Now cancelling your AOL account seems to work like a charm. In fact, it’s really only put on the dry docks.

According to information we received from a current retention consultant, while charges are supposed to stop, all the billing info stays active, and the account is, “subjected to AOL marketing and third party marketing by email and by mail.”

After working at a call center for seven years, he said, “billing errors were very common and by making your account free, this is no guarantee that the account will never be billed.”

In addition, the retention consultant noted that AOL members can switch to the free service by going to Keyword: Change Plan, and choosing the free services option. “But now we are forcing them to have the free service anyway when they call to cancel even if they never want to use [AOL] again.”

Why? “AOL Corporate is alarmed at how many members are canceling their accounts and not choosing the free services option, far more than previously expected,” said the retention consultant.

America Online, will you never learn? No? Okay, good, because this stuff makes for great material. Really, you’re a pleasure to work with.

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