On Nov. 25, 2000, Dominique of Toms River, NJ, wrote:
I would like to address all the customers having extreme difficulty with AOL Long Distance (Talk.com). I am also a customer that had been promised free months of AOL service if I signed up for AOL long distance. After signing up, I received my first month free with no problem. However, getting the second month free was impossible to say the least.

I had numerous arguments with numerous supervisors over this promotion. Talk.com blamed AOL promotions and vice versa! After a year of struggle, I gave up! I was furious. If I had to hear, "Sorry, our computers are down and we can't access your account right now, call back in an hour" I knew I would go crazy. So, I finally called the Better Business Bureau with the complaint. I had made over sixty phone calls to Talk.com in over a three month period. Some days I called sixteen times! However, one small complaint to the BBB changed my anger to victory.

Within a month of my complaint I received my money and a useless appology from the company. To all customers with this same problem, don't keep wasting your time trying to get your money by calling Talk.com or AOL. You will not get anywhere. Let Consumer Affairs know of this incident and contact the BBB. The more complaints they receive, the greater the chance they will be reprimanded for their horrible service. P.S. I am currently looking for a new long distance carrier because I just called today for another reason and again they told me, "Sorry, we can not help you right now our computers are down. Call back in an hour."

By the way, I got one supervisor from Talk.com to admit that the customer relations department is instructed to say that whenever they don't know what is going on.

We agree entirely that calling is a waste of time. This is true in nearly every consumer situation. The best solution is a firm, businesslike letter that states the problem clearly and sets a deadline for action. The letter MUST be sent certified, return-receipt requested or via FedEx, Express Mail or some other method that produces a receipt. Complaining to our site, to the BBB and to other consumer sites is also a tremendous help over time, though it may not produce an immediate individual solution.

On Nov. 21, 2000, Mary of Kenner, LA, wrote:
I received a bill from talk.com in September. I don't know what it is for. I have not signed up for any service with this company. The bill is as follows:

• Federal excise tax=.19
• USF/Other surcharge=.51
• National access fee=2.98
• Paper option=1.95
• Monthly billing fee=5.95
• Total taxes and other charges=11.58
• Previous balance=15.05
• Amount due=26.63.

I had to call and remind them several times at each interval befor receiving the 30 day and 6 month service, and the at the 12-month mark (6/2000) I have never received the free month valued at $21.95. I have made numerous calls, E-Mails and gotten a lot of promises to credit my account with no credit.

I have now become frustrated, angry, and feel that if they scam enough people, they are making out like a bandit. I suscribed to them in good faith based on their promises, which they did not live up to. I have now cancelled both my long distance and local service with them. I would like them to be stopped from offering promotions like this to the consumer and not fulfilling. It's not the amount of the money but the principle.

Well, it might be the principle to Ellen but it's also a lot of money. If this is happening to others, it should be investigated and prosecuted.

Norman of Worcester, MA:
I enrolled in AOL Long Distance Service in July 1999, with the understanding that I would recieve three free months of AOL Internet service. After using the service for five months I noticed my account with AOL internet service had not been credited. AOL internet service, who promoted and sold the plan refused to get involved in any way after it was set up. After numerous attempts to remedy the situation by phone, with Talk.com, I was enticed to re-enroll in the program and was promised another free month of service. After a total of thirteen months service, I have as yet not recieved any credit toward AOL internet service.

After two weeks of daily contact with Talk.com, AOL Rewards (promotions dept of AOL), and AOL customer service, two of the four months charges promised will be credited to my credit card account.

Talk.com has been the most difficult service, from long periods of time on hold with customer service, to misinformation and erroneous directions as to how I should proceed. I cannot believe these delays are not intentional and aimed toward preventing the customer from withdrawing from their programs. I hope no one else has to experience this problem, but I am afraid it is the intended direction of all those who complain.