2000 MyPoints for AOL
Jun 8, 2003 | 8:35 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,620
The easiest way to deal with AOL, or other recurring charge services you're not sure you want to keep after the trial period (or pretty much any other online merchant) is to generate and use a temporary, limited time, limited amount credit card number to sign up with. They're not going to be able to continue charging your card number after it expires in a month or so and you can specify the limit that can be charged against it. Several banks offer credit cards with this feature.
And as for AOL specifically, no one can force you to go through any sort of lengthy cancellation process. You call, id yourself and tell them you wish to cancel and then you've will have complied with the terms of the agreement. You can always hang up if they're wasting your time. And if you gave them an time/value limited CC number at sign up, you won't have to worry about charges if they ignore your cancellation request.
[This message has been edited by Quokka (edited 06-08-2003).]
And as for AOL specifically, no one can force you to go through any sort of lengthy cancellation process. You call, id yourself and tell them you wish to cancel and then you've will have complied with the terms of the agreement. You can always hang up if they're wasting your time. And if you gave them an time/value limited CC number at sign up, you won't have to worry about charges if they ignore your cancellation request.
[This message has been edited by Quokka (edited 06-08-2003).]
Jun 10, 2003 | 8:31 pm
#17
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Friday Harbor, WA - DL Platinum, CO Platinum, MR Platinum, HH Gold
Posts: 67
A warning to anyone considering this offer...
If you currently use AOL Instant Messenger and have a user name - do NOT associate it to your free account. If you do so, and then cancel, they will take away your AOL Instant Messenger name - even if you had it for years before the free trial.
This happened to a colleague of mine who spent over an hour on the phone fighting with them and still had to change her Instant Messenger name... She was royally pissed!
Jennifer
If you currently use AOL Instant Messenger and have a user name - do NOT associate it to your free account. If you do so, and then cancel, they will take away your AOL Instant Messenger name - even if you had it for years before the free trial.
This happened to a colleague of mine who spent over an hour on the phone fighting with them and still had to change her Instant Messenger name... She was royally pissed!
Jennifer
Jun 12, 2003 | 12:03 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NYC/Singapore
Programs: UA 1K, HH Diamond
Posts: 218
I got the 2000 points about 50 business days (almost 2 months) after downloading AOL initially and signing on at another computer.
Surprisingly, the points posted by themselves 1 week after I cancelled the trial. I called AOL and went through a relatively painless cancellation process by stating my brother already signed up for AOL at our place (actually true though we've had it for years and I dl'ed this at work).
Surprisingly, the points posted by themselves 1 week after I cancelled the trial. I called AOL and went through a relatively painless cancellation process by stating my brother already signed up for AOL at our place (actually true though we've had it for years and I dl'ed this at work).
Jun 14, 2003 | 9:41 pm
#19
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Jacksonville, FL USA
Programs: USAir, NW, Hilton, Marriott
Posts: 864
[QUOTE]Originally posted by ethereality:
It's a good thing I was paying attention. Also, make sure not to sign in again once it's cancelled/done, because it'll automatically reboot your account and make it active again.
Just so you know, as the person who USE to be on the other end helping to "extend your membership benefits by giving you a month or two to try out new keywords", it isn't a great way to spend your time on the phone in a call center. The way the script is set up, they have to hear you say now AT LEAST 3 times. Some key things to know: 1. Get a confirmation number, 2. Ask when your bill date WAS to be and then 3. make sure you change the password while on the phone with the Customer service Rep and 4. uninstall the program at least 2 days prior to the bill date. If the program was only on one computer and only one person knew the information on the account, it is not as likely that the account is accidentally signed on due to a saved password and the program still lurking on your computer.
One last thing, it is imperative that you have all the following info when you call. This allows the CSR to make sure you know enough about your account information to validate you are the owner of the account:
1. Call from the number you listed on the account - they have caller ID and it will show up and get to your account quicker;
2. Know the exact address you have on the account, and you must state the state (even though most people know Las vegas is in Nevada, there may be another po-dunk town in Wyoming with the same name);
3. Have the last 4 digits of the CC you used (if you put one in) - that is all the rep sees - just an FYI, your credit info is safe;
4. Know the name that you put as the main person on the CC or phone number. I can't tell you how many people have put MICKEY MOUSE as the billing contact so they don't get junk mail. By knowing and stating you are the billing contact (and you know what the name was you put in as the billing contact), you will save time at cancelling your account.
