SO, to add to my already-existing stress and anxiety problems, Microsoft, like the bastions of humanity that they are, sucked $134 out of my account without my permission. Now, they did send me an email saying they were doing that, but unfortunately I buy stuff from them on occasion as it is, so seeing 'billing@microsoft.com' in my inbox doesn't automatically tell me anything. I just assumed they were telling me about my last Xbox Live purchase for one of my games, so I ignored it. Turns out, unless you explicitly say no, they renew your helpdesk subscription automatically. Want to know the funny thing? When I ordered the year of tech support last year, I told the guy I just wanted a year of it. That's it. Nothing special, nothing too involved, and definitely not a renewing service. Now, most services will cancel themselves automatically if you don't renew them. Hell, my Xbox Live GOLD subscription does that. Tech support? Unless you respond to an email you may or may not see, they renew the subscription automatically.

I didn't even know it happened. I just so happened to be checking my bank account online like I do every day, and wouldn't you know I was in the red by $130. They say they're going to refund the money, and I checked my Microsoft e-mail through Windows and sure enough there's an e-mail stating it was refunded. The only problem is, it can take up to 5 business days to process, which means I'll be out even more than that by the time it's refunded because of overdraft charges. Now I have go down to my bank when they open this morning, and see if I can beg my way out of an overdraft fee, all because of Microsoft. }BE