be former customers. | |
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| | | winkyTurn Left At The Moon
join:2001-02-11
Saint Louis, MO | Re: No kidding Just think of how much that adds up to if everybody who cancelled got screwed out of just one more payment. AOL could make as much money going out of business as they do staying in.:D
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Is that a real poncho, or is that a Sears poncho? | |
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| | | | | "Retention is one thing. After you've asked to cancel and AOL still charges you, it becomes theft. AOL has done this for years. They shouldn't get away with stealing from customers that wish to be former customers."
they did that very thing to me in late 1996 when i attempted a trial dial up run.
they actually got an additional 2- months of charges out of me after i cancelled. i had to call them a total of 3 times to cancel before they stopped accessing my billing account. | |
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| | avantareGo Tribe
join:2000-02-16
Warren, MI
3 edits | For anonpronman,
Hmmm... You must be all the reps I talked to at AOL. Please explain to me/us in a logical and concise manner how leaving is a gross injustice to AOL? Make sure you weigh both sides of the debate here. Bet you can't convince me or anyone else here for that matter.
Oh, and if you're worth your word here try getting an account and stop posting anon. Else you really are a troll.
EDIT: spelink
Chuck | |
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| |  jtudorXm 60's On 6 FreakPremium,MVM
join:2002-12-07
Morganton, NC | Sorry but I have to disagree with you here. I have heard of customer retention, and I know how it works. However there is ethical customer retention, and unethical customer retention.
Its ethical to offer a customer a discount, or a free month to get them to stay.
It's questionable when the CS rep makes it almost impossible for you to say no, or nearly refuses to take no for an answer when all you want to do is cancel.
It's unethical when the company is deceitful in their practices and continues to bill you when you have asked to discontinue.
And by the way, retention is not preventing you from cancelling, it is attempting to convince you to give the product another try by offering you an incentive. Way different from "preventing".
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Best of luck
"Do, or Do not, there is no try!" Yoda
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| AJ023
join:2001-12-25
Forest Hills, NY | The company involved in this scam was IDT. They are a call center located in Israel owned by parent company IDT (the same company as the calling card company). If you cancel AOL you are routed to one of IDT's call centers. IDT is complicit in this as well, and while AOL should get blamed and has been, IDT is complicit here as well.
I had a dealing with IDT Energy, and they tried to pull every scam in the book on me. In that case 2 companies tried to take advantage of me, my electric utility (for delivery) and IDT (for supply). The tactics were the same and IDT should be held accountable. Hopefully there is a criminal investigation being pursued behind the scenes against IDT. | |
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| | | Hey, those cancellation people do have their uses...
I've had so many problems with AOL's tech support (trying to help my mom solve issues and such) because their Tier I tech support people don't really know anything and are just reading a script..."What version of Windows are you using?" "How much RAM do you have?" I called to ask why I'm getting "permission denied" on the toll-free access line I'm paying for..what does my version of Windows have to do with anything?
So...I don't call tech support any more, I just call the cancellation line, and when they ask why I want to cancel, I tell them what the problem is, and lo and behold, it gets fixed. See? They're useful.
Of course, not if you really want to quit... | |
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| | | Only idiots use AOL in the first place. Why computer makers even put AOL pre-installed on your computer in the first place is beyond me.
Getting rid of AOL is almost as hard as getting a divorce. Uninstalling it requires basically reinstalling your computer since it is a "virus."
I did have AOL (1999-2003) and every other month called to cancel and got 3 months free. If you work AOL's "system," these idiots will basically give it to you for 3 months paid and the rest of the year free. | |
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 wjr110
join:2005-02-23
North Salem, NY | It's about time subject says it all. | |
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Cod
join:2000-07-05
Kernersville, NC Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | they bash other isps also when trying to quit I had a coworker who got DSL last week and tried to quit AOL, the rep asked her what ISP she was changing to. My co-worker said "BellSouth DSL" and the rep said "you don't want to do that, they are horrible!". My coworker then said, "well, first off, its better than dialup, secondly, I am a BellSouth employee and what you just said is highly unprofessional no matter what ISP you are talking about".... Needless to say, the AOL rep changed her tone and finally cancelled her account. | |
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| pmizelllPremium
join:2003-08-13
Houston, TX | Re: they bash other isps also when trying to quit Eliot Spitzer for Man of the Year.
