General Question

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

Do you have any credit card payments for a site that you can't quit?

Asked by RedDeerGuy1 (24986points) February 13th, 2023

My computer crashed, and I purchased another hard drive. I lost access to some of my email accounts.

From that I can’t unsubscribe from Amazon Prime, and get a $10.49 Canadian fee per month.

I called Amazon and chatted for 3 hours and in the end they say that I can’t cancel my subscription to Amazon Prime without access to my email account.

I then tried to call my credit card company and they stated that they cannot cancel a subscription for me, and should take it up with Amazon.

Has this happened to any Jellies?
How did you fix it?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

18 Answers

KRD's avatar

I recommend the Tom Martino show. Tom is a trouble shooter and he can hopefully help you out. https://troubleshooternetwork.com/.

Dig_Dug's avatar

I had my email hacked and I had changed phone carriers recently (at the time) which resulted in my phone number changing also. I tried to keep my old number, but because the carrier is inept when it comes to how the basic operations of their own business works, they could not carry over my old number (even though they had my old phone number, the account number and the access pin number). I could not log into my email account since it was hacked. Yahoo could not close my email account until I could log into my account and give them the last three emails that I have received. “Now let that soak in for a minute.”

Okay, now a possible alternate remedy was to send a code to my phone number associated with my Yahoo email account. “You may see where this is going.” So they said they could send a code to my ‘old’ phone number. Well I no longer have access to that number, since the carrier could not figure out how to keep my ‘old’ number. So needless to say THAT did not work either. So to this day, as far as I know, that account is still open to who knows how many hackers and scammers with whatever personal info I had on there for years and I can’t do a thing about it. I can only hope that Yahoo finally closed it but who knows?

Should be a better way to prove who you are to these people then these run-a-round causality loop of infinite insanity.

Zaku's avatar

I haven’t had that problem, but I have had a site overcharge me and not respond to communications, so I went to my bank and they handled it from their end. It seems to me like could probably do the same to Amazon, even for payments already made. I’m surprised they said they couldn’t, if you explained clearly to them that Amazon have failed to let you cancel it.

You could change your credit card number, or cancel your credit card, to stop Amazon charging you.

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

I have more than one related tale.
I have had similar experiences with Microsoft word, and Chef’s Plate.

Chef’s Plate and Amazon may be fixed but I will not know until the next billing cycle.

Microsoft is the next one to fix.

smudges's avatar

You say you lost access to some of your email accounts…

1. How many did you have and why did you have more than a couple? just curious. I have one plus a backup
2. Why can’t you get into them? Forget your password?
3. It makes no sense that they can’t cancel because you can’t get into your email account. They should be able to cancel if you can give them the account name and identify yourself by name, phone number, address, etc. Unless you signed up for a year (or more), in which case you have to pay for a year of service whether you use it or not.

Credit card company can’t cancel your subscription, but you can authorize them to stop payment unless you signed up for a year. But maybe they can’t do it if you have automatic payments taken out.

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

@smudges I make a new account when I want to redo a eHarmony personality test as I change insight into myself from time to time. I probably have 10–15 email accounts.

I also forgot my email address as well as passwords.

I have no problem paying for the whole year if that would be the end of the subscription. $10.49 per month for till to the end of time angers me. Also I can’t get the Amazon Prime discount, because I am using a new account.

I spent hours on the phone to Amazon and Capital one. Capital one suggestion was to call back on February 26th and file a complaint that was the best that they can do.

I wondered if I should complain to the B.B.B. (Better Business Bureau?

My last chat with the Amazon customer service representative might have worked, but I would not know till the next billing cycle to find out if they canceled my subscription.

Chef’s Plate sent me a sorry that I cancelled letter. So I hope that they will be no longer send and charged me for meals that I don’t want?
Quiting Microsoft word will be on my next to do list.

smudges's avatar

I strongly believe that they can’t “bill you til the end of time” simply because you can’t access your email account. I wouldn’t stop trying to communicate with them. Something is weird here. Someone – either you or them – is not understanding the whole picture.

