Complain about a product or service

AOL - Hard to Cancel

AOL/America Online • AOL Pays $3 Million, Promises to Clean Up Cancellation Process • AOL Settles Florida Fraud Charges • AntiSpyware Group Targets AOL Release As Dangerous • AOL Heads Roll Over Data Leak • AOL Now Free ... Sort Of • AOL Takes More Hits In Press, On Internet • AOL's Problems Worsen as Consumer Complaints Mount • AOL Embarrassed by CNBC Report On Its Business Practices • E-Mail Taxation Without Representation • AOL, Yahoo Planning Postage Charges for Email • AOL Settles With NY, Agrees to Clean Up Cancellation Process • Ohio Settles Lawsuit With AOL • AOL Abandons Broadband • Ohio Latest to Sue AOL • AOL Loses 2 Million Clients, Faces Subpoenas • Class Action Accuses AOL of Double-Billing Scheme • AOL Offers to Settle Federal Charges --- Consumer Complaints • Cancellation Difficulties • Double-billing • "Free" Hours • Unauthorized Charges • Shop-Direct Complaints • Tech Support

It's been said that canceling AOL is harder than eradicating the common cold. It seems that AOL wants to be your Internet-service-for-life.

Ruben of Santa Maria, CA April 4, 2009

Ruben of Santa Maria CA (04/04/09)
I contacted America online in 2001 and canceled my internet provider services with them via there 1 800 number. I had switched to broadband services with verizon. The Gentleman on the phone said I could keep my e-mail accts even if I did not use their dial up services. He made no mention of charges. Since AOL offers free email accts like hotmail does that is exactly what i was led to believe I was doing.

My wife informed me today that we have been getting charged 20.95 per month since 2001 for AOL services we have not used. When I notified AOL the said the charges were normal and were charged wether we used there dial up services or not since they have no record of us ever canceling with them. They do however have records showing we have not used thier dial services since 2001 but cannot refund our money because it is not thier policy. To add salt to the wound he goes into a 20 min sales pitch trying to sell me more products i do not need.

I am extremely upset I feel like i have been taken advantage of. My children could of benefited from the extra money. They make it soo dificult to cancel and when you think you do they pull the bait and switch. They use a play on words to take advantage. I feel like they went into one of my bank accts that I hardly use and stole 2000. They should be made to send out monthly bills so people are not taken advantage of. It may not sound like a lot of money to some people but it has put considerable strain on my marriage that money was being saved for our childs future. We always paid loyally when we used their services and to get treated like this make you wonder why our great country that I faithfully served is in the mess that it is in today.

Judy of Mounds, OK March 31, 2009

Judy of Mounds OK (03/31/09)
In Novemnber I got a used computer and a cd for AOL so I downloaded their service the last week of November 2008. They then proceeded to take over my computer and I cancelled the next week. I told them I was because of all the unsolicitated downloads. I just got a bill from them how do you get them to quit? I had the service for ten days and it took a month to eradicate it from my computer. Now they want money for services I did not want or used.

They say my payment method is out of date and want to back bill my account. As of now the amount is 32.09. I refuse to talk to them on my computer because I am afraid they will raid it. They can't wreck my credit raring I think it is a about a 150. I have not worked in six years but all my money is tight. What can I do? My daughter warned me about them but I didn't listen.

James of Columbus, OH March 24, 2009

James of Columbus OH (03/24/09)
Cancelled AOL three years ago. Found out that they were still deducting charges from my bank account. Called last year and spoke with a supervisor who stated that it would be cancelled, and as you can guess, it still has not. I have contacted my bank, and they have refunded me three months of the charges, but advised me to file a complaint and they would help stop AOL from charging my account. Now AOL is calling me and harrassing me with collection action - on a closed account! Where they owe me approximately 350.00.

AOL is advising me that they are going to add a deliquency notice to my credit report, and they are calling me harrassing me for payment.

David of Columbus, OH March 23, 2009

David of Columbus OH (03/23/09)
I used to have a Capital One credit card that I used mainly to bill my AOL internet service to. I have complaints about both companies. First, AOL refused to cacel my internet service. So I decided to cancel my Capital One card. Soon thereafter AOL started sending me bills in the mail theatening to cut off my service if I didn't pay. Why would I pay for AOL when I decided I no longer wanted it to begin with? Any way, after I had the remaining balance paid off on my Capital One card paid off, they still tried to bill me for my annual membership fee. I called to tell them that I refuse to pay a membership fee on a cancelled account, but they told me that in order to close the account, I need to pay the membership fee. Why should I have to pay to close the account when I already cancelled it I'll never know.

Mendy of Nocona, TX March 18, 2009

Mendy of Nocona TX (03/18/09)
My parents had Aol about five years ago, possibly longer, but I know definaltely it was five years ago. They cancelled it before I got married and switched to earthlink. I'll be married 6 years in may. they continued taking out 32.98 so my oldest sister called them, said that they would cancel it, not to worry. Two months go by, and charges pop up again, so my other sister calls to cancel it. Tell them what has happened. They say sorry, no problem. We get no cancellation number or anything, and when asked about it, they say that it's fine, everything's been taken care of. here we are almost six years later, and they're being charged again!

 My parents have never checked their bank statements on a regular basis, and when they do, it's to check to see if the house came through, vehicle, etc. no little charges or anything. My mom got to looking the other day and noticed the AOL charge. got what bank statements she could find, after they moved and looked at them. Eight months of bank staements and counting so far with aol charges.

My mom calls them and they give her the run around saying they've received no cancellation, so I get on the phone the next day and call them. They try to give me the run around, but it doesn't work. I told them how long we've been without service, and who called to cancel previously. They tell me that that's not possible, because only the account holder can cancel. I told them that that wasn't my problem, because my sister's clearly stated who they were at the time and why they were calling and on who's behalf that they were calling for. I told them that it was their mistake on their end, if they went ahead and told us that they had cancelled the account and everything was taken care of.

I told them that I wanted that money back into the account and that they were not authorized to take out anymore payments. I had them put a supervisor on the phone cause I was getting some answers. She claimed that without a cancellation number they couldn't confirm the date of cancellation and the only number I had was from the day before when my mom called. I told her that that wasn't right because my sisters had called five years ago and canceled it, and THEY didn't give us any cancellation number! She told me that I had to write a letter to some place with my claim, and proof.

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