AOL - Who is the Company Sec & Head of Legal Dept for AOK UK?

Caroline2CV

I apologise for the length of this post but it is due to:

• AOL not being a good listener to my concerns and requests
• AOL not giving clear advice
• AOL having failed to investigate my problem (paid no attention to my Formal Complaint or emails over the last 7 months)
• AOL have not taken action earlier on

My aim is to get a refund from AOL as I have paid them money under duress to stop Advantis Credit Ltd either sending a Debt collector or taking me to Court

Can anyone help me with the full contact details (Name, address, Fax No etc) of the AOL UK Company Secretary and the Head of their Legal Dept?

I have been told that a Company Secretary is legally bound to reply to letters and as I repeatedly tried since 8/9/08 to cancel both my AOL broadband (took until 12/3/09) and McAfee (took until 24/9/08) by ringing Member Services contact telephone No to:

1. Speak to staff of many departments e.g cancellations, billing etc
2. When problems arose go back to speak to Supervisors
3. Sent AOL emails with specific questions asking for help but the few replies failed to answer my requests for help, were bland and seemed 'standard replies' that invited you to ring, check out their website etc (talk about going round in circles)
4. Made a written formal complaint to AOL (sent by recorded delivery 24/11/08) but it was never acknowledged or replied to

Therefore, it is my aim to use a variety of delivery methods to get my letter to the CompanySec/Head of Legal dept.

Advantis Credit Ltd wanted payment of a Debt they claimed was for their client AOL and their heavy handed 2nd 'red letter' (20/3/09) took no notice of a verbal agreement with a CAB member of staff (who was acting on my behalf) to the 1st letter sent (6/3/09). The verbal agreement between CAB & Advantis was to give me an extension of time (until 18/4/09) to contact AOL for clarification and sort things out before taking any further action. (NB As Advantis have gone back on their word and as it was not in writing then the Financial Ombusdman will not log it as a complaint)

At CAB I had a brief assessment(10/3/09) but the person handling my case has (1) not yet met me (2) Only heard from him once by letter dated 18/3/09 about his phone call with Advantis re the extention until 18.4.09 [which Advantis went back on] (3) I have made copies of all revants notes/paperwork and hand delivered them to the CAB office on 27/3/09 and 5/4/09 but still not had any feedback [not even an email to acknowledge receipt]

Background to my problems with AOL
AOL pre-summer 2008 were going to stop my broadband service as I was using WIN98SE. AOL emailed me that I must change my modem over to a wireless router.

At no time was I made aware what was the minimum requirements needed for the new router to work i.e. operating system. As a 'non-techie silver surfer' I believe it was wrong of AOL to assume I had technical knowledge and automaticlly would know this.

I tried in vain repeatedly to instal the new router and after very many frustrating days I rung Member Services Technical help. What I was told was to 'upgrade' but when it became clear (I answered lots of questions and asked where on my computer I would find the answers to the technician's questions) during our chat that my elderly computer did not have the 'space/memory' to achieve this. The call was ended by my being told to buy a new computer in non too polite a manner!!

BT had an offer on for their Voyager ADSL modem and it would work with my WIN98SE/old computer so I went back to AOL Member Services to get the MAC code and cancel the broadband.

I changed ISP's to BT on 7/7/08 using AOL's MAC (given to me verbally on 30.6.08) but was misinformed by AOL member of staff that when the MAC was activated and went 'live' it would automatically cancel my AOL broadband and McAfee (then a combined payment). I had very clearly asked what else I had to do to ensure cancellation so that no more fees would be taken after paying up to the end of my billing period.

AOL told me I was not liable for any contractual exit fees when I was getting my MAC code. (NB I had joined AOL in 2004 and the contract was for 12 months - contract expiry was 2005 and I was still paying the 2004 fee for the 'Silver' package all these years!)

Seems I had been foolish on 2 counts - believing about the 'automatic cancellation' spiel and not having asked for a better deal in the later years!


To complicate things more:

• AOL from 15/8/08 changed their Billing proceedure from being a combined payment (broad band and McAfee) to two seperate payments each month to two different organisations.
• My old computer died and I eventually got a new one.
• As my ISP was now BT I do NOT INSTALL AOL on the new computer
• I did not realise the AOL & McAfee accounts were still live and fees were still due
• I believed that as AOL was not installed on my new computer (and having been told my account would 'automatically close') it never crossed my mind to check by finding a way into 'my old AOL account' to double check its status
• AOL continued to take the 'recurring payments' from my credit card
• My credit Card company eventually refunded 1 months fees to me and did not let AOL have any more money
• AOL's billing system continued to add what they believed to be unpaid fees/invoices accruing on the internet 'account'
• I ring AOL on 8/9/09 and request a Supervisor in Cancellations Dept. She tells me my 4 digit cancellation code but it turns out she fails to do 2 things (1) have my account closed (2) makea note on my account database about our conversation (NB this comes to light when I ring AOL again on 11/3/09)
• It seems I was wrong in thinking that it would be quicker to cancel the AOL broadband and McAfee by ringing Member Services
• The only way to cancel McAfee was to do it online (McAfee themselves would not let me cancel by email and told me I had to do it via AOL)
• The McAfee cancelling 'link' AOL emailed me took 15 days (tried very many times before it worked - result was 'cancellation confirmation email'
• I takes me many hours on 10th & 11th/3/09 to suss out that if I was a 'new' AOL broadband customer I could access the Terms & Conditions and somewhere find a link to the 'Manage your Account' area. [NB What horrors await me when I key in my AOL username & old password]
• The unpaid Invoices there I believe are not totally accurate and need to be disputed