The guy just doesn't put up with any bullsh** | |
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| | | | Re: they bash other isps also when trying to quit said by pmizelll:Eliot Spitzer for Man of the Year. The guy just doesn't put up with any bullsh** I agree with you!! Keep going Eliot. | |
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| | Earthlink next.... ....please! they'll bill ya even when the phone line no longer exists. | |
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See 7 replies to this post |
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joshpo
join:2002-09-24
Collingswood, NJ | Finally Way to go Eliot. This has been a problem for so long. All states should pursue their citizens complaints in this manner and these companies wouldn't get away with stuff like this. | |
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| | | Re: Finally Yea, too bad it only applies to NY residents.
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Formerly DSLWho | |
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 aviper9Premium
join:2003-05-20
Salisbury, MD | FINALLY!! Thank god the government got involved. I tried to cancel AOL (had signed up tryin to get a free ipod) and they were trying to do the free month thing. I declined about 10 times, and the rep kept pressuring me. She finally caved and said my account was canceled.
Low and behold next month there was a charge for AOL on my credit card bill. Called to cancel and get a refund, and got the same crap as I had the first time. She assured me it would be canceled.
Next month, another AOL charge on my bill. Needless to say I called and refused to talk to anyone but someone in management. I was able to get it canceled this time and I got 2 refunds for the 2 months they charged me. | |
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 TheMetrixR.T.F.M. - P.E.B.K.A.CPremium
join:2002-06-15
Utica, MI | Having to be Rude I haven't had AOL in years but I have had many customers that have and have asked me to cancel their service for them. Talk about a nightmare, it is more like dealing with satan himself.
I found that I had to finally get extremely rude with them to the point of using colorful 4 letter words and still then it was difficult.
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If you think an expert is expensive just wait until you hire an amateur. | |
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 Sweet WitchBe the flame, not the moth.Premium,MVM
join:2003-07-15
Gallifrey | Yet they still have plenty of idiots customers, three I know personally. You'd think these people (and one's a computer programmer) would know better after all this time.
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I'm a woman by the way  . | |
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| | |  Re: Yet
said by Sweet Witch:They still have plenty of idiots customers, three I know personally. You'd think these people (and one's a computer programmer) would know better after all this time. Some of the programmers are actaully dumber than I thought. At my last work we had a whole bunch of Java developers calling us with basic IT issues. Given that they write code I would imagine that they at least have a basic understanding of how computers work, but I guess not.
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Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies...
A MESSAGE to the RIAA and the MPAA: You shouldn't wound what you can't kill... | |
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| | Sweet WitchBe the flame, not the moth.Premium,MVM
join:2003-07-15
Gallifrey | Re: Yet This guy works for MIT though!! I always find it amazing that the more technical one's job is, the stupider they become with common sense .
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I'm a woman by the way . | |
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| | How to get rid of service... Recently, I was successful in canceling a credit card (GM MasterCard) that I no longer used. The transaction went something like this:
Operator:"Why do you want to cancel your account?"
A: "I am unsatified with the customer service."
Operator:"What difficulties have you been having with customer service?"
A: "You won't let me cancel my account."
I forget the details of the remaining conversation, but the end result was that the card got canceled. I do remember that the operator was momentarily at a loss for words though. | |
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| | Whoa. "AOL will eliminate customer service quotas on how many customers a representative dissuades from canceling..."
I never knew.  
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OneHeart | |
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 djrobx
join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
kudos:1 | Real, too? They should have it apply to their subsidiary RealNetworks too. They are just as bad when you call to cancel a superpass when the event you wanted it for is over.
