Trying to cancel that AOL Account? Think again!
- Thread starter Bob Hubbard
- Start date
Nevada_MO_Guy
Green Belt
Brilliant! The audio version. 
That was messed up. Wouldn't let him cancel until after the AOL rep read a paragraph.
http://media.putfile.com/AOL-Cancellation
More AOL Hell:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/internet/aol_cancel.html
Looks like a popular problem.
That was messed up. Wouldn't let him cancel until after the AOL rep read a paragraph.
http://media.putfile.com/AOL-Cancellation
More AOL Hell:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/internet/aol_cancel.html
Looks like a popular problem.
And a old one, we tried AOL on the 30 day thing many years ago when the interent was new and Netscape ruled.
They haven't changed their tune at all...
They haven't changed their tune at all...
That just goes to show you why English need to be tought on a daily basis for people like him that just can't understand the word Cancel.
Terry
Terry
Y'know, I had a disturbingly similar experience with Earthlink. After periodic problems with my DSL, I decided to switch to cable last month - and since Earthlink doesn't have cable in my area, I had to change ISPs as well. I called to cancel, explained the reason (connectivity problems that they couldn't seem to prevent - for the 3rd time in about a year), and was asked what they could do to help. I told them they could cancel my account... round and round. Finally they told me that they could not cancel it immediately, but would end my service at the end of the billing cycle... 3 weeks later...
which they did, but still, I would rather have had a refund, as I didn't use it for the rest of that time.
which they did, but still, I would rather have had a refund, as I didn't use it for the rest of that time.
thesensei
Green Belt
I saw that program on NBC last night. Pretty funny. Actually, I've been there several times. As a matter of fact, There was one time that I got the AOL 30 days free, and ended up getting 6 months free because every month, I would call to cancel, and they would tell me about a new feature that I hadn't tried yet. So, since I "didn't know" about that, they gave me another month to check it out! 6 months, then they finally let me cancel...wow, what customer service!
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thesensei said:
KOROHO
Green Belt
This is nothing new. AOL was like this from the start.
The reps can get fined or even fired if they let you cancel an account. They are trained to offer the service to you at a lowe rprice - just about anything to get you to keep it.
I knew of these types of problems years ago. So when I tried to cancel my own AOL account around 1999, I cancelled the account with them, then drove over to my local gas station and filled up at the "pay at the pump" using the credit card that AOL had on file. I went home and called the bank and said I just left my credit card at the gas pump and when I went back it was gone. They checked the records and saw the gas charge and confirmed there were no others. They then cancelled the card and sent me new one. A short while later I got a notice from AOL that they tried to charge my card and it was declined. They kept trying for 3 months.
The reps can get fined or even fired if they let you cancel an account. They are trained to offer the service to you at a lowe rprice - just about anything to get you to keep it.
I knew of these types of problems years ago. So when I tried to cancel my own AOL account around 1999, I cancelled the account with them, then drove over to my local gas station and filled up at the "pay at the pump" using the credit card that AOL had on file. I went home and called the bank and said I just left my credit card at the gas pump and when I went back it was gone. They checked the records and saw the gas charge and confirmed there were no others. They then cancelled the card and sent me new one. A short while later I got a notice from AOL that they tried to charge my card and it was declined. They kept trying for 3 months.
A buddy of mine said the magic words which gave him the blessing of never hearing from AOL ever again. "If you do not close this account I will not pay and if you keep coming back with this I will construde this as harassment and tie you up in so much litigation that your grandchildren are going to need lawyers..." I then sent him a friend of ours to go and wipe out AOL from his computer... that meant digging into DOS and the registry and everything else...
His account was cancelled and that was it. This was a couple of years ago. Never a more happier man did I know.
His account was cancelled and that was it. This was a couple of years ago. Never a more happier man did I know.
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I got the same run around back in the day...
I got a job with an ISP and free internet came with that... So I canceled AOL.
The rep tried very hard to get me to stay, so I told him if he could match the offer my current ISP was giving me, I would.
Of course when he found out that was FREE employee access with 6 email adresses and unlimited storage for my personal webspace... he let me cancel.
I got a job with an ISP and free internet came with that... So I canceled AOL.
The rep tried very hard to get me to stay, so I told him if he could match the offer my current ISP was giving me, I would.
Of course when he found out that was FREE employee access with 6 email adresses and unlimited storage for my personal webspace... he let me cancel.
