I have been an AOL member for over 10 years. I have been trying to cancel for the last 2 years at least. First I tried to cancel because all I ever got was spam and pornography. Then I got dsl and didn't need AOL anymore.
Every time I would call they would offer me free months of service so I could see how well the spam blockers were working or they would tell me I was canceling and then they'd continue to bill my credit card.
In July I called and asked to be removed from AOL. I thought the person agreed to it, but in late September I noticed another charge on my credit card.
On October I cancelled my credit card and then called to cancel the service. (Not my first try, by the way). The AOL rep Trish told me that I had agreed to a six month time commitment and that I'd be charged $25 for quitting then. I didn't remember agreeing to anything like that and we went around about that for a while. Eventually she agreed to waive the 9.95 that they didn't get when I cancelled my credit card and give me four free months to get me to the end of the commitment - in January.
I was going to call in January and cancel before another commitment kicked in. The scary thing is that they asked for my checking account information "in case I stayed with AOL so they could start billing me again in January." Eventually after a several minute Mexican standoff I gave her the information and we went our separate ways.
Apparently they couldn't bill my checking account until I clicked on the agreement the next time I signed on. Well, I never signed on, so they couldn't get my money from my checking account.
On January 7 when I called I was told that my account had been terminated because of non-payment. Cool! And that I owed them for the time they tried to bill me for. I told "Sheila" that "Trish" had given me 4 free months to pay for that time and all I'd have to do is cancel before January 8th.
May "Trish" burn in hell for being a pansy liar. "Sheila" says that they can't give you free months to get to the end of the commitment. The free months would start in January. WTF?
So "Sheila" tells me that I owe $44 for the services I used and I told her good luck getting it. That's just wrong.
But I've discovered two things: Money talks. Pull the money plug and AOL will divorce your behind in a heartbeat.
And I also have discovered the direct number to "Sheila" or someone just like her: 1-866-356-1123. This number rang just three times before "Sheila" answered. And that's a good thing.
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