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\\ROB - a part of the SCB local network | |
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 ChiyoSave Me Konata-ChanPremium
join:2003-02-20
Charlotte, NC
kudos:1 | Finally Thank god, when I had to use AOL Dialup for a month between moving and getting HSI back quitting was terrible. They tried pulling me in by acting casual and inciting conversations with me I spent 45 minutes trying to cancel the service and I got 5 free months out of them.. Finally I hung up and called back and very strickly said "I want to cancel my service I don't want the run around about how good aol is, how I can get free months or anything I want my service cancelled now"
I got an "ahh all right I can help you" But it took so long just to get that. It's nice these people want me to stay but I didn't want their service they should try to sell you but if you say no again they shouldn't ask 3 times or more. I hope this teaches AOL a damn lesson on the saying "no means no" | |
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|  tshirtPremium,MVM
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA
kudos:3
·Comcast
1 edit | Re: Finally The same sort of program, called "retention" is in place at most ISP's, and is the reason Comcast and other users can call in, pretend they want to quit, and be given 3,6, or 12 month discounts.
Any of these including AOL will allow you to quit, without being rude, by informing them, that you wish to quit, refusing all offers of free months/bonuses/etc. and requesting an email/snail mail verification (you should also request the operators name/employee # and record the time and date.
beyond that you are not liable for further charges (you should follow those rules for any 'not in person' transaction (telephone/internet/mail order)
The reason AOL keeps your screenname and account available for 6 months is to allow you to easily reactivate it, should you find your new service does not meet your needs.
The cost of bring in new customers, is so big (AOL at one time put the cost at over $400 per, when you included price reductions/ free equipment/ promotional items/etc) that retention is a vital part of any ISP's business plan. | |
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|  novaflareThe Dragon Was HerePremium
join:2002-01-24
Barberton, OH | said by Chiyo:Thank god, when I had to use AOL Dialup for a month between moving and getting HSI back quitting was terrible. They tried pulling me in by acting casual and inciting conversations with me I spent 45 minutes trying to cancel the service and I got 5 free months out of them.. Finally I hung up and called back and very strickly said "I want to cancel my service I don't want the run around about how good aol is, how I can get free months or anything I want my service cancelled now" I got an "ahh all right I can help you" But it took so long just to get that. It's nice these people want me to stay but I didn't want their service they should try to sell you but if you say no again they shouldn't ask 3 times or more. I hope this teaches AOL a damn lesson on the saying "no means no" Theres nothign wrong with asking your why? And having you do a small survey if theres something you had isues with. But when like aol does they all but tell you nope sorry we dont allow you to cancle that is flat out wrong as is "forgetting" that you cancled your service. AOL and fair pratices never have gone togather well. Theey use to slm your long distance changing you to aols by "accident" When you explicataly said no. By the way back then when they did that aol long distance was a better deal than sbc by a fair chunk oh change. But point is you say no it means no not no im not changing to your service or keeping your service but keep charging me any ways.
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DSLR security chat at us.ausirc.net chanel #dslr_sec lets pack this channelopen source dns server for *nix and windows »powerdns.com | |
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| | AOL will do anything to make you stay I use to use AOL Canada many years back and I tried to cancel it to switch to cable and they would not let me cancel because they claimed the name on my credit card did not match their records and I was reading the name of the same credit card I registered with. I had to cancel my credit card to get rid of AOL. | |
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| | | Re: AOL will do anything to make you stay I had aol back when I was in college and yes. they tell you the account is cancelled but if you relogin to your account at all the billing starts up again. I did that one time to see if I was really cancelled and it worked. I called Cust support and they told me "well you logged in again, that restarts your billing and account over again" bs bs bs bs | |
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 SP_WriterPremium
join:2002-03-19
Clifton Park, NY | Had to drop them twice Way back when...
