AOL a warning.

[Daysleeper]

When is an account cancellation not an account cancellation. When its AOL

Having phoned up to cancel my dial up account after I got broadband I was given a "free month" to move all my emails across to my new address etc. After this AOL started charging me again. I know I should have spotted it sooner but my daughter had just been born and I was a bit busy so I didn’t spot it for 2 months.


In short if you want to cancel AOL get a "4 digit cancellation number" then and there. Accept no free months or other crud. Otherwise they will deny ever receiving your phone call and go right back to charging you whenever they feel like it and you will never get the money back.

Better still don’t use them at all and go with someone else.

AOL
Ar:mad: eholes OnLine

dont belive me look at this

http://www.my3cents.com/search.cgi?criteria=AOL&state=&min=0&total=135&order=id&ordertype=desc&subtype=&wrapper=&uid=

[jimgriff]

I use AOL and have done for some 5 years.
I have nevr had a billing problem.
I have recently "upgraded" to AOL broadband from a dial up and there have been no problems whatsoever. Totally seamless. I have checked my billing protocols and the transfer has been done ...NO PROBLEM.

Speak as I find and I like AOL.

[amanoffewwords]

I tried AOL once for 30 minutes! When I called to cancel they tried the marketing "why don't you stay" etc... You do you have to stand firm - I found it helped to say "read my lips: c a n c e l m y a c c o u n t...ok?" 4 -digit code promptly issued.

I would also highly advise not to cancel by email like it says it their help file - heard a lot of stories of emails not received excuses.

[SoftTop]

I have to agree (and console) with Daysleeper. AOL cancellation is a trial and a half!

I'd finally had enough when one of my sons' e-mail addresses was hijacked and they froze the entire account. I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and tried to stick with them for another week, but, more problems.

I then tracked down Pipex and set up a B/B account with them running in parallel with the AOL one just until I managed to trap as many e-mail addresses as I thought I needed to transfer across and then the fun began as I tried to cancel my account.

I'd been responding to their "customer comment" requests and surveys for a couple of years and each time I stressed how hacked off I was with the amount of spam I was getting. I reckon that I forwarded about 99% of all the cr*p to their abuse addresses and requested that someone - ANYone - from their security or customer service departments e-mail or telephone me to discuss my gripe about spam. Absolutely nothing.

When I spoke to the "lady" on the account cancellation number I was absolutely appalled by her total lack of concern about my predicament and after about 15 minutes of of my persistent and calm (honest!) assertiveness, I asked if I couls speak to a supervisor and her answer - without a hint of hesitation - was "No". I kept on with my point of view for a further tem minutes by which time it was obvious that they (AOL) really didn't care about me as a customer and I requested immediate cessation of the account and was told that it was not possible and that I'd have to wait until the end of the NEXT monthly subscription period.

This was all about two years ago and I can honestly say that I'm glad I changed ISP. No spam, no hassle, no dodgy front-end, a sensible e-mail format and a CHOICE of e-mail clients.

Sorry, but this nearly turned into a rant.... still a bit raw .... :ouch:

So, don't feel victimised, it's just AOL working to their in-house rule book.

Hope your new ISP meets you expectations.

ST

[gas path]

I've been with Aol since 1999 and have never had any major problems. I (and the families) email accounts rarely get hit by junk mail, maybe once or twice a month, are we missing something?
The only problem came with an upgrade to broadband that didn't work (length of phone line in the house!) and they reverted it back to the pay monthly dial up within a couple of days with the refund sorted the following month. All in all I've been happy. So, the question is......
Is Aol generally disliked because it is successful like the 'Macdonalds syndrome'?
I intend to have another crack at BB now that I've rewired the phone lines.
But should I stay or change for something cheaper?
Gonna start a new thread with a couple of technical Q's regarding BB

[Diverse]

It's easier to cut off one of your own limbs. I also got the sales speech when I tried to leave. In the end I told them I no longer had a computer and was moving abroad and so the bank credit card they took the payment from wouldn't exist. I'm sure it's easier to leave the mafia.

Switched to tesco.net for dial up who were great and I'm now with Pipex for broadband who are great as well.

