Complaint Review: AOL - Dulles Virginia

How do I file a complaint against AOL? I canceled an temp AOL account that was set up in 5-03. The temp account was established by AOL customer service when I was told I could not reinstate my previous AOL screen names.Only to discover during installation I went to AOL help online and was able to reactivate my old screen names.

Therefore having no need for temp account that was set up for me, I called AOL CS on 5-6-03 and asked that that account be canceled and was told it was taken care of, I followed up by sending a fax to AOL at 1-866-892-7493 by immediate transmittal with a receipt log of their receipt of the fax. So I know they received my fax.

I assumed this matter was taken care of and never thought anything else about my credit card billing transactions which I had authorized for AOL to electronically take from my account. I had twins graduate from high school so I checked my bank statement, (which I usually do not). I checked my statement because I had authorized a great number of charges for their various expenses and I discovered I was double billed by AOL.

I called CS and was informed by a Rep. that I had 2 open accounts, one we use and was authorized the other account number 0168657160 the account I canceled on 5-6-03. Money had been taken from my account the entire past year in the amount of $286.80. I was over billed $286.80 for an account that I followed AOL policy and canceled in accordance to their policy. I was told that there was a note on my account that showed I had called to cancel the account and they dropped the ball and never followed through to cancel my account.

He gave me my account number and said he would transfer me to the cancellation department and advised me to tell them exactly what happened and they should be able to refund all my money. I was transferred to a supervisor named Matthew (A team Lead in Utah I was told by him) I explained my problem in detail. He was rude and really could have cared less about my problem and told me he would refund 4 months of my billing and that was the best he could do.

I ask who his supervisor was and was told he was the end of the line and I get what I get with him. I declined his offer because I was being penalized because AOL double billed me and he wanted to give a third of my money which they took without my permission for a year. I was upset beyond words so I called back to AOL @ 1-800-827-6364 this time I spoke to Madeline, I tried to explain all of this again to her, only mid way through to be told she didn't want to hear anymore that it was my responsibility to check my credit card statements and AOL really only owed me for 2 months of service because that was their policy. She abruptly put me on hold and then my call went to Charles another Rep.

Again we went through the entire story once more, he told me his hands were tied because Matthew made me an offer to settle my complaint and they could not supercede another supervisors decision. After more than an hour on the phone Charles miraculously said he would take this to his supervisor once more and see what he could do. After being on eternal hold he came back and said his supervisor agreed to refund $143.40 and give me six months free service (after I told him to cancel my account). I said fine because I felt no one was going to help me anyway, so I asked that our agreement be sent to me in writing outlining our agreement in detail and was told no problem.

I received an email with no ones name or the senders signature that said AOL would adhere to our agreement, no mention of a refund or the six months of service. On 5-26-04 I still had not been issued a credit on my credit card so I logged on to AOL to check my account and the only credit to my account was for 5 months free service. I was very mad by this point and my tolerance was at near zero, I have Multiple Sclerosis and stress is one of the worst emotions possible for my disease and as a result can cause an exacerbation of the disease process.

I called AOL CS back once again and this time I spoke to Joseph again I went through the song and dance of what happened and what I was told by Charles about a refund. Well guess what he didn't see anything to that effect on my account by did reconfirm just like everyone else I spoke to that they did see I asked to cancel the account on 5-6-03. He said he could only refund me 2 months credits because that was AOL's policy so he'd credit my credit card account $47.80.

I asked to speak to his supervisor who name he refused to give me and the supervisor refused to get on the phone to talk with me. I was put on hold and then a Rep. named Mike picked up my call and he was not Joseph's supervisor and wasn't sure why the call had been transferred. We again went through all the details of what happened who I had spoke with and what I was told and what I had been promised.

I explained their policy that stated a customer only had 2 months to dispute billing issues wasn't my problem and that I suggested before the AOL employees talk down to their customers as if they were ignorant they needed to become more familiar with the law for fraudulent billing practices and the law and liability that applies with contract agreements and when and why a contract is deemed as null and void. I had been told by three employees of AOL that I should check my credit card statement, which wasn't the issue because my financial review is none of their business and if I chose not to monthly check my statement that's my right and privilege.