KOROHO
Green Belt
I did not have to worry about "uninstalling" AOL.
An AOL update took care of that and eveything else on my hard drive, which was the last straw that led to the cancellation.
One more thing AOL is notorious for, as are so many software companies, is that software release dates are mandated by marketing people rather than target dates set by techies.
So rather than AOL management going to a technical project manager, asking how long it will take to fix a problem and then set a target date based on his answer - they tell the technical team "this update is going out on the first of the month - get it done". It does not matter that in reality it is a 3 month project - the update is going out. So they slap it together, forgo complete and proper testing to make sure that the fix is correct and they are not creating more problems, and download it to your system when log in next time.
An AOL update took care of that and eveything else on my hard drive, which was the last straw that led to the cancellation.
One more thing AOL is notorious for, as are so many software companies, is that software release dates are mandated by marketing people rather than target dates set by techies.
So rather than AOL management going to a technical project manager, asking how long it will take to fix a problem and then set a target date based on his answer - they tell the technical team "this update is going out on the first of the month - get it done". It does not matter that in reality it is a 3 month project - the update is going out. So they slap it together, forgo complete and proper testing to make sure that the fix is correct and they are not creating more problems, and download it to your system when log in next time.
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Ah, the memories...
I tried, back in 1994, to cancel my AOL account, but they wouldn't let me do it over the network at the time. Instead, you had to call their support number, and be placed on hold, and most of the time, you'd simply get disconnected.
When you did get a hold of someone, they would put you through the usual garbage, offering you lower prices, etc., and it wouldn't be surprising for the line to go dead during this time as well.
Eventually, I got so sick and tired of dealing with this garbage, that I decided to find an alternate way that worked. Normally, I'd never condone doing this, but AOL did deserve it. By going into their chatrooms, and raising a fury, and insulting the guides, they threatened to cancel my account for chatroom disruption. I dared the guides to go ahead and cancel it to see if I cared, and... Presto! It worked! :rofl:
I tried, back in 1994, to cancel my AOL account, but they wouldn't let me do it over the network at the time. Instead, you had to call their support number, and be placed on hold, and most of the time, you'd simply get disconnected.
When you did get a hold of someone, they would put you through the usual garbage, offering you lower prices, etc., and it wouldn't be surprising for the line to go dead during this time as well.
Eventually, I got so sick and tired of dealing with this garbage, that I decided to find an alternate way that worked. Normally, I'd never condone doing this, but AOL did deserve it. By going into their chatrooms, and raising a fury, and insulting the guides, they threatened to cancel my account for chatroom disruption. I dared the guides to go ahead and cancel it to see if I cared, and... Presto! It worked! :rofl:
Death to AOL! :cuss: I had AOL very briefly when I bought my first PC in the spring of 1999. I used AOL for the sole purpose of downloading Netzero, which had free *unlimited* hours at the time. After downloading the software, I called customer service to cancel my AOL account. I was on the phone longer with the service rep than my total time actually using AOL. What part of "No, I'm not interested; please cancel my account" did they NOT understand? 
Well my family has aol, we've had it since about the time AOL started. My dad doesn't do well with change so I imagine we'll keep it for as long as he wants, though he doesn't really do much in the way of e-mail anymore. I imagine that when the time comes I'll be the one to cancel the account as he doesn't deal well with stuff like that. I'll call and pretend to be my mom and cancel it in the end...
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I'm going to be cancelling my AOL account sometime this year and I dread the ordeal. First of all, they make their Customer Service phone number darn near impossible to find, secondly, they don't listen and don't take no for an answer. When I do get a hold of them, I'll remind them, if necessary, that they could be on the News for this.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #17
hong kong fooey
Black Belt
that was funny i don't know how the guy kept his calm I would have been screaming into the phone if it were me! then I would have talked to his superviser
AOL = HOTEL CALIFORNIA
You can cancel anytime you like,
but you can never leave.
http://snipurl.com/sbnk
This is the video of that and an interview with the guy afterwards.
Ya I just have AIM and that's it ... doan't want no mo of it (AOL) than what I got period.
You can cancel anytime you like,
but you can never leave.
http://snipurl.com/sbnk
This is the video of that and an interview with the guy afterwards.
BrandiJo said:
Ya I just have AIM and that's it ... doan't want no mo of it (AOL) than what I got period.
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