The Retropoet
The "AOL SUCKS" Page
I wrote them a letter detailing my problems, but they have not responded.
Here is my basic complaint. I was new to the web, as are most people who take advantage of AOL's freely distributed software offering some number of free hours. It was way easier to sign up than it was to cancel. They did not have enough people monitoring what was going on, so that much piracy was taking place. I feel that I did not get my free hours, that they charged me for the first month. Eventually I was charged for three months, one month at a time. After initiating a charge back to AOL through my credit card company, AOL eventually gave me some credit, but not all. They have yet to respond to a letter that they had to sign for to receive. It is my opinion that any action they take is for publicity purposes only, and have nothing to do with a true concern for the welfare of their customers. Please note that all these bad things happened immediately before AOL began their $19.95 unlimited rates, which unleashed for them a whole 'nother set of problems, which they have not dealt with in a businesslike manner, either. A copy of the letter I wrote them follows:
AOL Customer Relations
8619 Westwood Center Drive
Vienna, VA,
22182
RE: Cancelled account (dblademn@aol.com)
We bought our first IBM clone-type computer around August
16, 1996. Shortly after that, about August 20, 1996, we
opened an account with AOL using the e-mail address
dblademn@aol. It was one of those promotional discs for,
I believe, 30 free hours.
We were keeping our own individual log and I believe that
we cancelled the account in a timely manner and before a
month had passed. We did this by going to the cancel
page while online. I do not know the exact date that we
cancelled. It was, I think, on 9/12/96, give or take a
day. The reason I do not know the exact day is that we
opened the other account at Prodigy first, and used it
for a couple of days before going back and cancelling at
your company, AOL.
It was not until months later that someone mentioned to
me that I was supposed to get a confirmation from you
and some kind of documentation. That was not done, and
I have no proof that I did what I say I did. In the
meantime, we joined Prodigy for a while, cancelled that,
and now are members of Sprynet (dblademn@sprynet.com).
When I signed on, my first try was aborted. I was
reading the agreement (the 'small print') when I got cut
off, including receiving the 'goodbye' sound from AOL. I
was brand-new to the net then, and am still quite
ignorant, so I do not know if it was AOL that cut me off,
or part of the software that cuts in when there is no
activity for 5 minutes or whatever length of time. So,
the next time I tried, I breezed through without
studying the small print in fear of being cut off again.
Then, when an AOL charge appeared on our statement
after we had already cancelled, my wife said that she
had heard from a friend that AOL was deceiptful, and
that the "free" hours were not given until the second
month, and that they charged everyone. I was
understandably upset, but resolved to bite the "bullet"
and forge on, and resolving also to boycott and
badmouth AOL from then on. One month later, another
billing from AOL appeared on our statement.
This was unacceptable. I grabbed my trusty browser and
surfed on over to AOL. I did it this way because I had
no address or phone number (except the one for signing
up). I had deleted all my AOL software. As I said, I
surfed over to AOL and filled out some forms at some
techie site or whatever, reitterating that I had
cancelled the account. Foolishly, perhaps, I did not
keep a written record of what I said there, nor to what
department I was talking. If cancelling is so simple,
why can't I get cancelled? Again, I was civil in that
communication, as civil as I am in this communication.
And, again, I made the mistake of thinking that what I
had done would be enough. Now, a third billing has
appeared on my statement. In addition, I received a
call from AOL's illustrious billing department. I do not
know what the subject of the call was, because they
called at five or ten minutes before 9:00 P.M. (CST).
These are not your normal business hours. I am sorry to
say that I lost my temper, swore at the clerk, who
should have been calling Japan at that hour, yelled
CANCEL! CANCEL! CANCEL! and hung up. I guess that
makes three attempts to cancel, now. I am writing to
you now. I am saving this document. Maybe even posting
it on my web page. I am sending this document via
registered mail. I am officially asking you to cancel my
account if you have not already done so. And I am
begging for some corporate kowtowing. Make me feel
better. Credit those charges. Mail or e-mail me an
apology, resolving to make it even easier to cancel an
account. Inform people new to the net and new to AOL
that they should get a response when they cancel, and
they should print it out (get a hardcopy). This is my
4th attempt to cancel my AOL account. This is my first
attempt to try to get credit from you for those charges.
I have called my credit card company and informed them
that AOL and I do not agree, and at least one charge is
being contested.
In summary, I ask you to check to make sure that my
account is cancelled. I ask you to credit me for all
charges you have made against my account. I ask you to
have your people make necessary calls during regular
hours whenever possible. Leave a message on an
answering machine once in a while. That is what they are
for. Do this in the name of public relations, Lord
knows, your company could use some.
To start the ball rolling, I apologize to the unknown
lady who called our residence at that late hour. I
should have kept my temper. There are no excuses. I am
sorry.
Sincerely,
[retropoet]
P. S. Aren't you glad I did not mention the thieves
who try to steal one's password, something I have seen
nowhere else on the web, just on AOL?
Update: 10:38 PM 5/19/97, After charging me for 3 months usage, I complained to my credit card company, who charged AOL back. AOL would only allow credit for two of the months. They never, EVER, talked to me or wrote to me. I did not receive a free month, so in my opinion, AOL is quilty of false advertising and fraud, as well as the usual big business GREED thing. They belong behind bars.
Thank You For Your Time
Background Credits
AOL Sucks / Retropoet / Geocities / retropoet@oocities.com / revised December, 1998