I have a friend who once had the same AOL problem. Her bank account was *closed*, the bank still allowed the drafts even though the account was closed, charged her NSF charges, since her closed account had been emptied when it was closed, sent the whole deal to collections, really screwed up her credit. People frequently shut down bank accounts when they move. The bank doesn't get their forwarding address because they closed the account before they moved, and so they only find out about AOL continuing deductions after it gets to the point where the bank chases them down. I would never get AOL. If you can't get them out of your computer, how are you going to get them out of your pocket? -ingenue
I cancelled AOL via a phone call. I was not given a confirmation # nor did I know at the time that I needed one. I had no reason (yet) not to trust them to do what they said they would do. I did not use AOL anylonger. I subscribed to Earthlink. I had moved and wasn't getting anything from my bank. I was using a new bank account. I thought that I knew what was in my account since I wasn't initiating any transactions for this account. I have definitely learned my lesson! I do recall (and it is still doing this) that I would log on with Earthlink and AOL would somehow take over. I was using Earthlink's software and dial up connection, not AOL's. It's wierd to describe. I have also tried to delete AOL from my computer, but it seems to rebuild itself. I even called after cancelling and asked how to get AOL off of my computer since I had cancelled it and didn't need it anymore. The guy told me to use the uninstall feature. This person saw my account and didn't say anything about "oh no your account is not canceled." Since canceling AOL, and uninstalling it, I still have several AOL icons on my computer. One of which recently placed itself directly(but off to the side alittle) behind my internet explorer icon. If I do not double click my internet explorer icon just so, I would instead click on the RETRY AOL ICON. Sick @@cks! By the way, I am a she, not a he. My screen name, sirrowan, was the name of my favorite doberman that I had to "put down" in 1998. His name will live on! (I know, I'm goofy).
Okay, how does it work on a cc? Can you dispute more efficiently? Can you just close that acct and open another one (say you lost the card or something?
My friend (who works at Earthlink) says to call Earthlink customer service to get their help in getting AOL out of your computer. They get a lot of calls about it. AOL customer service will tell you they're helping,when their advice, at best, does nothing, and at worst, entrenches the AOL virus more deeply into your computer. -ingenue
AOL software is not a virus that is perpetually on your machine--- however the fact is is that if you want to uninstall it and delete it you do need to use the uninstall software from the add remove software and then it is always helpful to do yet another search on files with the word aol or aol related files. It does work like a champ. However, AOL (like many other software out there available on the net) can have options of it downloaded without your express knowledge when you are downloading or using an additional piece of software. Really the only way you know this is to either scour the terms of agreement or see if once you install aol has shortcuts also installed on your pc. Also-- in order to cancel AOL or cancelling AOL has really nothing to do with any software on your pc. You can have all the versisions of AOL on your pc and still not pay for AOL service. As for the posters original problem, I think one poster mentioned it--- AOL is generally the easiest place to get reversal charges. I deal with AOL on a professional basis (no I do not work for AOL itself) and I am shocked how often they do give free service and credits.
Lucky2day: You claim AOL is not a virus, but say it loads itself on your computer withiout your knowledge. We all know it cannot be deleted. It keeps popping up no matter how many times I delete it. I have spent hours trying to get rid of it - it never goes away. I think I will to continue to call it a virus. I have a son who uses the computer. We now have Comcast. When he attempts to do a normal login on Comcast, the AOL icon pops up and says to click to sign on. It is nautural for him to do so. Combine that with the letter from AOL saying that if you ever want to sign up with them again, just click the icon to automatically sign up, and I see a real problem. Wha AOL does should be illegal. I will not buy a computer with its software preinstalled, nor will I ever install it on my computer. Sooner or later, they will pay for their deception and unethical business practices. By the way, I am a casual user of the computer, not a computer geek. I am sure someone can get rid of it, but I can't, and neither can my friends. It should be easy to dispose of.
Re: Karen Probably depending on what Operating System you are running (Win98, Win2000, WinXP, WinME, etc etc) there are settings that would need to be changed within your browser files that will rid the problem of AOL continiously popping up on your machine. Also, it will help if you delete adapter files which are affiliated with AOL. If you would like additional information please feel free to email me. I believe I have my email turned on. Personally myself I use aol for junkmail.. and partly because I have a complimentary account. To be honest on a technical side, AOL software is as cumbersome as it is because it is primarily based on trying to make everything (including possible deletions) easier on the customer. For others AOL is not an answer. Personally, I would never choose to browse or utilize the program unless I use the email on newsgroups message boards like this when I try to protect my everyday email addresses from spam.
Re: Karen This is somewhat on topic -- I was told that the isp addresses that show in newsgroup posts are interchangeable among aol subscribers. That is, if I see a post with say 250.25.25.2 (a made up # not someone's real isp) and that post is signed "J.ERK" and a day or two later I see a post with the identical #'s signed "K.Troll", that they could be two different people?? Another creditnetter who knows how antediluvian I am about computers informed me that I was mistaken to attribute a common identity based on a common isp # when it was an AOL isp.
