Cancelling an AOL account can become a royal pain. As easy as it is to get an AOL account, they make it extremely hard to get out of it. This article lists three sure-fire time-tested methods of cancelling your AOL account in three minutes or less, one of them using the web. A fun bonus method is provided at the end.

How painful is cancelling an AOL account?
It took Dave Taylor 50 minutes. You can hear about Vincent Ferrari's painful experience in WNBC interview below or just listen to recording of his painful phone conversation to cancel AOL account.

If you are still not convinced you can read some testimonials.

How to cancel your AOL account?
Method 1: Cancel AOL by Phone - Sold computer and moving out of country
Call 1-888-265-8008 (Direct number of AOL Cancellations Department)
Say: "Cancellation." You'll need answer to your security question.
Now convey to the live attendant that you have sold your computer and moving out of the country.

Him: Why would you like to cancel your account?
Me: Uh, I sold my computer, and I'm not getting another one.
Him: So…you just sold your computer, and you're not going to go online?
Me: I'm also moving to Europe.
Him: You're moving to Europe?
Me: Umm, yep, that's it, I'm moving to Europe.

Thanks to Seth Bokelman for this method. It took him 3 minutes to cancel his AOL account. It worked for others too.

Method 2: Cancel AOL by Phone - Say "no thank you" to everything
Call 1-888-265-8008 (Direct number of AOL Cancellations Department)
Say: "Cancellation." You'll need answer to your security question.

Then a live attendant. They ask why you're cancelling the service. Just repeat: I didn't like it. I didn't like it. Don't be any more specific, or they'll go off into a tree.

Then they'll ask, are you planning to go on highspeed? Do you want high-speed?

No. No. No. No thank you. No thank you. Just repeat. You'll have to do this about five times. Amazing. Like talking to an automated attendant who can't understand what you're saying.

Don't explain anything, or it just takes longer.

Source: Comment by Nick at LifeHacker

Method 3: Cancel by FAX

If you prefer sending in your request through fax, please send it to us at 1-703-433-7283.
Notes:

* If you choose to write or fax us, please include a brief note stating the nature of your request, the primary billing contact's full name, phone number, address and handwritten signature.
* In addition to that, for account security purpose please provide any one of the following:
o The master screen name of the AOL account
o The last four digits of the current method of payment (for your security, please include only the last four digits)
o The answer to the account security question of the master screen name.
* Cancellation will take effect within 72 hours of receipt of your request and AOL will send you a written confirmation. Please note that AOL LLC reserves the right to charge and collect fees, surcharges or costs incurred before your cancellation takes effect. Thank you for using AOL.

via Ao(Hel)l

You can also use this web form to send AOL a fax.

People had mixed successes with this method. mailman-zero commented at digg about his repeated success at using FAX to cancel AOL. It shouldn't take you more than 3 minutes to FAX this information to AOL.

Method 4 (Bonus): Swear in AOL Chat Rooms till they cancel
Here is the algorithm:

enter chat room
swear up a storm
get booted
enter chat room
swear
get account suspended for an hour
enter chat room
swear
"YOUR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED INDEFINATLY"

This method was successfully used by digg user dgen_x.

Note: If you are still unable to cancel your AOL account I strongly suggest that you file a complaint with Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They are there to protect American consumers. Visit their website and click on File a Complaint link to file your complaint. It shouldn't take you more than 5-10 minutes to file.

Let me know about your experience in cancelling AOL.