I Dispute the amount that Advantis Credit Ltd state their client AOL says I owe them but as I eventually found a way to access my account on 11/3/09 and discover AOL's online payment process I then did the following:

• UNDER DURESS made an online payment to AOL of the amount that Advantis Credit Ltd claimed was due
• Rung AOL Member Services - Billing - on 11/3/09 to have it verified and request an email confirming that (1) I should not have had to pay AOL (2) AOL would issue back the money paid to me [the Billing Member of Staff said it would by an 'Active Payment' method that would take 30 working days] (3) AOL will take back the debt back from Advantis Collection Agency and Advantis will not contact me again

NB (1) Neither the Billing Member of staff (who gave her email address) nor her supervisor has sent the confirmation email that was promised on 11/3/09 [I have emailed the Billing Member of staff several times - but still no replies)
(2) Refund? am not holding my breath whilst waiting - going on AOL's track history over last 7 months!

(3) My GP has prescribed medication as this has been too stressful.

I repeat my request for help - Can anyone help me with the full contact details (Name, address, Fax No etc) of the AOL UK Company Secretary and the Head of their Legal Dept?

Gallovidian

I cannot help you but hope others can. We have had difficulties with AOL, who, IMHO, have a policy of preventing cancellations by underhand behaviour.

penrhyn

You can search for the contact details but the the top man is Charles Dunstone CEO Carphone Warehouse Group.

*MF*

Maybe others have access in other ways - but I don't know - without paying a fee - how to get hold of a Company's Annual Accounts which is where the information you need would be found.

But may I suggest - click on the link below - it gives you the most basic of details - but importantly it gives you the Registered Address of AOL (UK).

Personally I would NOT phone them (altho' it is quicker) - I would want my request in written form - so I would write to them at that address and ask for the details you want

- were it me I would only ask for the name of the Company Secretary - you can ask for the details of the Legal Head at a later date - but I suspect it could be one and the same person - thus start with only one at this stage.


Link here:

https://www.thecompanymerchant.co.uk/cms/companies-house-search?companyid=03462696&doc=y

Or as penrhyn has suggested - and to get the problem in play from the outset - write (recorded delivery) to Charles Dunstone at that address - and state the totality of the problem.

Hope this helps ...

Caroline2CV

Penrhyn and *MF*

Thank you both for the guidance - I aim to follow up the one step at a time suggestion(s) in writing.

derrick

Carphone Warehouse Group / Talk Talk Charles Dunstone, Chief Executive;; -

[EMAIL="dunstoc@cpwplc.com"]dunstoc@cpwplc.com[/EMAIL]

All4ABargain

Hope you already have got somewhere, but in case you haven't...

I was advised by Consumer Line (NI) that AOL are a member of the CIFAS regulatory body dealing with fraud

http://www.cifas.org.uk/

They recommended copying them in on any communications and letting AOL know you are.:cool:

Message to anyone - NEVER EVER EVER get the security suite with AOL if you are already a member (never join AOL if you aren't) - it is impossible to cancel. :mad:I'm trying to reclaim money for that at the mo and have just got the MAC code - so the advice here has been most helpful.:T

BTW, confirmation of McAfee cancellation is not meaningful - I have recieved it 4 times, and am not waiting for my statements this fourth time!

Kavafy

The AOL website gives this address:

Data Protection Officer,
AOL (UK) Limited,
Legal Department,
68 Hammersmith Road,
London W14 8YW.

The most recent name I can find for a head of department is Phil Whall, from 2006 (from "The Lawyer").

Hope this helps,

K

hesmy

AOL took five payments from my credit card after acknowledging cancellation and !!!! a deaf 'un to requests for repayment,so happy to help.My local library (Bradford) will search for company info for free if you ask.It is a large library,but I presume this is not unique and others may do the same.

Caroline2CV

Thanks everyone for your help.

Update
AOL Broadband UK made a full refund to my CC (achieved via many phone calls late April 2009)

I was ringing around the Chief Exec's PA's etc @ AOL/Carphone Warehouse trying to confirm name/contact details of the Co Sec when (without my knowledge) I found myself being transferred to AOL Member Services. Then I persistently, but politely, repeated my request for name/contact details of the Co Sec over and over and ... until this time a member of staff (1) sorted out the refund (2) confirmed it by an immediate email! My next CC statement clearly shows the refund.

Next Stage
For piece of mind/my files I aim to get it in writing from Carphone Warehouse that:

1. I do not owe AOL Broadband UK any money
2. The broadband a/c is closed
3. their debt collection agency will not contact me at any future time stating they are acting for AOL
4. My credit rating had not been compromised
5. If it has then they write to all 3 firms and correct any 'debt' entries

As a lay person I hope 1-5 above covers all current/future aspects of the issue but if I have missed anything out please let me know.

The anxiety levels have been high to say the least as this all started late June 2008.

*MF*

Very well done!!! ... and I think you are correct in seeing it thru' to the end in the way you have suggested, I just hope it is somewhat easier to get it all concluded as you want than it has been so far.