Earthlink Outpacing AOL in Marketing Tricks

If I mention that a major ISP is finding new ways to squeeze money out of customers, you might assume I’m referring to AOL. But in recent months it’s actually been the marketing practices of Earthlink that have generated more gripes from my readers.

One reader was puzzled when he started having trouble getting his e-mail from an old Earthlink account. “I had signed up with Earthlink to get their broadband service four years ago. When I moved away from the town where I was using it two years ago, Earthlink said I could keep using the address, no problem. Two weeks ago, I’m told that my address cannot log in because it’s been ‘disabled’ and I have to call Earthlink to have it turned back on. I eventually get connected with a sales rep who tries to sell me Norton Antivirus and tells me that I can only keep my old e-mail address if I pay $3.95 per month for a ‘premium’ account. I refused, and after spending a few days considering my options, I go to Earthlink’s page and see that I can sign up for a free account! I signed up for an almost identical account name and all is fine for now. But I just wonder how long this one will last.”

A second reader was prompted to relate their experience with Earthlink in response to an earlier story about AOL billing customers who had tried to cancel during their “free trial” period. “AOL is not the only one,” the reader wrote. “I’d cancelled Earthlink after two days, but was charged around $45 total for something I was unable to use. No amount of complaining got me a refund. I cancelled the credit card I’d used because they would not force Earthlink to make it right.”

Another reader can’t get Earthlink to stop harassing her with phone calls. “I have been getting nuisance calls from Earthlink for months now. I have two accounts, one broadband and one dialup. My accounts were originally through Internet Partners of America, and I paid them via check. When Earthlink bought IPA, I was given the option of continuing to pay by check, which has never been rescinded by Earthlink. Then the calls from Earthlink began. At first it was occasionally, and they would invariably insist on getting my credit card number, or worse yet, my checking account information. After seeing what AOL does to its customers’ credit cards, there’s no way Earthlink is getting mine. So they started ramping up the calls. Some weeks I get as many as five calls. In every case, I get a recorded message saying only that I need to call them and update my account information. I started out politely telling the people in India that they could not under any circumstances have my card. I escalated to screaming at them. Nothing impresses them. They call anyway.”

Trying to get the calls stopped, the reader contacted Earthlink headquarters. “So a few days ago I called Atlanta and got the ‘escalated complaint’ department. They were very nice and assured me the calls would stop immediately. Of course, they didn’t stop. I got yet another mechanized call this morning. So I called Atlanta again and explained to the guy who took my call that they were supposed to have stopped, and that if I got another I would switch to AT&T. His response was a polite no response. I then asked to speak to his supervisor, who never did come on the line. But the service guy swore that they had done what they said they would do the other day. It’s clear that Earthlink has way too many customers. I refuse to pay for the privilege of getting spammed. The only good news is that I work in a typical office cube, and everyone who works around me knows exactly how bad Earthlink is now.”

Got a story to tell about Earthlink, or another ISP, that’s even worse? Call the Gripe Line at 1 888 875-7916 or write me at Foster@gripe2ed.com.

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