Complain about a product or service

AOL - Unauthorized Charges

Beverly of Wayne, NJ May 11, 2009

AOL has charged us random monthly fees from 9/2006 to 8/2008. AOL overbilling for FREE email account! In Aug. 2006 it was announced that AOL email would be FREE, My husband, Mitch, called to cancel his 9.99 AOL monthly charge for email. The rep told him that the FREE email would not allow him to KEEP his existing email address. Mitch did not want to change that email address so he agreed to pay the small 2.00 / month charge that the REP said it would cost to keep the same email address. My husband blindly paid monthly but the amount began to change each month going up to 14.95. Every month was different & we could not get a straight answer - when we called customer service. I discovered all the inaccuracies & finally cancelled with the link added to the web site on ~7/08. In total we were overcharged about 200! I have been unable to get through to someone to get my refund!

Carol of San Francisco, CA May 7, 2009

I do not have and never have had or even tried AOL. Somehow they got my credit card information and have been charging my credit card for 9.95-11.99 per month for the last 1 1/2 years. It was a small amount and thought it was connected to something else perhaps but then I finally looked back through my statements and noticed a pattern of unauthorized charges by AOL on the same date every single month.

Anthony of Lakenheath, United Kingdom May 6, 2009

For two and 1/2 years I paid AOL monthly on my US master card, credit card. I had a fraud alert on my card and had it cancelled. In Feb 09, AOL shut off my service because the credit card was cancelled. I contacted AOL customer service help desk to inform them of the changed card and to provide them with my new credit card information. The AOL helpdesk person informed me that the new credit card was in the system and my service would be restored within three days. I called back a week later in early March 09 because the service was still not working.

I was then told by the AOL helpdesk person that they could not accept my United States Credit card (master card from bank USAA). Neither the helpdesk person or the helpdesk manager could make a US credit card work in their system. I informed them that I had paid with a US credit card in the past 2.5 years. They actually questioned me on that, stating that it had to be a UK card. They did not have access to all the numbers on the card, just the last few, so they couldn't tell what country the card was from.

At that point I told them that since they are not providing service and since they can't or won't accept my US credit card then the account is closed. Today, 6 May 09, I received a bill from Roxburghe collection agency informing me that I am required to pay my debt of 77.21 Pounds (about 130) to them to collect because AOL was not able to attain payment from me. It seems they plan to arrest me for not making payment for a service that was not provided. I made an honest effort to pay them so service would be provided. I don't believe I need to pay them now for services that weren't provided.

John of New Port Richey, FL May 4, 2009

I have been charged as being late with my Aol account that I have lost count. I have checked with my Bank and they have been paid everytime. When I have tried to explain this to them they just want the money they thin I`m owed so I have been paying them double for close to a year

Elizabeth of Manalapan, NJ April 29, 2009

I'm a customer of AOL for 10 years. AOL charges me 31.95 a month for service. AOL has been deducting my checking account during this time. I learned TODAY, 4/29, through a friend that AOL service is free with DSL or cable connection. I have had cable connection for over 5 years. Therefore I contacted AOL directly to resolve matters with my account regarding the fact that I am paying for a service that is technically free. I explained to the AOL rep my concern. She proceeds to explain how I can easily change my plan for a paying account to a free account but I will lose technical support of the software. I explained to her that is fine as I never contacted their support before bc I only use AOL for email purposes. However I was concerned why I never heard of this. The AOL rep repeatedly explained how I can easily go to "change my plans" and I would see the free plan offering. I said that is great but how I would have known to check that feature if I didn't know it to begin with and therefore has no reason to change my plan. I asked how did AOL paying customers know about this free service and she only continued to repeat herself about the change my plan option. After I asked to speak to a supervisor, and she told me that the supervisor is only going to follow the same protocol as she puts my on hold and returns with another explantion. The AOL representative explained to me that the CEO sent an email to all AOL subscribers explaining the change in payment plan. I do not recall recieving this email and asked that she email me a copy. She proceeded to explain to me that she cannot because it is an internal communication. If what the AOL rep explained is true, that AOL notified subscribers of this service in Sept. 2006, I've paid over 900 for a service that was technically FREE. I would like a refund of this money with AOL claims they will not provide. What can be done?

Saint of New York, NY April 24, 2009

My girl friend bought a computer in November and tried to set up America On Line account for me. For some reason, we were not successful to set up an ID so deeted the free trial offer from AOL program. We do not need it for further purchase since we are getting free MSN on line. Now they are billing me for a program was never used. I did not registered with AOL and not interested. They are telling me that AOL account access has been suspended for non-payment. I ever had even an access to AOL which was deleted at the first place.

I protest the charge of 65.80 for AOL account that I never had. Me and my girlfriend have fairly good credit history and such an collection described above is not fare and correct. If I had an access to use AOL at the first place I would be willing to pay but me and my girlfriend have no AOL access at all. Please help me to solve this problem because they have an account number designed for my name to pay for a service does not and never existed.

Donna of Allen, TX April 17, 2009

Donna of Allen TX (04/17/09)
Account opened May 2003 for free 45 days. Billed 28.90 a month from July to Dec, on phone bill. This account closed on Oct 13, 03. Another account opened on Oct.4 for 1175 hrs. free which they claim was up on Oct 7 (impossible that totals 72 hrs if I stayed on non-stop) They started billing my checking account on Nov.2 Also I recieve a lock out for non-pmt of an old sub account from my friends account from 2001.

I mailed a check recieved on Oct. 8,03 for 23.80 After finding out what that was billed for, Now, I'm fed up and write them a certified letter about the two accounts that they haven't closed(one real the other bogus even though this was my third request and I allready had one conf # by phone. Also closed every other acount they claimed I had by Dec 19.& had not used any of their accounts since I opened a Wallmart Connect account in Nov.03 (not knowing they were owned by AOL )

Still I am out 90.00 in NSF charges Plus (Phone bill) Nov. & Dec 03 57.80 since I actually got a confirmation # in Oct for it +57.80 (for billing on the checking account) in Nov.& Dec. Also the 23.90 paid in Sept+ 28.90 for an old sub account. Total lost = 258.40

Cris of Greer, SC April 11, 2009

Cris of Greer SC (04/11/09)
I had UN Authorized monies taken out of my acct - AOL stated they went back to 2008 and realized I had been charged incorrectly - WHich is not correct! this was today 4-11-09 - that this occurred - AOL refused to credit back my acct - I cancelled my AOL service with them immediately after speaking to a Supervisor ( in Europe) Adrainne. I rec'd No communicatioin from AOL that this transaction was to be taken out of my acct - no confirmation # - no notification prior to this transaction to avoid this - robbing me - because they have my Credit card info -

This un Auuthorized monies taken from my acct cost me NSF charges on other items that I was obligated for - I rec'd no notification of this auithorization or confirmation number that AOL was doing this

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