America Online graciously supplies those free CDs that lie in supermarket, free-publication bins and around apartment mailboxes all across the country. These CDs grant free Internet access during a free trial, usually for 3 months, and provide relief to many who need to get on the Internet to find a cheap Internet Service Provider. While it is very generous of AOL to provide free trials, if you do decide after your time is up to cancel your membership, you will hear many horror stories about how hard it is to cancel an AOL account. With a few tips, you will not become one of those horror stories.
First, gather all your account information together. Since AOL does not allow online canceling, you will have to have your user name, password, and personal information handy. Make sure the name of the master account is the person calling, or the call will be futile. You can also cancel via postal mail, but you will incur all charges until they receive and process the request, so calling is the best option. Don’t call on your cell phone- it may take more time than you’re willing to pay for. Call their toll free customer service number 1-888-265-8008. This phone number will put you in touch with a customer service representative.
Inform the customer service representative that you would like to cancel your free trial. They will then ask why.
At this point, you have several options.
You can give an excuse, such as “I lost my job and can’t pay for it” or “I’m moving somewhere else” or “The web browser gets on my nerves”. As you do this, the AOL representatives are trained to come up with solutions to the problems so that AOL can keep you as a customer. They will offer a few more free weeks or months if you can’t pay, offer to set up the account in your new home, or inform you of other web browsing options while keeping your account. You can continue the banter with them, even accept the more free months offer, but then you’ll have to go through this all over again when that time is up.
You can inform the customer service rep that you switched to one of their competitors. This will result in both the aforementioned problem solving sequence, as well as a bargaining for lower rates.
You can refuse to give a reason, simply being stern about canceling your account, no matter what they say. This is most likely to get results, since there will be apparently no changing your mind, and AOL will have lost you as a customer, no questions asked.
AOL will send a confirmation letter to your home address with a cancellation code and the date that it occurred. Make sure to ask the representative to do so if they do not mention the letter.
Monitor any billing action on your credit card that you used to sign up for the free trial to ensure that you’re not being charged past your cancellation date. If you find yourself in such a predicament, dispute the charges through your credit card company, who will investigate it for you. Remember, you will incur all charges that are above and beyond the free trial, so expect to see charges on your credit card up to 30 days after from AOL if you used an extra service or extended your time after the free trial.
