AT&T Broadband cable high-speed Internet service rip off

Amount owed: $41.65

On May 17, 2001 I tried to sign up for AT&T cable modem service. They are the only cable company in our area and therefore the only vendor of cable high-speed internet service. I have been told (not by AT&T so perhaps wrong) that if you are not a cable subscriber you cannot have the modem so I signed up for basic
cable and internet service at the same time. They could not provide me with the internet service so I told them to forget the whole thing. I canceled the installation of both services since I could not get the one thing I wanted.

All was fine until I get my AMEX bill. AT&T billed me $41.65 for some reason and when I called to have it put back, they refused. I called the local number on the AMEX bill and they claim that the only way to get my money back is to request a check that will take 6-8 weeks to get. Let's see, they can take the money in seconds but take over a month to return it? Anyway, I was unsatisfied with that and asked for a higher number. I was given the 'corporate' number (800-800-2624) and have been calling that number for two full weeks now. I have only heard the voice of a
female calling herself Eilene Reed on an answering machine. I leave message after message but no call back. I began leaving messages asking her to please call me back and if I do not answer to please leave a message telling me a number I can call to reach a human. Finally, late last week she did call me back a
few times in the early morning but once again she only said her name and that she would try me back. Again this morning I start calling and leaving messages begging for a call back from her, a call from someone else, or a number I can call to get a human. This company hides well and I'm really upset about it. Why
can't they just credit the money back like they took it? Why won't they return my d**n phone call? I'm very polite in my messages, very professional, and very clearly spoken.

What do I think I deserve? I deserve them to put the money back towards the card they took it and do so NOW. I should not have to wait this long, noone should wait this long when they bill you unjustly. I was never informed that they would bill my card, just like with power service or phone service, they want a credit card for verification and as a security blanket in case you don't pay your bill.

Thanks for the service you guys provide. the Ripoff Report is a very cool idea that I hope more and more people begin to use. Sooner or later the service providers will have to accept that WE as the consumers are the ones that need to be taken care of. Personal service is something that everyone needs to be able to
attain if you search hard enough for it.