Ok, so yesterday I open up my bankone (chase) online site to check my credit card statement. i see an unrecognized charge, AOL, $23.90. hmm. never had aol. have comcast at both work and home for at least 5 years. i wouldn't get AOL if someone put a gun to my head, especially since SBC DSL is $14.95, nearly half of what aol charges for dialup...
so.. i call up the credit card company, they tell me that they can start filing a dispute but i have to call AOL first, and try to cancel the shit or see how it got activated.
i call aol, unfortunately if you don't have a screename or phone # associated with account you are forced to go through the maze of "I'm sorry, I didn't understand your response" voice activated automated support staff. bots.
i finally get to a rep, tell them my story, ask them for the screename and when it was activated. account was activated aug 1st, i've been billed for 2 months, my screename is my last name and my date of birth. nice. the account has not been accessed since activation. here is the kicker. the phone number from which this account was registered to is my office number, which happens to be a vonage line, and from my efforts so far my vonage line (i assume others as well) cannot be used for dialup because of the data quality. on top of it, no outgoing calls were placed on Aug 1st, or Aug 2nd (see screenshot below) yet AOL insists it was activated using AOL software from this number.
so. somehow AOL got my complete home address, credit card info, date of birth (which is part of screename), office phone number and more.
now, i try to cancel the account. they transfer me through about 3 departments and finally disconnect my call. i've tried this 3 times, all 3 times they hung up on me as soon as I said i want to disconnect (say they are transferring me over).
so. i call the credit card company. tell em about aol issues, how i can't cancel an account i never created and they tell me i have to fill out some paperwork to file a dispute, which is standard. great. will take a few months to get my $47 back, if ever.
this is my take. chase/bankone knows i use my card like a mad man. they know most my purchases are technology products and internet related. i do about $20k in purchases with them per month. i don't usually notice small charges, just like i didnt notice AOL last month. chase/bankone sold my information to AOL and my shit got activated.
i've looked at all other possibilites, no one has access to my office. no one can access this phone line. i never give my date of birth away, anywhere. the credit card is less than a year old. The only number I?ve called this credit card from is my office number. Get this. Vonage shows NO CALLS placed on Aug 1st, 2005. all evidence points to my theory.
what do you think?
