I canceled my Earthlink account on November 3rd, well in advance of the day they took their payment from my bank account on the 26th of every month. To protect myself, I also revoked their authorization at the bank. I wasn't always so smart. I learned the hard way, as is my wont, when I canceled AOL years ago but neglected to also tell the bank.
11 months later, when I actually looked at my bank statement, I noticed that AOL had continued to take their monthly payments all those months despite the fact that I canceled their services and there was no activity on the account. My bank informed me that they had never succeeded in getting money back from AOL for anybody, and would not even attempt it. (AOL conjures the forces of evil.)
Now Earthlink continues to bill me for my November payment. They have made wild threats against my credit record and good name. It is clear that they intend to disembowel me and drain all the blood from my lifeless body soon.
A person from their company even called a month ago, at first light, to demand payment. I explained the situation to her, several times, actually. I don't think she was listening. And then she said, "How would you like to make your payment?"
We went through it again. I was coffee'd up and ready to roll. I used smaller words. I spoke more slowly.
"How would you like to make your payment?" she said again. I hate talking to robots.
She said there was no record of my cancellation. I assured her that I had done so, albeit to their recording, and that I should not be penalized because THEY dropped the ball. Since it was my understanding that payments were for the coming month, not the previous one and I was not using Earthlink any longer, I owed nothing.
Despite my well-reasoned arguments, they continue to send me letters demanding payments which now include December. I tried to call them. They put me through the maze of narrowing down who, exactly, had the skills to help me best, and then played a recording that they-could-not-take-my-call-right-now-I-should-call-again-at-another-time. In a terminally perky voice, which led me to believe that they knew it was me, and were getting even.
When corporate entities become so big that they no longer employ real people with the capacity to think, we are all screwed. And that, my friends, spells Trouble. With a capital "T."
Should auld acquaintance be forgot? Yes, damnit. They should. When I'm done with a relationship, I'm done. Leave me alone. Do not call me. Do not dun me for money I don't owe.
Earthlink, you are dead to me. Stay dead, willya?