When you call back (and you should!) if you get someone with an accent, hang up and try again in an hour or so. Keep doing that until you have someone you can understand and who speaks English well. I don’t mean that as a dig against foreigners, but sometimes no matter how hard you try to communicate with someone with an accent, they either speak too fast or the accent interferes with conversation. I say call back in an hour or so because they’re likely working from home and what you’re hoping is that someone else will get your call.

snowberry's avatar

It wasn’t a credit card, but it was a scam. Years ago we signed a contract with Safe Home Security. They seemed to do their job well enough in protecting our home, but they refused to let us out of the contract even though we had followed their instructions explicitly.

At first they sent us to collections, and eventually it went on our credit report. We called the credit people, and a copy of all the paperwork showing that we had fulfilled their contract and we were free to legally terminate it.

Our credit was restored as soon as they read the letter. I hope it made them look bad to the credit people.

By the way this is a review of the company. https://www.thehomesecurityadvisor.com/safe-home-security-reviews/

SQUEEKY2's avatar

That is just one of the reasons I only use Visa gift card for anything on line,if a problem the only thing compromised is the Visa gift card.

Forever_Free's avatar

You made a good faith effort to with the Amazon.
Simply deny the charges in dispute. Any Credit Card org worth it’s weight should back you.

flutherother's avatar

As dealing with the Amazonian Venus flytrap which is Amazon Prime is beyond the capabilities of most of us mortals I consulted ChatGPT which came up with this…

If you have lost access to the email associated with your Amazon Prime account, you can still cancel your membership by following these steps:

1. Go to the Amazon website and try to sign in to your account using your Amazon username or mobile phone number and your password. If you have forgotten your password, you can click on “Forgot Password” and follow the prompts to reset it.
2. Once you have logged in to your Amazon account, click on “Account & Lists” at the top of the page.
3. Select “Your Prime Membership” from the dropdown menu.
4. On the left-hand side of the page, click on “End Membership and Benefits.”
5. Follow the prompts to confirm your cancellation.
If you’re unable to access your Amazon account because you can’t remember your login credentials or they are lost, you can contact Amazon customer service for assistance. They may be able to help you verify your account and cancel your membership over the phone or through live chat.

PS Good luck!

smudges's avatar

@flutherother Did you read the OP question? He already tried all of that without success. and I gave you a GA before reading all of your response lol

Dig_Dug's avatar

(pulling @smudges by the ear) get over here…...>

flutherother's avatar

@smudges He didn’t say he had tried using phone number or username.

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

@flutherother I tried everything. Someone deposited money into my credit card last night so I will have to call my credit card company for the details. Hopefully it was a refund. Will update Fluther soon.

Update they don’t know. However, they didn’t charge my interest fee so that might be it?

flutherother's avatar

@RedDeerGuy1 Sheer persistance wins out in the end even if you have to phone customer services multiple times eventually you will speak wiith the one guy (or gal) who knows what to do. Hope you get it sorted soon.

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

@flutherother I will wait until March 15th to see if it took. I will find out if they bill me again. For Microsoft I will wait until I have the correct phone number, and not a scam number. I don’t want to be tricked again. Like that $90 payment to a fake Microsoft site.

LifeQuestioner's avatar

I had a Microsoft office account that was under an old email address, and I had the dickens of a time getting it canceled. I still wanted to use the service, but I no longer remembered my password, and because I didn’t have access to that email anymore, I couldn’t reset it. I finally called somebody and got it straightened out, thank goodness, and they even gave me a few months refund!

Amazon I’ve had more luck with in general. But there was one time recently where I just could not get satisfaction with them. But as somebody said above, you just have to keep calling back until you get that right person. Keep making waves. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the grease! I did finally get the issue resolved and because I had spent a couple hours on the phone and chatting, I ended up getting a $30 credit on my account. Oh, and instead of just hanging up and then calling back later, just keep insisting on talking to a supervisor. A lot of times they will tell you that the supervisor is going to tell you the same thing. Tell them that you want to talk to a supervisor anyway. And if that supervisor can’t help you, ask for somebody higher up than them. If you make enough of a stink, you should be able to get satisfaction.

One last thing, I would end service with any credit card that isn’t going to go to bat for me when I’ve done everything I can to take care of the problem on the other end. Tell them you want to close your account and that you will pay it off as soon as possible. But unless I’m mistaken, once you close your account, they can’t keep allowing charges to go through. Or, tell them your card was stolen and they will have to cancel the card.

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