AOL doesn't want you to cancel

[Guest skrubber]

OK, I admit it, I have AOL. However I do not need it nor do I use it. I originally got it to explore the chat rooms and am done with that so I decided to (oh my God) cancel.

The only way to do so is to call - now I know why. Once you say you want to cancel the representative goes into a long tirade explaining the virtues of AOL the spyware and virus protection and why you do NOT want to cancel especially if you have a cable connection. Well I do have a cable connection but it is free since I work for the cable company and I see no need to have AOL anymore. This I did not explaion to the rep feeling it was none of his business.

 

The rep gave me a reprieve (in case I changed my mind) continuing my service until June 16 FREE OF CHARGE. At such point I need to call back and affirm my cancel request. Obviously thinking that I'll lose the number or just forget to call.

 

What gives??

[OneFinger]

My nephew worked at AOHell for a few years doing tech support. He quit a couple months ago but said AOHell will do ANYTHING to keep your account open. The tech support people actually receive bonuses when they talk you into keeping your account.

 

In addition, their job performance is graded based on accounts opened, accounts kept, and accounts closed. If a Tech Support rep doesn't open or maintain XXXXX amount of accounts per month they are written up. If they close too many accounts they're put on probation or fired.

 

IMHO, AOHell didn't do any favors by keeping your account open for free. They just shoved the problem off on the next tech support person you'll talk to later. Be prepared for the pressure and hassle again. Plus, much of the tech support is now done overseas in India and the Phillipines. There are often language challenges dealing with these reps which also makes cancellation difficult.

 

Another "trick" that tech support uses to keep their numbers up is to sign up new members using fake names and real addresses. So far I've had 2 different AOL accounts set up using my home address and female names. I started getting their AOHell statements in the mailbox and I'd always return them unopened.

 

After about a year of getting AOHell statements, I started getting collection calls for these fictious people on my unlisted phone number. AOHell would call 3-4 times PER DAY looking for these people and I'd always tell them they had the wrong number. I later found out that AOHell uses a service to track down unlisted phone numbers for specific addresses. (So much for my privacy.)

 

The only way I got the calls to stop was to file a complaint with the phone company and have their number blocked for my phone number.

[nate_sf]

This seems typical of subscription-based services, and they seem to be getting craftier at it all the time. I tried to cancel my tivo service since I wasn't using it as much as I thought I would, but then they offered to have me continue at half price, and I decided to take them up on it even though after I hung up I asked myself why did I bother. Hell, even retnboy.com just sent me an e-mail offering me some free service if I come back!

 

There's $$$ in these recurring credit card subscriptions and sounds like they'll do anything to keep the stream running!

[JamesK840]

RE: AOL doesn't want you to think for yourself...

 

>The rep gave me a reprieve (in case I changed my mind)

>continuing my service until June 16 FREE OF CHARGE. At such

>point I need to call back and affirm my cancel request.

>Obviously thinking that I'll lose the number or just forget to

>call.

>

>What gives??

 

It was still your option to demand the account be CLOSED. Now you just have to call, wait on hold, then go through that crap again...

 

BTW, for anybody considering it, AVOID AOL's DSL LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! I have had to support a couple friends on it, and it is not the internet, instead it's absolute shite that occasionally shows you a web page. When you're logged in, that is. You're not even on the pretend internet unless AOL is running and logged in, even then things like real antivirus and MS update can have trouble downloading what they need. It's a real pain in the arse when multiple people use the computer or somebody (ahem) is trying to fix it for you, and you can forget sharing it with other computers like you could any other DSL account, at least w/out AOL accounts logged in on all of them (if that even works).

 

And trying to get off of AOL DSL is even worse, especially if you're moving to another DSL service and only have the one line (just shoot yourself, it'd be less painful...).

[Guest ChgoBoy]

RE: AOL doesn't want you to think for yourself...

 

Somehow, this thread makes me feel whole.

[Chairmans Pig]

RE: AOL doesn't want you to think for yourself...

 

When my mom died I called AOL to cancel her account. I explained why I was closing the account and the person on the phone offered suitable condolences. She then went on to say, "If you mother would like to reopen her account any time in the next six months..."

 

I said "Whoa...wait a sec...didn't you hear what I said? She died. She won't be needing the account". The idiot said that she had to say this. I asked for a supervisor who started in with the same 'speech'. I finally hung up.

 

AOL called at least 3 times to my mom's house and sent an equal amount of letters trying to entice her to reopen her account.

 

If AOL had the power to revive the dead so that they can reopen their accounts, I'd gladly pay more than $19.95 a month for the service. Sadly, they don't have this power nor do they have any common sense.

 

CP

[joel304]

I've tried to cancel for 4 months. Finally, I had to have my bank isue a new debit card. Now I'm in collections. Each time I call, they claim that it is cancelled. A real scam.