[pilotwolf]

I could fill a book with the AOL problems I ve had but for various reason need to stay with them so moved to broadband earlier this year.

I was given a "free month" to move all my emails across to my new address etc.

Why? I and everyone I know kept all their original dial up email addresses...

Just interested....

PW

[Jerricho]

Have any of you AOL types actually tried to remove it TOTALLY from your system. Sure can take some time.

[Daysleeper]

Just to clarify I had no problems with AOL until I tried to cancel, then its just been hell. Easier cutting your own arm off is an apt description.

[mikedurward]

One of the MAJOR problems with AOL is that even when you decide to change to another ISP and "try" and uninstall AOL software there are little bits left on your computer that send annon stats to AOL. It thes them your IP address and your usage stats. So they know exactly who you have changed to and how much you are using them. The only way to get rid of it is to format your hard drive ! ! ! ! !

Mike

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Jerricho,

I remove AOL from people's comps all the time, all it takes is a fresh install of their OS. :eek:

Take Care,

Richard

[IFTB]

I've been with Aol since 1999 and have never had any major problems. I (and the families) email accounts rarely get hit by junk mail, maybe once or twice a month, are we missing something?

Same here, no probs since 1999ish.
Some of the special offers are a bit difficult to obtain, like the faster internet access offers currently going around in France. The given phone # 0811025180 to subscribe to this gets you no connection to anyone!

I found the 'Help' response via AOL USA is far better than the European version.

[Jerricho]

all it takes is a fresh install of their OS

Naples, yup that seems to be the best solution. And a pint of blood............... ;)

[BEagle]

Have just been trying to explain to the idiots at AoL that there is some problem with their system as even e-mails to [email protected] are being spat back at me...

Why does anyone bother with such an utterly inept system?

[Arkroyal]

AOL plain dreadful

I reckon it's easier to get rid of aids

[BEagle]

All my e-mails to anyone daft enought to have an aol.com e-mail address are currently being spat out - anyone else with a Virgin.Net account having this problem? The good folks in Newport (not Bangalore, thankfully!) have been getting several reports of this in the last few days......

Why does anyone bother with AoL?

[Genghis the Engineer]

You think AOL are bad (and yes, they are) try cancelling an NTL account.

G

[joe2812]

AOL is complete bo||ocks i'm afraid.

We had a disaster with AOL cutting us off, slow download rates etc etc. When I finally convinced the parents they were being ripped off they decided to phone to cancel the account, with a view to switching to BT.

My poor dad got passed from person to person, number after number.

'You need customer support'
'You need billing'
'You need our BB support line'
'You need customer support'

...and around it went.

Finally a chief technician phoned up and wanted me to move my whole PC downstairs into the lounge so i could connect straight up to the main socket.

Well excuse me but

1) the PC isn't in the lounge, and we don't want it there.
2) Even if that did improve the connection, see point 1)

We eventually got through to someone who could terminate our account before being told we couldn't due to the minimum 12 month contract we were tied into. We tried using the 'we're paying for a quick connection and not getting it so you're breaking the contract not us' line on 'em, but to no avail.

Apparently it's our area.

Solution must be to move house then! In the end gave up, sat quietly in the corner downloading at 10-15 kb/s.

Avoid AOL... don't go near them.

[Maxflyer]

I'm with jimgriff and the other AOL users that have never had any issues. I use their broadband service and had no billing/email issues when changing from dial up. I find them helpfu as well. My only issue is I wish their mail service was pop3 but otherwise they're ok by me (nearly six years now).

[Earl]

Signed up for a free trial for 30 days when I was based in the UK.
Did not like the service and called and cancelled after only 3 weeks.
Was sent a bill a few months later, service was never cancelled.
Ever download netscape or many other free programs,
always filled with AOL trash.
Like the plauge, they stay around.
Try to use the dial up from abroad, always a big surcharge.
Better off with someone else.

[PPRuNe Pop]

This problem with AOL appears to be ongoing, just like Norton. Both take over your computer (see those who have had to format hard drives!) and it is best to steer clear of them in the first place. Just not worth the hassle. Caused havoc with me a few years ago and they have got worse! :mad:

I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole!