America Online - AOL ripoff fraudulent practices thieves Internet

America Online has to be the most dishonest company I have ever encountered. I installed the free trial version of AOL 9.0 on my computer in December 2003. On January 10, 2004 I removed the program from my machine and called AOL to cancel the free trial account. I was given a cancellation number, and thought everything to be as it should be.

On February 16, 2004 I received my phone bill & found that AOL had charged $28.90 AFTER I had cancelled the account. I immediately called AOL, and was told by Brian (the 'customer service' rep) that billing had made a mistake and the $28.90 would be credited to my phone bill immediately. (As of 3/29/04 I still have the outstanding balance on my phone bill... it was never credited.) Having cancelled the account twice, I did not think anything else of it.

On 3/26/04, I received my monthly bank statement...lo and behold, I somehow had an automatic draft on my checking account of $28.90 from AOL. I NEVER authorized a draft...never gave them my account number, and since I live alone, no one else did either. After arguing w/ Bobby (another 'customer service' guy) and after explaining - at first nicely, then after 4 or so times, quite rudely - that I wanted a refund and A CANCELLATION of the account. He could not explain how they had my account #, but did say that 'no activity had ever been logged on the username'. OF COURSE NOT... I HAD CANCELLED IT TWICE BEFORE!!!

Bobby assured me that they would 'direct deposit' (YEAH RIGHT) the amount they STOLE from my checking account within 10 business days... no, I'm not holding my breath on that one.

I think that this is the biggest scam EVER and from a supposedly 'reputable' company. AOL needs to be put OUT OF BUSINESS and not allowed to start up another under a different name.

In order to make certain they do not steal anymore of my money I have had to close my account & open a new one... if anyone else has had this problem, I would suggest u do the same, otherwise, I believe that this untrustworthy company will continue to rob people blind!

Heather
Dothan, Alabama
U.S.A.