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How to Say Goodbye

Here's how you can protect yourself against being billed for a discontinued service.

After You Cancel

• Use E-Mail: Cancel the account via e-mail if possible--that way, you'll have a time-specific record of the transaction. Some ISPs require you to cancel accounts by phone, however, so if you call a representative, be sure to get his or her name, and make a note of the date and time you canceled. Ask the representative to tell you the exact date on which the account will be deactivated, and keep a record of it.
  
  
• Contact Your Credit Card Company: After you've canceled the account, contact your credit card company to make sure no charges from the ISP appear on your statement. Keep in mind that most credit card companies have a 60-day time limit on reporting disputes, so check your statement carefully each month.
  
  

Before Signing Up With a New ISP

• Read the Fine Print: Before you set up an Internet account with any provider--even one you've used before--make sure you fully understand the terms of service.
  
  
• Beware of Free Trials: Billing problems often result from accounts that begin as free trial memberships. Such accounts generally require you to call and cancel the service after the trial period is up in order to avoid charges. If you simply stop using the account, or if you just delete the software, the ISP will begin to bill you at the end of the trial period.
  
  

That last piece of advice doesn't necessarily apply only to first-time account holders: I'm still hearing from angry CompuServe customers who report that they were suddenly and unexpectedly billed at an hourly rate (see the Letter of the Month from PC World's May issue). It turns out that the affected customers had opted for a "free" trial of CompuServe 2000, which requires users to specify their billing preference--even if they'd already selected unlimited use in their previous CompuServe account--or they'd default to hourly billing. Formerly loyal CompuServe customers understandably cried foul--but the lesson is, don't get caught by surprise.

Anne Kandra is a contributing editor for PC World.