AOL - accepted offer for 1000 hours of free internet access - cover read no credit card required, but one was required after all

# 29 for May 25, 2002

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on May 24, 2002:

From: Email User RE: AOL - accepted offer for 1000 hours of free internet access - cover read no credit card required, but one was required after all I received a free trial AOL cd in the mail, offering 1000 hour free internet access, on the cover it promised no credit card required, but during the set up, it still asked for my credit card, I don't feel comfortable with it, so I entered the credit card number with a fake expiration date.

This morning when I log into my account, supprisingly they have charged my credit card $35 for a junk book that I did not order at all. I found out the customer service number and called to cancel it since I did not place the order and did not want that junk at all, first time I called they told me they have some computer problems and asked me to call one hour later.

The second time I called them they told me since it is ordered to be shipped they cannot do anything about it.

I guess they know perfectly that no one wants that junk, they pretended they are innocent, they said did you just signed up AOL? Did you accidentally clicked a button since that is how many people got the order? They set up a trap for people and charge you for the free trial in a nasty way, be aware!!!

Since AOL is "so easy to use, no wonder it's #1", why would any one buy a $35 book tour guide to learn to use AOL anyway?

They told me that they could not cancel the order although we both know that junk book are just sitting there, not shipped yet, they told me they could teach me how to return it, (how "smart", that way at least they could charge me for the $6 shipping and handling fee) I guess they have cheated a fortune this way.

I told them it is just easier for them not to pay to ship that junk to me and I am going to reject it any way, they insisted that they had to send it to me first, how ridiculous! I am going to cancel AOL altogether after I send in this complaint