Complain about a product or service

AOL - "Free" Hours

Patricia of Philadelphia, PA September 5, 2009

I order AOL as a Internet Provider on April 2 2009. I was told it was a "get free month, when you pay for one month. After teh account was opened I was told that that deal ended, and that I was not getting a free month of aol. I purchased a prepaid visa card for May 09 payment and the rep at AOL did not know who to enter the visa number to receive payment. I called the bank that issued the card and aol three times. The bank offered to help aol with the billing but aol would not contact the bank. The account was suspended on May 6 2009. I got another ISP "cable" for internet on that date. And did not use aol software after that date! They are billing me for May and June 09 even after I told them in May to cancle the account if they didnt know how to enter the visa number in to get payment. AOL will not removed the 19.98 charge and their computer states I was using their system for the two months on Dial Up. I have proof I had Cable at the time and only used the free AOL email. Never used the Dial Up after they disconnected service on May 6 2009! THIS IS FRAUD! And the techs in Inda cant understand English outside of their AOL handbook!

Jack of North Hollywood, CA July 4, 2009

I received "Try one Month of AOL Free" with three steps to follow: 1) Pop in AOL free offer CD 2) Enter the Registration # and Password (given in the offer) 3) Enjoy Free trial I followed these directions and during the set up, they asked for my Credit card information, although in the mail in offer it says "No Credit Card Required".

I tried their services for two weeks and then I called to cancel because I didn't like the speed compared to Cable. They canceled me and they gave me a confirmation # and said that I will not be charged on my credit card.

My credit card bill came with a 9.95 charge. I called immediately to complain and I talked to Technician N. He was not helpful at all and he said that this is a membership fee. I expalined that there is nothing mentioned about membership fee...He wouldn't understand. I talked to his boss and the same unprofessional attitude happened again. AOL seems to do un-ethical business practices when they do this to customers. I will never accept any offer from them anymore in the future. They are Un-trustful.

sharlene of grant, MI June 16, 2009

I singed up for a three months free trial. The aol company took money out of my account and charged me for a service fee for using the checks. I never recieved any bills or other information from them. I talked to mr. peterson he told me he could refund some of my money but them taking this money out without my knowledge over drew my account a 30 fee. Mr. peterson a superviser told me there was nothing he could do my partial payment would be refund to me in a couple months.

I asked to speak to someone else he told me the manager5s don't take caqlls and he couldn't give me the names of the managers or the ceo that took my money out of m y account he stated he didn't even know the name of the person I had talked with in customer service. I believe Mr. Peterson was acting like a manager an dhe was the person I talked to in constumer service.

Please I need help Aol is ripping people off and their not even relizing it. I was told I could get the same service they where chargeing me 30.90 dollars for for 11 dollars what a joke. I live on a budget and they messed up my intire account. I'm so stressed out about this I need my mopney now not in two months.

Ann of Arlington Heights, IL April 30, 2009

I had the AOL Three month free CD. It did not work on my computer, so I deleted it. I tried to contact AOL and cancel, but never received any confirmation. Then I checked my American Express and they have been charging me. She said she could tell I was not using the service, but that I signed up for a membership (she said just like a gym you dont go to). I told her I never received a bill and I was unaware of this policy. She said that was the way it was ,and she would cancel my membership as of today and, of course, I would be responsible for any charges incurred up until today.

What a unfair company. I have American Express disputing my charges. I have one computer and AOL was not working. I will never have a good word to say about AOL.

Brian of North Little Rock, AR March 31, 2009

I bought a new computer in May 2006, and AOL's free trial subscription came with it. I was under the impression that I had canceled my subscription within that time. I have not used the service since. I got a new credit card last August, and a few months later I received a letter from AOL saying I owed them over 100. I had since forgotten about the letter, thinking it to be a mistake anyway.

A bill collection service called today saying I owed about 100 because of unpaid service from January - April of 2007! If the amount came out automatically, there is no way they did not receive that money, but they should not have received it anyway: I quit their service. I thus see it to be possible that they were taking out money without me knowing it until I got a new credit card, seeing as that was the first time that I was ever notified of these delinquent payments from 2 years ago!

