Complaint Rating:

Company information:
Earthlink
PO Box 6452
Carol Stream, Illinois
United States
earthlink.net

On Oct. 7, 2008 I discovered while looking over my Earthlink internet invoice a charge of 742.32 that had been taken from our checking account on Oct. 6th according to the invoice. I was not sure why I had this charge so I called Earthlink right away to find out why. The lady I spoke with told me that I received an email on September 6th stating I should check with my phone company that there may be a charge for the use of this number. I explained to the lady that my computer had not been working properly and had been in and out for repair and that I never saw that email. What had happened was after I got my computer back and was trying to get things reinstalled due to a new hard drive being put inI found that out that my local access number (Glenwood, IA) was being disconnected, so I called Earthlink to get a new number because I couln't find one on the website. The evening I called I explained I to the representative that I losing my local number and needed to know what number my new local number would be. Therepresentative gave me a 1-800 number to use, they never said anything at that time relating to a possible charge to use this number. So now the I talked to on Oct. 7th explains that I was charged .10 a minute to connect using that 800 number and that I was made aware of this and that it isn't Earthlink charging me this it is my phone company. I then asked the lady who I needed to talk to to dispute this, she told me my phone carrier. So on Oct. 8th I called Qwest my phone carrier to question them on this charge. The Qwest representative explained that my phone number was not linked to this 800 number and that the charge was not coming from them. While I am on the phone with her she calls Earthlink and we did a 3 way call to see what we can find out. Basically what we were told was that the charge stood and it was non refundable, but she could refund the 27.90 for my unlimited dial up service. We asked to talk to her supervisor and ended up being hung up on for whatever the reason. Now tell me who in their RIGHT mind would continue using a number that you are being charged .10 a minute to use. My bank is in the process of disputing the payment. After looking further at the invoice...119.07 minutes at .10 a minute is 11.91, so from the looks of it I was charged $6.00 a minute for internet service.