AOL Overbilling

You're not the first (or last) to have problems with AOL. The same thing happened to me when my wife hit the link about a second account and they tried charging us for two accounts. I remember I just called them and they fixed the problem.

Trying to get AOL to stop billing your card (debit, credit, whatever) is hell. They tell you they will stop and they keep on.

We switched over to Cox.net and cancelled AOL. We had already paid in advance for that month so we still had access to our AOL account for a couple of weeks. The guy told me, and I'm glad he did, that if someone tries to access our old AOL account after the end of the billing date, they will automatically reactivate the account and start billing again.

My wife use to work for Amex. She would get calls all the time from people wondering why there are still charges from AOL for monthly service charges on their card since they've cancelled AOL. Turns out AOL would never cease billing until there was an act of God.

Good luck with your problem. Cancelling your card(s) would be one solution but I'm not sure it's the best solution.

 

The only way to get AOL's attention is to cancel their service. they will transfer you to someone who willmove heaven and earth 9and maybe straighten out the problem in the process) to keep you on.

 

I had the exact same experience but they wouldn't give me a credit for it. I called my credit card company and disputed it as a fradulent charge and got the money back. And I'm never getting AOL anytime again b/c of that experience.

 

DON'T CANCEL THE CARDS...just get a new number...AND charge the double charges BACK!!!

I got MSN free for 6 months (WITH NEW LAPTOP)...LONG STORY SHORT...had to cancel again and again...charges kept on coming...AMEX BLUE did chargback after chargeback...I GOT FULL CREDIT...but it was a HASSLE!!!

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY E-MAILS I SENT...SNAIL MAIL...AMEX BLUE EVEN SENT THEM A LETTER THAT THE SERVICE WAS CANCELED MONTHS BEFORE!!!

THEY GIVE 6 MONTHS FREE...BUT WON'T LET YOU CANCEL!!!

I DIDN'T EVEN USE IT AFTER I GOT BACK FROM VACATION IN CA...(SHIPPED THE LAPTOP TO CA)

 

I had aol back in 1995 or so..before my credit took a dump. AOL overbilled me (on my citibank card), I called Citibank and they had already reversed the charge..told me they get that from AOL all the time, and that they monitored all AOL charges at that point in time.
I cancelled the AOL account right then.
apparently even back then their billing dept was being run by idiots.

 

Run by idiots?

Hardly. It's quite deliberate.

 

haha ok, i can agree with that.

i almost said 'run by noone' because back then at least..you never could find anyone who knew about billing problems.

 

A chargeback is simply taking the charge on one credit card account and rebilling it back to the merchant's bank thus crediting the cardmembers credit card account and costing the merchant fees and the chance to lose their ability to accept credit cards.(Not sure why AOL hasn't yet)

The problem with AOL (I work on chargebacks for Bank One) is that regardless if they are billing you for one, two, three accts etc, each account is what the Banks would consider a previously authorized charge. I.E. we can't call AOL for you since it is a proprietary account the cardmember is left having to cancel even though we will assist you by confrence calling the merchant for you etc, but you must first cancel the service.

The cardmember first has to call AOL. Cancel with AOL all accounts unless you decide to keep the main account. DO NOT accept a downsell offer to keep AOL for free for two months etc, as this problem will just be prolonged a few months down the road. Document the date you call to cancel ask for a confirmation number if at all possible document whom you spoke with as well.

Call your credit card company, write them as well include all of the above information and any pertinent charge information also try to sign your letter. if you consider the charges to be unauthorized please say so, i.e. don't say "did not make" "no recollection of" Signature is mandatory if you state unauthorized.

Your credit card bank in this case has three options for chargeback depending on this specific situation more are available thats why it is also helpful to be very detailed in your writing your dispute letter, but also be clear on what you dispute.

1.) Cancelled recurring transaction noted as a RC 41--requires date of cancellation and can only be used for charges posting after you cancelled.
2.)Unauthorized--RC 61, the bank specifically needs you to state the words unauthorized and they must have your signature on the same letter or the chargeback is invalid for mo/to charges that someone did not authorize such as in other accounts, this is the appropriate step to take.
3.) Duplicate charges RC 82 this is the easiest chargeback to process but not always guaranteed as if the merchant bank can come back and prove that there were two separate charges for two separate accounts etc then the charges are then considered valid regardless if they were permitted/acknowledged or not(note I did not use the word authorized--as in Visa/MC terminology authorized does not mean permission but rather it means no relationship at all--no merchandise or services were received card was in your posession at all times, someone authorized to use your account did not make the charge etc...Sometimes a loophole can be found under RC 82 as Visa/MC requires the merchant to provide valid sales drafts but since AOL is a Mo/to(mail order/telephone order) charge no sales drafts exist so in this technicality usually the issuing Bank wins 9 times out of 10.

To preserve your billing rights you must contact the bank officially by 118(Visa)-120(Mastercard) days--even though Reg Z requires 60 days from the date of the statement in which the charges first appeared. I feel bad for those that don't scrutinize their statements monthly because usually it is too late to assist with the past charges that are beyond time frames when the cardmember discovers they have been charged for two years. Your credit card bank can not suggest to you to seek legal action against the merchant but we usually do then refer the cardmember back to the merchant for a favorable resolution.(if PTL)

I hope this info helps out.

Jeremy

PS These rules do not apply to AE or Discovercard as they have their own internal rules and regulations they follow. They are still bound by Reg Z but as for Chargeback requirements they do differ, so it is also dependant on what type of card association you are using or the charges are being billed two. Visa and MC differ but are similar in many ways. The above was just a generalization on how the process works--i.e. the Readers Digest version for further assistance contact your issuing banks Dispute department, which will be better to assist you.

 

Oh by the way for Visa and MasterCard AOL has the right to continue to charge your account until you stop the charges. Also changing a credit card does not prevent the merchant from charging you, as more than likely your accounts are linked. Authorization fails on your closed account but the authorization will be granted on the new card. If the accounts are linked and then well you will begin to see the charges reappear on the new account. this is because technically until you cancel the charges are considered previously authorized. Now I do know at Bank One, our fraud department can place a hard block on all accounts but I think that it can only be done if it is determined that fraud has occured on your account. Please check with your bank and ask before setting up a new account as if the previous authorized charges will continue its just as easy to keep the current card open and call to cancel. Also a chatrgeback is supposed to stop all pre-auth charges from reappering in the future. I believe if you close an account due to fraud the old account will have a notation for up to two years on your credit report.