100 is not much, but this seems to be a great hassle. They have threatened to report me to a credit bureau to hurt my credit score. Also, it seems possible that they have stolen much more than 100 already.

Anne of N. Ft. Myers,, FL March 28, 2009

I cannot reach AOL either by phone or by mail. They are charging me 17.95 per month when I had signed up for free AOL service

I asked the credit card company to dispute the charge. They also do not have a way to contact AOL.

Deborah of Aptos, CA February 25, 2009

called several times, wrote letter (undeliverable as addressed though we got the AOL address for cancellation from them), changed to free; AOL is still taking 24.99/month from our AmX account. AmX says they can't cancel AOL without a cancellation number provided by AOL! talk about catch-22. Looks like another bankruptcy bailout in the offing for AOL - nothing for us whom they are robbing, have robbed, continue to rob (John Q Public). How can this be allowed to go on? If they were robbing a 711 on-site, they would be in jail. They are literally stealing millions monthly from Americans - and no recourse? I don't get this at all!

There is a mental damage here, not only loss of faith in the entire system but a kind of mental anguish as our pocketbook is regularly opened, in these hard times, by an invisible hand, and not only AOL but the bank, the AmX card, they all are complicit! How bad is that? Waste of time/man hours as we try to make them stop! Make them stop! Quarrels in the home (you should have known better -- I already tried 10 times -- etc etc). And an absolute negative reaction to all the maggoty aspects of the capitalism that was intended to save us, revive us, humanize us.

it is no joke to be angry, very angry, about something every month, and every time you try to repair it. EVERYBODY knows about AOL. No one in power does anything. We are not into the sue their pants off mentality, but in this one case, must say, someone should sue their pants off because they MUST BE STOPPED. it is obvious that if they succeed in this longterm ripoff, others will copy and follow in their tracks.

Bonnie of Calabasas, CA January 12, 2009

I had a free Aol account my saved emails very important ones were erased. I looked all over the aol site for a customer service person to help me try to salvage the emails. I had to pay to talk to a rep that was not able to to anything to help. I switched to Gmail I did not realize that the charge was not a one time charge AOL had tricked me into having a monthly charge for something that was free.

I didn't know this until I received a call from someone saying they were calling from a collection agency and that my account was past due. My Fico credit rating is 802. I pay all of my bills on time. I was a victim of identity theft last May so my credit card number changed. Since I was not aware if the charges they were not paid. I cant even reach someone on AOL to make sure the account was canceled. The women in collections tried to have me give her my home address when I told her I was recording the call she hung up very angry.

This could damage my credit rating. I cant even find a number or person to talk to without giving out another credit card number opening my self up to how it started in the first place

Marian of Englewood, FL January 11, 2009

I changed to free aol and have been billed for two years on my credit card, my only credit card. I am in assisted living now and have tried to contact AOL and it's no use. They are now billing me as my wallet was stolen from my room Can you help me. I have severe arthritis and someone has to type for me but you can call me.

The consequence is much frustration for paying for a free service and about 500.00 for two years! Help please!

Marzia of Hayward, CA January 6, 2009

On June 2006, I received a CD from AOL by mail, which I hand not requested, with a month of free internet. I used it, but I called (after 6pm western time), I asked him to cancel my account, he said OK, and a minute later told me all done. On August 27th, 2008 I received an AOL Account Report, which is telling me that AOL is Unable to process the monthly charge on my card.

At this time, I realized that AOL is (UNAUTHORIZED) charging my card and this account is active without my knowledge. As you can see I have not use this account even for a minute in past 25 months, because I DID NOT know that this account exists. Therefore, there is no reason to pay a monthly fee. Now is more then two months AOL Billing Operation & Services did not responded to my letter.

AOL WAR CHARGING MY ACCOUNT FOR 25 MONTHS WITHOUT MY AUTHORIZATION, EACH MONTH FEE IS 25.99. TOTAL OF 649,75.

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