Re: Karen This is really a rather simple problem to solve. You need to look at your system tray (that line of icons at the lower right hand corner/bottom of your screen). There you should see an AOL icon. Right clik on that and I think then you click on either PREFERENCES, TOOLS or OPTIONS. Therein you will find a button to deselect that will stop that window from opening asking you (or your son) whether or not you want to access AOL. Hawg Hanner
Re:IP Addresses IP addresses are assigned to ISPs pretty much in bulk. When someone dials into their ISP the ISP throws them an IP address. In most cases (including high speed online services), these IP addresses are dynamic-- which means that they change. It is not the author of the message that is choosing the IP address. It is the server. A company such as AOL, AT&T, RoadRunner, etc etc could not possibly assign IP addresses to every subscriber. It would be a maintenance nightmare. So just because you see someone posting who maybe a troll that does not mean that the next troll who may be coming from an AOL IP is the exact same person. It means they are both utilizing AOL. Case in point, I use RoadRunner. RoadRunner has IP address, similar to Earthlink, that are considered Class A addresses. That means that there are hundreds of thousands of possibilities and derviations based on the IP address blocks assigned to these companies. The same goes for AOL. This must be the case so that AOL, Earthlink, Mindspring, RoadRunner, etc etc can have as many subscribers as they do. My university on the other hand has a smaller allotment of possible addresses since there is not a need for them to have hundreds of thousands of addresses.
Re: HawgHanner In order for Karen and others to completely remove AOL from their system they will have to do more than just remove the icon from their icon tray or disable the properties there. AOL utilizes network adapters commonly seen as AOL Adapter, AOL DialUP Adapter, amongst other pieces of software that would need to be removed which can be done but then would probably reinstall on the reboot. Without going through the registry (which I would NOT advice anyone to do unless they are very computer literate and comfortable since editing the registry can cause various issues if one is not informed) would solve the long term issue. Many files can be deleted as well as a good thorough uninstall through Win Add/Remove Software through just searching through the files within your pc. As I stated before it is also easy to remove and edit settings through IE so (tools, internet options, connections) that AOL is not dialed when the software is trying to access the internet.
Re: HawgHanner another option is to disable those adapters via the controll panel/hardware manager....
Re: HawgHanner My point is that it should be reasonably easy to remove a program you no longer want. I have many hours invested in this, have gotten a lot of suggestions from other people, and no success. It is wrong for them to play these tricks. Their stock has tumbled. I hope they go under. Just a good example of what is wrong with some corporations. If they are as good as they say, why do they have to play all these games and tricks? No doubt someone out there can delete AOL. I can't. As I said a couple weeks ago, I even tried fromatting the hard drive and starting over. It came back. And, this is a new computer and I have never used AOL on it. I now use Comcast. If they follow through with their merger with AOL, I will be looking for a new IP.
Re: HawgHanner I was not giving Karen advice on how to remove AOL from her computer. She metioned in a previoius post that every time she logs onto the Internet via her ISP, AOL pops up with a window asking the user if they would like to connect to AOL. My instructions, which were to right click on the AOL logal in the system tray at the bottom of the screen and to the right, would effectively disable that message. After removing the shortcuts to AOL on her computer (since she's having problems removing the program itself) and disabling this pop-up window from appearing, she won't have to worry about her son unintentionally logging onto AOL and getting charged more money. I hope that was clear. Hawg Hanner
Re: Re:IP Addresses I guess I feel "dumb & dumber"-- if you are on AOL, and what you are saying means that your isp posted # changes, then how come ALL your posts from the beginning through today have the SAME # (24.93.67.226) I have NEVER seen a different posted # from several regular other posters whom I KNOW are on AOL, including the lovely lady who told me I was mistaken about two different troll posters being the same person because their posted isp #'s were the same.
I am not asking for free service. I want them to reverse, in their system, that I owe them money and to not send it to collections.
Here is my update. And I need advice! I sent a letter to the President of the bank. I received a written reponse throught the mail from the "President" Monday. The letter stated that they are not unsimpathetic to my situation, however, they will split the fees with me, notify Chex systems that the nsf fees have been paid, and I would voluntarily close my account. Weird: I talked to someone in accounting to find out the president's name so I could send the letter and also the names of board members. I was told his name (naturally it was a he) and told that he was out of the office until Tuesday. So how did he repond to my letter? Anyway these terms are unacceptable to me. I have an old cc reporting on my credit report as a charge off that was my ex-husband's from this credit union. I sent a validation letter to them back in August. They have never validated. I realize that they are considered the original creditor, but since they received my letter, are they required to notify the CRA's that the tradeline is in dispute? I think that they are going to verify this account just to be malicious. Does anyone think that I have a leg to stand on regarding not notifying the CRA's that this account is in dispute?
Yes they are required to notify credit bureau. This is covered under the FCRA which extends to OC's. They also are covered under the FCRA "Responsibilities of information providers" to supply accurate information to CRA's and update the information if they determine through investigation that it is incorrect prompted by the consumer. You need to become very familiar with the FCRA, and use it to your advantage.
