Say you’ve got a credit card you don’t want for whatever reason and have decided to cancel it. Here are some simple steps you can take to make sure the card a) really gets canceled b) it doesn’t harm your credit score. [More]
What, You Expect Comcast To Stop Billing You Just Because You Canceled Your Account?
By July 5, 2009
Look, Comcast, when you take back someone’s equipment and give them a receipt confirming that their account has no balance, it’s not unreasonable for them to think that their account is canceled. Don’t keep billing them for service and equipment rentals, and don’t tell them that you “can keep [the account] active and [bill] indefinitely until [you] decide to disconnect it.” Because if you do, they’re going to call their state Attorney General’s office. At least that’s how Paul convinced Comcast to finally cancel his account.
Can't Cancel Weight Watchers Online Membership? Here's Help
By May 22, 2009
Are you having trouble canceling your online Weight Watchers membership? If the normal online cancellation channels don’t work, try this number. Remember, like all contact information provided on this site, it is to be used for good, not evil, and only when all other options don’t work.
Canceling A Vacation Due To Swine Flu? Expect The Runaround
By April 28, 2009
So, you’ve decided to cancel your “nonessential” trip to Mexico to avoid the swine flu outbreak. Great. Just don’t expect the cancellation process to go smoothly.
Canceling Vonage Early? You're Going To Have To Repay That Instant Rebate
By April 11, 2009
If you cancel your Vonage service before the end of the first year, you’re going to need to pay $70 for Vonage’s proprietary router on top of a $29.95 cancellation fee. Don’t even try to return the soon-to-be useless router because that’s simply not an option.
I Canceled Comcast Now The Phone Won't Stop Ringing
By March 12, 2009
Reader Evan canceled Comcast — which seems to have lead to a barrage of annoying phone calls that simply will not stop. A little Googling turned up others with the same problem…
AT&T: You Can't Cancel Your DSL Because You Don't Have A Landline
By February 18, 2009
Naked (or “dry loop“) DSL is generally considered wonderful, especially among people who haven’t had a landline since, um, wait… oh yeah, never. But it seems that although AT&T was forced to offer it by the FCC as part of their merger with Cingular, they haven’t yet realized that it’s a product that they sell. Reader Brent just wanted to cancel, but AT&T said no. And then they said yes. And then they told him he never tried to cancel. And then they sent his account to collections…
Before Traveling, Make Sure AmEx Hasn't Canceled Your Card
By February 7, 2009
Ronnie Sue’s recent trip to Germany was a financial nightmare. Though she warned her bank she would be traveling to Germany, when she arrived, she couldn’t withdraw needed cash. The bank gently suggested that Ronnie Sue draw cash from her credit card, and even offered to refund any cash advance fees. It wasn’t until Ronnie Sue whipped out her AmEx that she learned it had been silently canceled two days before she left…
DirecTV Debits A $446.60 Cancellation Fee — For Service You Canceled Within 24 Hours
By October 1, 2008
Meet Brandon. He canceled DirecTV after less than 24 hours (the agreed upon time limit to avoid a fee, apparently), only to see that DirecTV debited $446.60 from his checking account.
Help! David's Bridal Will Not Cancel My Order!
By September 22, 2008
Reader Emily doesn’t want the dress she was pressured into getting at David’s Bridal, but when she tried to cancel the order, they won’t let her. It’s only been 72 hours and she hasn’t received the dress yet, but all David’s Bridal will give her is an in-store exchange.
4 Ways To Cope With Frustrating Airline Cutbacks
By August 25, 2008
What should you do when your airline calls to let you know that they’ve decided to randomly cancel your flight? Travel guru Christopher Elliott gives us the following nightmare scenario:
American Airlines Cancels 500 Flights, Grounds Additional Planes For Safety Inspections
By April 9, 2008
American Airlines has announced the cancellation of upwards of 500 flights as they inspect the way a bundle of wires are attached to the MD-80 aircraft. These new inspections stem from FAA concerns about the way American handled the last round of emergency inspections.
New Legislation Would Limit Wireless Contract Termination Penalties
By September 18, 2007
Two advocacy groups, the Consumer Federation of America and the Consumers Unions, endorsed a bill yesterday that would limit the amount that wireless, cable, and telephone companies could charge customers for early cancellation of their contract. Specifically, it would require companies to waive cancellation fees for the first 30 days, and pro-rate any fees after the first 30 days (something Verizon already does, but no other mobile carrier that we know of).
Sprint Holds Money Hostage: "It's Only 32 Dollars"
By March 10, 2007
Sprint has held $31.49 of Bronwen’s money hostage since January, after taking two weeks to ship a phone that never received service. Though we haven’t run a telecom, perhaps Sprint should provide a working phone before messing up the bill. Pillage before you burn, right? Bronwen signed up for service on January 5th and received a bill, but no phone, on January 13th. The bill included a service charge through February.
I called, spoke to “Neil”, and complained that I hadn’t received the phone yet, so requested that the monthly service charge be suspended until I actually receive and activate the phone; and requested that the activation fee be removed because it should have been waived because I signed up online. Neil assured me that the phone would be sent out immediately, overnight, and the bill would be adjusted.
Four nights later, the phone arrived, and the fun began.
Using Your Sprint Phone Is Enough To Cancel Your Cancellation
By October 16, 2006
Uh oh. Another obstacle to hurtle over in trying to cancel your Sprint Account for hiking text message rates before their October 31st deadline. Reader Drew wrote us in, informing us that his cancellation was shot down:
Tip: Cancel Your Account To Get A Human
By September 28, 2006
Courtesy of Bart, comes some excellent advice when trying to reach a human to resolve your problem: just threaten to cancel. They’ll be happy to resolve your complaints then!
UPDATE: We Talk To Cingular About Their One-Way Contract
By September 22, 2006
Since Beckie’s story about Cingular unceremoniously canceling her account proved so popular amongst the Fark crowd, I decided to give Cingular a call this afternoon. I’m not Ben, so I didn’t bother recording it: I just wanted some answers as to how this all worked from an actual human being.
AOL Asks You To Resubscribe To Confirm Your Cancellation
By July 5, 2006
Last week, Chat Noir tried to cancel his AOL account. He succeeded! Unfortunately, they tried to sucker him in with a further ploy: they told him he could check out his ‘totally free’ email account anytime, but later, a robotic voice clearly told him doing so would be taken as assent to resubscribe.