[This message has been edited by KahunaJax2anywhere (edited 06-14-2003).]
It's a good thing I was paying attention. Also, make sure not to sign in again once it's cancelled/done, because it'll automatically reboot your account and make it active again.
Just so you know, as the person who USE to be on the other end helping to "extend your membership benefits by giving you a month or two to try out new keywords", it isn't a great way to spend your time on the phone in a call center. The way the script is set up, they have to hear you say now AT LEAST 3 times. Some key things to know: 1. Get a confirmation number, 2. Ask when your bill date WAS to be and then 3. make sure you change the password while on the phone with the Customer service Rep and 4. uninstall the program at least 2 days prior to the bill date. If the program was only on one computer and only one person knew the information on the account, it is not as likely that the account is accidentally signed on due to a saved password and the program still lurking on your computer.
One last thing, it is imperative that you have all the following info when you call. This allows the CSR to make sure you know enough about your account information to validate you are the owner of the account:
1. Call from the number you listed on the account - they have caller ID and it will show up and get to your account quicker;
2. Know the exact address you have on the account, and you must state the state (even though most people know Las vegas is in Nevada, there may be another po-dunk town in Wyoming with the same name);
3. Have the last 4 digits of the CC you used (if you put one in) - that is all the rep sees - just an FYI, your credit info is safe;
4. Know the name that you put as the main person on the CC or phone number. I can't tell you how many people have put MICKEY MOUSE as the billing contact so they don't get junk mail. By knowing and stating you are the billing contact (and you know what the name was you put in as the billing contact), you will save time at cancelling your account.
[This message has been edited by KahunaJax2anywhere (edited 06-14-2003).]
Jun 16, 2003 | 5:41 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: New York (EWR,LGA); CO Gold, HH Diamond, SPG Gold, Avis Pref Select
Posts: 22
This took 2 months for the points to finally post. I wrote mypoints after about 45 days and they wanted an email from customer service to manually credit the points. I never did get the email from AOL. Luckily the points credited after 2 months on their own.
Sep 23, 2003 | 4:36 pm
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1999
Posts: 46,817
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ethereality:
I second this! I signed up because I needed dialup service for less than a month and because memolink.com was offering some bonus points for trying it out too. But today I tried to cancel, and they kept trying to get me to resign up, to take a few bonus months to "explore more keywords", etc, etc. I kept saying, "No, I am certain I want to cancel today". The last thing the woman I was speaking with says is "So, I'll go ahead and sign you up for an extra couple of months..." even after I had said about a dozen times that I was sure I didn't want to. Finally I said "Please cancel me TODAY" and she went through, suddenly sounding much less nice than she was just a moment before. Got me a cancellation number and everything. If I wasn't convinced of their sliminess before...</font>
I second this! I signed up because I needed dialup service for less than a month and because memolink.com was offering some bonus points for trying it out too. But today I tried to cancel, and they kept trying to get me to resign up, to take a few bonus months to "explore more keywords", etc, etc. I kept saying, "No, I am certain I want to cancel today". The last thing the woman I was speaking with says is "So, I'll go ahead and sign you up for an extra couple of months..." even after I had said about a dozen times that I was sure I didn't want to. Finally I said "Please cancel me TODAY" and she went through, suddenly sounding much less nice than she was just a moment before. Got me a cancellation number and everything. If I wasn't convinced of their sliminess before...</font>
FWIW...
AOL Settles Charges of Unfair Practices
America Online and federal regulators have settled charges of unfair practices. The Federal Trade Commission had accused AOL of continuing to charge customers who had asked to be canceled. Meanwhile, the company's Compuserve subsidiary was charged for failing to deliver promised rebates.
The complaint against AOL charged that customer service representatives would try to persuade consumers to change their minds about canceling service. And that the company failed to ensure that cancellation requests were properly handled...
...The consent agreement requires that the companies change the way they handle such situations.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/busi...P-FTC-AOL.html