Evidently I had money in my account every month since they had for a year taken out for two accounts. I explained in great detail that the customer contract was not binding and had became null and void and did not apply to this situation since I had complied with the guidelines of cancellation set forth in their contract. I stated that I resented my first agreement I made with Charles on 5-21-04 and that I would no longer agreed to accept the $143.40 and 6 months service and I wanted all of my $286.80 refunded to my credit card because I had fulfilled my customer agreement to cancel my temp account when I called CS and they confirmed my request to cancel the temp. account when I sent them a immediate received confirmed receipt conformation fax on 5-6-03.

AOL without my permission took $286.80 from my credit card and now they refused to refund my money. I called my bank from my cell phone while on hold once again for the great minds at AOL to talk and try to resolve this issue and was told I could file an Affidavit with them and complaint to the FCC, FCA and Better Business Bureau. Mike send my call to Priscilla AOL Community Action Team Member who once again reviewed my accounts confirmed it should have been canceled on 5-6-03, but then she saw where my account had a credit that would be issued to my CC for $143.40 and $47.80 and said it should post with 72 hours.

Well this was news because that credit according to Priscilla posted on my account just a few minutes before I was connected to her. So at 7:36pm on 5-26-04 It was in my mind confirmed that finally I would received the credit promised to me on 5-21-04 . I asked how I could send a complaint to their legal department at AOL and was given the address, they can't be contacted by phone and no one at AOL will give you full names, "Privacy Issues you know." Never mind that everyone at AOL pulled up my account and could see all my private items like full name, address etc. I told Priscilla enough was enough and I wanted my account canceled because in the beginning I thought a company as reputable as AOL would be able to resolve a double billing issue of less than $300 easily; especially since the error was their mistake. I relayed to her that I refused to continue doing business with such an unethical company.

I was then told I needed to speak with someone in cancellation once again and was transferred to Lisa, we went through the detail of events once more, the who when, what and where that I had been promised the lies and deceit I had already experienced from AOL employees. She asked what would keep me from proceeding in filing a complaint and how AOL could retain me as a customer and I told her the only thing I asked for from the beginning was my money be returned to me in full. Lisa didn't understand so she elated to me why this wasn't handled by the first person, and said she was submitting a request for the remaining $96.80 be credited to my account. With the three credits that had been promised now finally I would have been given a full refund and I only wasted 4 hours of my time to get it and experienced a multitude of stress and frustration.

Lisa gave me her email address and said if I had anymore problems to contact her and that would help me avoid all the run around from everyone else at AOL. On 5-28-04 I had not received the two remaining promised credits to my credit card, so I sent Lisa an email and received no response. Surprised? hardly. I followed up with a second email to Lisa on 6-1-04 in my email I demanded a response by the end of the day. I received a response that said she was going to look into this and that she was working 1-10pm and would get back to me that day as far as the status of my account credits.

She did tell me she was off on Monday and that was why she hadn't responded to my first email. Then today on 6-2-04 I received a second email from Lisa @ [email protected] that said she wasn't authorized to call me back an answer my questions as to why I had not received my credit card refunds as promised and was told to contact the billing department directly at 1-800-265-8003. More run-a-round; why I don't know and at this point I don't care to keep calling and wasting my time, effort or energy to recover money that was taken from me without my consent. Since this transaction was accomplished electronically I feel this indicates a willful and intentional violation of FCC regulations. AOL act was both unethical but an illegal practice and needs to be cited and resolved.

I want to confirm this email as my intent of filing a formal complaint against AOL for fraudulent billing practices. As previously outlined AOL violated the Federal Law by taking money from my bank account that was unauthorized. I expect a full refund from AOL in the amount of $286.80. I plan to explore my rights for monetary restitution through civil litigation, AOL disregarded my request because they feel they are a big company and I am only one person which for them will prove to be a big mistake. I am only one person, but I refuse to be taken advantage of and cheated out of what is my right to a full refund. I plan to forward this complaint to the FCA and Better Business Bureau and file the Affidavit at my bank against AOl. Please advise me if there is anything else I need to do with your agency to submit this complaint.

Please help me I am at my wits end and I am not calling AOL again to try an reach an amendable resolution and I'm sure after reading my entire complaint you can see why.

Thank You,

Debra

Knoxville, Tennessee
U.S.A.

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