Beware of AOL's fine print

[expertec]

I guess you all hate Microsoft as well?

[andsome]

No. I bet there would be a lot less computers about without Microsoft

[expertec]

Maybe, but how can you NOT hate a company that has caused so much bother?

[andsome]

Maybe, but how can you NOT hate a company that has caused so much bother?

I would say that most of the bother has been caused by virus writers, hackers, phishers, and other sundry idiots.

[Scarecrow Man]

It is not Microsoft's fault for security breaches, nor is it AOL's fault for billing dead people. Large companies tend to ignore facts (and sometimes people) that represent a small part of thier customer base. I imagine that there are over 1,000,000 people on AOL (guestimate) and of those 1,000,000 let's say 1,000 have a problem. That's .1%. Now, as a large corporation anything under 10% is a write off. anything 10-50% will be looked over briefly and left alone (most of the time) but if it's over 50% then they will have a problem.

This is the same with a recall. If A (cost of repair) + B (cost of recall) is more than C (cost of lawsuits) a recall is not done.

These are all opinions, and I have no evidence to back any of it up.

[deuces wild]

It is not Microsoft's fault for security breaches, nor is it AOL's fault for billing dead people.

It is AOL's fault for billing people after they quit (and properly notified) AOL. Why do you think class action lawsuits are happening in various States in the US?

[Scarecrow Man]

It is not Microsoft's fault for security breaches, nor is it AOL's fault for billing dead people.

It is AOL's fault for billing people after they quite (and properly notified) AOL. Why do you think class action lawsuits are happening in various States in the US?

Well it's like I said above. If it's a small percentage or does not affect AOL themselves, they (or any other large corporation) generally ignores it. Doing things through a collection agency also takes some of the control out of thier hands as well.

[deuces wild]

I don't think it is a small percentage. It is AOL's SOP to continue with the billing if all the i's are not dotted and t's crossed with the cancellation.

Try to cancel the service....you won't believe the forceful sales pitches you have to overcome.

Do a search and see if you can find a mailing address or cancellation phone number for AOL. Pretty tough to confirm a cancellation without a mailing address or phone number....all of which is obviously deliberate.

I was one of the many that was burned by the service, so I guess I have some credibility on the matter.

BTW: I should have said "quit", not "quite".

[CurlyWhirly]

To know more about CPA look at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/moneybox/2099270.stm

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=256

http://www.naafi-financial.com/news/news.asp?ID=37

With all due respect, the above links that you mention are all related to credit card payments, I have never used a credit card to pay AOL in the 3 years that I have been with them.

I was paying by a debit card and it was because I heard of these 'scare stories' that I requested that AOL change from debit card payments to direct debit payments, which they did around 6 months ago.

Even when I had been paying by debit card, I queried with my internet bank how difficult it would be to cancel a monthly payment if there was a dispute, and the bank said that all I had to do was inform them that I was destroying the debit card in question (by cutting it in half) and then they would send me out a new debit card with a different card number and expiry date.

I always tend to defend AOL for 2 reasons:

1. I have never had any trouble with them and they have only been too eager to help me when I have queries. (Ask Djohn about all my questions on another forum :lol: )

2. If it wasn't for the fact that I saw an AOL advert on the tv over 3 years ago, I don't think that I would be online today, as even though I used to use a home computer (a long time ago now) by the name of the Amiga, I had never been online before and as AOL were like an internet 'nanny' to me, that is what sort of 'broke the ice' and even though I know a bit more now then I did then, I am staying put as I have no reason to change ISP's yet :rolleyes:

Finally I have pasted some ISP info from ISP review and it shows that in the UK, AOL is currently the third most popular ISP.

If they were really as bad as the scare stories suggest, then surely a lot of customers would have deserted them by now :unsure:

Top ISPs By Users

No. - ISP NAME - Subscribers

1. BT Retail (2,791,000)

2. Wanadoo (2,400,000)

3. AOL UK (2,300,000)

4. NTL (2,085,000)

5. Tiscali (1,694,000)

6. Telewest BY (774,163)

7. Breathe (630,000)

8. Clara.net (450,000)

9. Brightview (300,000)

10. Pipex (250,000)

Updated: 16/03/2005

I am going to continue to use AOL until I feel the need for a change of ISP.

Live and let live I say, simply stick with the ISP that you are comfortable with :)

[mark2]

My 1st online experience was via AOL, their handholding methods are, I suppose, a bit like M$ and PCs, perfectly fine until you want to go your own way.

In that way they are ideal for first timers to the internet.

regarding the uninstalling I had no problems removing their software or closing my account on changing to cable, (at the time they didn't offer BB).