I just want to give a general heads-up to the community:

About 18 weeks ago I downloaded a podcast from Air America (the Rachael Maddow show) because I wanted to hear an interview with Alison Bechdel about her book, Fun Home.

I paid for this ($6.95) using my Visa debit card (I now know that wasn't smart because it didn't provide me the protection a regular credit card would have.) This was NOT an automatically renewing subscription, I made sure of that. I worked, for a time, in fundraising for our local public broadcasting station and I understand the intricacies. I paid the minimum amount (I think it was one month’s support of this specific show) I could to receive the single show I wanted at the time.

Then, about 16 weeks later, Air America began billing my card in the amount of $6.95. The first time was just hours apart, then a couple of days later, then again. Weirdly, they also sent me emailed receipts for these transactions.

I tired to respond to the emails and they were bounced back. I tried to email Air America from the contact email address on the website. These emails were also bounced back to me. I called my bank which gave me the phone number associated with the charges. I called and left a message. No return calls.

My bank informed me that there were several more, new, charges pending against my account from Air America (totaling close to $50 in less than a week), and that they were being processed as though they were debit purchases and couldn't be stopped through the regular Visa system. I had to cancel my card to stop the charges... which I did and it's been a big ol' pain.

I just want to give a heads-up to anyone else who may have purchased downloads from Air America, and suggest they make sure they're not being over-billed.

Suzi