Computer training and consulting in the Santa Ynez Valley
located in the County of Santa Barbara.
I work primarily with the home, home/office and small business user who wants
general computer help and training. The links above will take you to
other areas of my sprawling, part business - part personal web site.
CANCELING RECURRING CHARGES
ONLY FOR WINDOWS LIVE ONECARE
Of all the companies I tested, Microsoft's all-in-one security and
maintenance package, Windows Live OneCare, has the most-hidden automatic
subscription-renewal policy and is the most difficult to learn how to
cancel.
You begin the process by signing up for a free Windows Live account
(basically a Hotmail e-mail account). At the bottom of the form is a link to
the
Windows Live Service Agreement, a 6,708-word document that hints at
what's to come. It reads, "If we informed you that the service will be
provided indefinitely or automatically renewed, we may automatically renew
your service and charge you for any renewal term."
The actual commitment isn't made until you enter your credit-card
information and are allowed to review your data before confirming the
purchase. The review page shows no information on the subscription-renewal
policy — that is, until you click View Details under Windows Live OneCare.
Only if you open the link do you see this policy statement:
Despite the
above language, no "alternative plans" are listed. Nor is any information
provided on how to get out of the automatic renewal program.
After your purchase, you can go to Microsoft's
Billing and account management page and sign in with your Windows Live
e-mail and password. There, you can click on the service you purchased
(Windows Live OneCare) and see links for complete cancellation of the
service itself. But nowhere is there information on simply canceling
recurring credit-card charges.
In the end, you have to phone Windows Live OneCare Support at
866-663-2273 in
order to cancel only the automatic-renewal aspect of your subscription. (I
was told by a Microsoft representative that this toll-free number also can
be called from outside the U.S. if international dialing and the country
code 1 is used, but I wasn't able to test this.)
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