Complaint Rating:

American Automobile Association - AAA
www.aaa.com

When I moved to Florida in 2001, I joined the American Automobile Association and they said I was in the division called "Auto Club South." I have a Visa card with them that I want to keep; the rest of their services are pretty punk.

More than a year ago I moved to Texas. I have been trying ever since to change my address. They know I'm in Texas because all the mail now comes to my Texas apartment. Last year I tried to permanently change my address and couldn't.

This year, I received a letter telling me they are charging the above-mentioned Visa card $78 for annual dues -- OUTRAGEOUS -- and if this Texas address is now my permanent address I have to notify them.

OK, so I tried calling the 800 number they gave me on that letter. First time, I went through all the pre-recorded telephone prompts and it then went into a busy signal.

So I went online. I cannot enter my membership number, it says it is incorrect. HOW CAN MY MEMBERSHIP NUMBER BE INCORRECT WHEN I COPIED IT FROM THE BRAND NEW CARD THEY JUST MAILED ME??? Tried several times on the computer, couldn't get it to the point where I could ask to have my address changed.

Tried again by phone. Second time on my home phone, it tells me my home phone number is not in Florida, goodbye. It had also said to hang on the line so they can conduct a random survey of how good of service they provide -- boy, do I have something to tell them, for sure! -- but it disconnected me before I could tell them how screwed up their system is.

Tried on my cell phone, which has a Florida area code. Got through. Man tells me I have to join in Texas, but he can't process this. He de-activated my Florida number and says I have to call their Texas HQ to get re-activated and oh by the way there is no 800 number.

How the hell can AAA Texas not have an 800 number? How are you going to call them if you are not in their local town if you're on the side of the road and maybe have to use a pay phone or business phone or something?

I also noticed from their website I will have to pay over $100 to join their Texas branch. How can one division only charge $78, which is horrible enough, and another charge more?

Of course, no one in Texas uses AAA, I've found out. My Texas auto mechanic, who took my AAA Auto Club charge card for payment, warned me never to use them because they will let you stay stuck on the side of the road forever. He said a young woman actually got killed while waiting for the AAA tow truck, which never showed up and a man posing as a "good Samaritan" murdered her.

The sad thing is, I have no medical insurance and I have a high limit on that Visa card AAA Auto Club South issued me. If I ever had to go to the emergency room, that card is how I would get medical treatment if needed. I suppose not being able to get into AAA is going to kill my eligibility for this potentially lifesaving card (I save it for real emergencies.)

Anyway, the entire deal with AAA is so messed up I wanted to warn others not to use them!