I dropped them and two months later I saw they started charging my CC again. When I called them they claimed I never dropped them. What they couldn't explain was the 2 month period when I didn't use them or get billed for. I got my money back, but it still was a hassle to quit. | |
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|  KAD ImagingJust Shoot ItPremium
join:2002-09-21
Hialeah, FL | Re: Had to drop them twice said by SP_Writer:Way back when... I dropped them and two months later I saw they started charging my CC again. When I called them they claimed I never dropped them. What they couldn't explain was the 2 month period when I didn't use them or get billed for. I got my money back, but it still was a hassle to quit. 1st things 1st....YEEEEEHAAAAAW!!!! WOOT!!! WOOT!! 
Only problem is it was not NEAR enough money. They should be charged in the 100's of millions. When I stopped using BBS service and wanted the "true" internet, there was only CompuServ and AOHell. I chose AOHell hecause I couldn't get a good number with CS. I had them since 1.0 (or before maybe) all the way to 5.0 (I concede it was fun because all my school peeps were on it) and jumped ship to get FREE internet. They were trying to push AOHELL on me to which I repeatedly stated "Why would I pay for something I would already get for free??" I NEVER used your software except to connect, I had an app to minimize it and launch IE." The rep kept on an on about losing the email and chat to which I replied AIM was available to NON AOHELL users and I used webmail anyway (way to much filtering on primary acct)
They said 2 months free and I was like ok fine, then I got charged the following month and was like WTF?? They said the free month was too continue service to which I replied, "If you had said that, I would have told you what to do with your free months." Finally they said that they would credit me the charges and give me 2 more months conselation with no renewal charges. I bit, but never even logged on as I used NetZero, then Bluelight.com when NetZero went to paid. Then when Bluelight went to paid I jumped to DSL. I think I tested it a few months later to see if it was active and guess what...?? I was able to login!! I logged back out and uninstalled the crap (which left pieces EVERYWHERE on my comp BTW) Next month....TADA! A charge from AOHELL appeared. I called to complain and they said "You logged in" to which I replied "What was the usage for the month?" *slience* "Oh, we see there was no usage. We will credit you the amount back". To which I replied "So help me if I receive another ANYTHING from AOL, I'm going to every regulatory body possible! I need ALL of your info and your Sups info AND his managers info."
Haven't heard from 'em since. 
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-CK
Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realize you haven't gone to sleep yet...
Like Cars? Racing?? Visit my site! SportCompactMiami.com | |
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ricep5Premium
join:2000-08-07
Jacksonville, FL | Pull the credit card My dad died, so I cancelled the account. He didn't share it with anyone. I got calls, I got letters saying they were going to extend it. After 3 months they started billing again. Discover called me and said that AOL was trying to put a charge through on a cancelled card. I told them to reject it, that the account had been closed. AOL had the nerve to write a collections letter 3 months later for use with non-payment. Only problem was that the user was literally 6 feet under. So who was using it?
The attorney wrote them a cease & desist, they stopped finally. But I had to cancel the credit card to get them to stop.
So the key to stopping their madness....pull the credit card. | |
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1 edit |  Re: Pull the credit card
said by ricep5:So the key to stopping their madness...pull the credit card. In light of what you have described this won't work, would it? If your credit bank won't pay them, they will send your account to a collection agency.
On a different note, when my grandmother passed away, the hospital at which she died had the nerve to keep sending her bills for the very day that it happened. After my grandfather received four of five of these bills, I responded saying something like this: "Please address all further correspondence for "her name" to "address of the cemetery where she's buried." Maybe you should have done the same with AOL.
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Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies...
A MESSAGE to the RIAA and the MPAA: You shouldn't wound what you can't kill...
