Blackmail from Amazon over Its Streaming Video?

Last night, I thought I'd give amazon.com's streaming video a shot and, in order to have a free one month trial, I had to submit a credit card number. and agree that if I didn't cancel at the end of a month, Amazon would charge me $79 a year for the service. Automatic. I didn't have to do anything unless I wanted to cancel.

I looked through its movies and found the selection to be pedestrian, so I figured, heck, I'd just go ahead and cancel. I went through about a dozen levels of instruction and finally found a place to cancel. But nooooooooo. This morning I get this threat:

Hello,

I want to make sure that closing your Amazon.com account won't cause problems with any open transactions or other websites you might visit.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

-- If you use your Amazon.com log-in on other sites (e.g., Endless.com, Audible.com, certain international Amazon sites, etc.), you'll also lose access to those accounts.
-- Any open orders you have will be canceled.
-- All subscriptions will be canceled (Amazon Prime, Subscribe and Save, etc.).
-- If you have a remaining Amazon.com Gift Card balance, you won't have access to use the funds.
-- Returns and refunds can't be processed for orders on closed accounts.
-- You won't be able to re-download the Kindle content purchased on this account.
-- You won't be able to access Amazon Cloud Drive content, Amazon Instant Video content, or Amazon Appstore content.
-- Your Amazon Payments account will be closed and can't be reopened.
-- You'll no longer have access to your Associates, Amazon Web Services, Seller, Author Central, and/or Mechanical Turk accounts.
-- If you have an Amazon Web Services account, please contact AWS customer support for assistance with closing your AWS account :
https://aws-portal.amazon.com/gp/aws/html-forms-controller/contactus/aws-account-and-billing

If you still want to close your Amazon.com account after reviewing the items above, please write back by visiting this link and state that you want to close your account:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/rsvp/rsvp-mi.html?q=acc1

I hope this helps. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you for your inquiry. Did I solve your problem?

To answer the last question, "No, ma'am, you didn't. You simply threatened me with loss of my Amazon gift card (a Christmas present) and the use of my Kindle." I'm waiting to hear back and I'm not happy.

Here's what I wrote the Amazon people:

Sirs:

This set of rules sounds very much like you are blackmailing me to keep me as a streaming movie customer. Your selection is tepid, which is why I want out almost before I begin.

I have an Amazon Kindle gift card given me for Christmas and I have a Kindle. Does this mean I will not be able to order with the card (which means you are stealing that money, already paid you) and that I will no longer be able to download on my Kindle?

Please advise asap.

Dan Smith