I have been a customer of Earthlink through Time Warner for 10 or more years. My account was transferred entirely to Earthlink at $5.00 per month. I owed maybe $15.00. They closed down my account. I paid the bill. My e-mails for all those years, with all my client info and valuable personal mails, were removed. I asked them to put it back. They told me they would. Four weeks later of me calling weekly, I got no answer. Now I have no access. They are charging me $35.00. They closed my account and took all my personal mail for 10 years now. I refuse to do so unless the emails appear. They don't even have a record of the incident or that we spoke, just that I owe them.
Consumer Complaints & Reviews
We noted Earthlink billed credit card for internet service. When we contacted Earthlink they stated account was under 'Manuel Cruz'. Earthlink refused to provide any further information and they refused to provide refund. Furthermore they would not provide explanation as to why they charged credit card when name on account did not match. An 'identity theft' police report was filed with Torrance Police but Earthlink indicated that they required a court order to address issue.
The first week of October I called and emailed Earthlink's main headquarters to ask them to discontinue my internet service due on Oct.15,03. They returned my email asking why I requested such and I answered them back. After Oct.15, 03 I received another letter from Earthlink saying my account was pas due and to pay $23.95 by October 30, 03. I called the headquarters in Atlanta. A gentleman named Jason answered. He started telling me that they had no record of me contacting them and requesting a cancellation of the internet service. So I asked him to refer me to someone with authority.
A representative named Ronda took over. She started asking when did I ask for the cancellation because they have no records of the request. But she assured me that the matter waresolveded. After speaking with Ronda on October 27, 2003, I received another letter requesting a payment of $47.90 by November 15, 2003. This letter also stated that if I want to dispute this amount please call them before November 15, 2003.
This is why cancellations should always be submitted in writing, preferably via certified mail, return receipt requested. If Loomis had done this, he would now have proof that he had made the disputed cancellation.
I was incorrectly billed for dial up internet access services for over two years for an account that had been canceled. I was able to provide a confirmation number that corresponded with the cancellation request and was told at that time (~ 10/0/02) that I was to receive a refund of $546.70 because records, which have since been lost, confirmed there was no account activity for the period in question. This matter has persisted for over a year now. I have a detailed log that shows on numerous occasions that the employee/supervisors I spoke with agreed that I am owed the money I seek. Each time accounting fails to make payment, however.
Some 15 days after my last contact my records were "mysteriously" cleared and I am finally being told that I will not receive the remaining funds. I feel this was intentional and is a deceitful practice.
They stole money from me, promised to give it back on numerous ocations, and then reneged. It is being lied to and feeling that a company the size of Earthlink is inetionally giving a former customer the run arround that bothers me most. I would not be writing this if they refused the refund request initially. I want the $327.20 that I am owed by admission of Earthlink themselves. Somehow I am sure that Earthlink would have no trouble locating records that showed I owed them money.
My local Internet Service Provider (Durocom) sold out to Earthlink. Earthlink stated to me that they would honor my paid up subscription til it ran out. My account was paid annually from Apr 02 up to Apr03. Dec of 02 I received a bill for the month. I called the company in Atlanta, Ga and they assured me it would be straightened out. I had another bill in Jan, and then again in Feb. stating the same thing. I went to my bank, had a copy of my canceled check faxed to them. That didn't connect with anyone. The following month I received another bill. This time I made copies of all my paperwork and copy of check and sent it by registered mail. My receipt came back to me signed by M. Truss that they have received it, but yet I still am receiving calls (different person each time), bills in the mail (monthly), and numerous phone calls from collectors about my 'so called amount due'. Tonight they called and threatened to take me to court about my "outstanding overdue account! Please help me before I go nuts!
When Earthlink was about to take over they sent out notices that all change-overs should go smooth....NOT!! I e-mailed with them 2 wks in advance that I would be taking my laptop on a trip and my connection would be much needed. Needless to say that was a no go, as I never once got connected!!! Then the faxes, copies, registered mail that I paid out of pocket to try and straighten this matter out with no resolve. Not to mention 5 months of service they cut me off as my bill should have been paid up!
The time consuming phone calls talking with different representatives of this company explaining to each and every one of them from the start and never any resolve. I am tired of dealing with Earthlink and think they owe me compensation to make things right.
When Earthlink was about to take over they sent out notices that all change-overs should go smooth....NOT!! I e-mailed with them 2 wks in advance that I would be taking my laptop on a trip and my connection would be much needed. Needless to say that was a no go, as I never once got connected!!! Then the faxes, copies, registered mail that I paid out of pocket to try and straighten this matter out with no resolve. Not to mention 5 months of service they cut me off as my bill should have been paid up!
The time consuming phone calls talking with different representatives of this company explaining to each and every one of them from the start and never any resolve. I am tired of dealing with Earthlink and think they owe me compensation to make things right.
We suggest Linda pay Earthlink every cent it is demanding. Then, she should turn around and sue them in Small Claims Court for the payments wrongfully collected, service not rendered, expenses incurred in fightinig the wrongful billing, etc.
I strongly urge anyone to just find a local ISP and go with them. Dealing with big shot ISP's...ie Earthlink, AOL, Compuserve...etc. is just a big headache. First of all Earthlink's ad on the "free" cd they sent in the mail was very misleading. Clearly it states that you can have e-mail for anyone in the house, web page hosting, unlimited dial up access for only $19.95 a month.
My wife and I use the internet a lot, and my wife has a few message boards too, so we need at least 4 e-mail address (one for me and three for her, one personal, two for the message boards for all those darn SPAMers). So I set up mine and then went to set up hers, to find out for each additional e-mail address would be $4.95 a month...when on the ad it says e-mail for the entire family...everyone in the family (and most ISP's give up to five). I then called Earthlink to confirm, and a rep said, "yep, $4.95 a month for each additional...all that means on the ads is unlimited dial-up for $19.95."
So I said that we needed the additional e-mails, but didn't want to pay for it. To which the rep said,"Sorry, it $4.95 a month for additional...do you want to cancel?" (to me that is odd that is given right off the bat) So I said of course. I was then transferred to a "retention" rep who only asked me, "so, the message says you want to cancel, right?" I said yes and the rep then said OK DONE! and hung up.
I called back to get a confirmation number on the cancel...names, etc, and then recalled to reconfirm. (I work for a credit card company and see companies like Earthlink and AOL charging accounts up to three to four months after original cancellation and will only refund after much fuss). And you guessed it, on my next bill was a charge for $19.95.
I immediately called Earthlink, by passed the front line reps and got to a sup. The sup did credit my account immediately and no other charges have shown on my bill. Unless travel and internet go hand in hand with you...then no need for a national ISP. Go with a local dial-up server. Much easier, and you don't have to go through a "network" of reps to correct a problem.