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| cptmilesPremium
join:2004-04-22
Swayzee, IN | Or die! | |
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| | | I just had to do this very thing this month for real.com after canceling 3 months in a row and still being charged. | |
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annec
join:2005-06-01
Centreville, VA | It's about time When I quit them, they gave me the speal about the free month. I was trying to fix dinner and just wanted to get off the phone with the hard-sell b*$h and I said OK give me the month. I never did go to the site or click on the link or whatever it was. They banged my credit card again and when I called back and asked why, they said it was because I DIDN'T click on the link! I believe I filed a complaint with FTC over this. | |
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KyeU
join:2003-12-31
Canada | ... AOL is crap, 'nuff said. | |
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RobFL2
join:2005-08-11
Mary Esther, FL | Slap in the wrist This is just a slap in the wrist for this company. They need to be SHUT DOWN. This is by far the WORST company that ever existed. I cringe when I see ipt.aol.com ips on our IRC server. People need to grow up and get out of aol hell. Starchat requires ALL AOLERS to register because of AOL's failure to comply with their TOS. This is a company that charges $25 a month for something that should be $5 or $6.00 with all of those ads they put on, it's stupid. I would like to see more lawsuits against AOL.
Rob
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»abigsecret.proboards39.com/ Learn the truth! | |
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| | | Actually...
There are many people who use this to get free months. There are some AOL "members" that have been on the service for YEARS and have never paid a dime. I suppose it's like anything else. If they want to give it to you, why refuse?
If you sign on with a CD trial and give a false name and card number, as long as you call to cancel before the trial is up, you get free months and they never try to bill the false card number. Then, when you cancel, they cant bill the card because it's false.
You would think that they would tumble to this, but they dont seem to care and the grunts on the phone could care less. Besides, free net access is free access, no matter who it is with. | |
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| | RealPlayer should be next AOL and RealPlayer are in the same league.
Both make it extremely difficult and tedious to get them to cancel. They ask to know why you want to cancel, then try to persuade you that you're missing elements of the service that you've yet to discover that's sure to keep you aboard. Then give you time for free hoping that you'll forget to cancel or somehow fall in love with this service that you've already decided to cancel. It is like pulling eye teeth. The funniest thing is it makes you resent the service, never to opt in again. Bravo! Idiots...
Go get 'em Spitzer. | |
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| | | Re: AOL really really really blows blows blows I have a great AOL story for ya.
i tried to cancell a two months or 50 hours free hours offer special.Untill i switched from comcast to dsl.it was so terrible.I called litteraly one full day allmost 24hrs straight.Least 15 calls.Each time i called i couldent understand a damn word they said.When i explained i wanted to cancell.It was like talking to a dead horse(huh you want to cancell)I said yea.He then said your account will remain active for 30 days.I said CANCELL THE DAMN ACCOUNT.he said i would receive 9.00 for taking some stupid ass survey of my customer exp?I SAID CANCELL THE DAMN ACCOUNT.I disconnected the line.
I finn started asking for supervisor.I just happen to get one who was filling in or acting as one.I had cancelled
my service but i was being charged for the call forwarding(premium)service.6.00 a month.5 set fee and 1.Fee
The supervisor said it had been cancelled for me.I had complained about the lousy service.She started to argue with me.I couldent believe this so i hung up.
I felt since i had cancelled within the first 30 days i should get a refund for the premium service the call forwarding crap.I tried to get refunded the charge.I was told if i kept the service(AOL) i would be credited The 6 fee.This is a classic bait and switch.Which is illegal.I watched my cc statement to make sure i wasent re billed.For something i hardly used.Since it was.The supervisor Said it had been cancelled.She even got nasty with me.
i totally hate Aol.I also uninstalled it off my computer.Just so i cant accidentally sign back on.I WILL never go to aol
for anything even if its free.... | |
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| | kapilThe Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL | Re: AOL really really really blows blows blows Was any of what you wrote in English? | |
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| | AOL sucks, case closed! I believe that any service that you can sign up for without having to talk to someone, you should be able to cancel without having to talk to a person. AOL is the worst when it comes to trying to use stall tactics when you try to cancel. | |
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