DirecTV
Reviews and Complaints

In july 2009 I signed up for the verizon/direct tv bundle.. It was supposed to be 99.00 plus tax. My first bill was 224.00, I called to question the amount several times and told them I would only pay what I owed. Two weeks later I got another bill for over 500. My service had been on a little over a month at this time and my bill was over 500.. I called again and complained and this was the pattern for the next several months. Finally in november I spoke with someone and they gave me a thirty dollar credit. Every single time I talk to either comapny they pass the blame on to the other company. Yet they claim they can not talk to the other company. I was told I would have to pay 360.00. I told them about the service being terrible and being over billed. I told them about all the complaints online and how they have such terrible service and I will make yet another complaint with consumer affairs and ftc and the response from the supervisor jessica in the cancellation department was whatever do what you feel you need to do. I can not beleive that any company could be so rude to their customers and have such unfair buisness practices. Avoid direct tv and verizon at all costs.

So many complaints so little time. Anyway the biggest problem is they said I agreed to a two year commitment. Their is NO chance that I would agree to anything for two years much less one year. I asked them to show me the proof. They said they would and of course they didin't send or have any proof. So when I canceled my service with DirecTV they took $340 directly out of my checking account with zero authoriztion. It would be one messed up world if we could just tell someone that you agreed to something and then take the money without any paper or verbal evidence. Oh and the price they gave me to sign-up was also Lower much lower than the actual bill.. Doug Freundschuh Prior Lake MN.

Below are conversations between Direct TV and myself. Today they sent me to collections. I paid them of course but I don't feel they are a fair company and am making every effort to protect others from becoming a victim of false promises.

From: [protected]@hotmail.com
To: [protected]@directv.com
Subject: RE: Early cancellation fees [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]]
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:44:08 -0400

Dear Rita,

I only refused the service call because no attempts were made to correct my issue by your technican except for unplugging and replugging in the cable into the phone jack and into the back of the receiver. All of my past years over many years with Dish TV have NEVER required a on site service technican to come into my home. They either resolved the issue by directing me through different steps with my remote or sent me a new receiver. I was offered neither by your company. As you should be also able to gather from the information in the notes the technican offered none of the resolutions only to send someone to my home at an additional fee.

In all my written inquiries and responses with your multiple individuals no one has ever taken credit on your side for error. You simply come back to the point that I did not keep my end of the deal. My thought and possible that of my legal counsel would see the triple bundle package as a combined aggrement between your company and Verizon. I think your company and verizon need to do some serious review of your combined offer. At no time was I informed this was a mutliple contract actually not making it truly a "bundle" deal as you have advertised. So what about false advertisement? I have spent numerous hours on the phone with verizon 6 hours in a course of a few days to be exact. What I have gathered is your company, verizon and the "bundle" company are actually three seperate entities, all who have no idea what the other partner is doing. Even the billing is almost impossible to actually speak with a person who has any idea about the whole deal. The "deal" I am sure you are falsely advertising to hundreds of thousands of individuals just like myself, who speak with one rep who make the whole process seem so easy only to find out it is not.

Since you will REFUSE to respond to any additional emails I will have my attorney contact your company. If he deems it necessary for me to pay the termination fees, I will make these installments monthly over the duration of the so called contract period.

Sincerely

Michelle Roark

From: [protected]@directv.com
> To: [protected]@hotmail.com
> Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:57:55 -0700
> Subject: RE: Early cancellation fees [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]]
>
>
> Subject
> RE: Early cancellation fees [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]] [Reference #: [protected]]
>
>
> Discussion Thread
> Response (Rita S ID [protected]/30/2009 11:57 AM
> Dear Ms. Roark,
>
> My name is Rita and I am a Supervisor in DIRECTV's Resolution department. I tried to call you today at around 1:40 pm CT to assist you, but I was unable to reach you as [protected] has been disconnected. I have reviewed your account and all previous contacts and I personally confirmed that the resolution you have been provided is correct and accurate.
>
> To confirm, I see that you ordered your DIRECTV service with Verizon and activated equipment on 04/12/09. At that time you agreed to a 24 month programming agreement. I understand you are disputing the costs you incurred for your Verizon bundle, however you will need to discuss those issues directly with Verizon. When you agreed to order and activate DIRECTV service, you were provided a separate agreement from what you received from Verizon. This is why you received a separate confirmation letter and mailers confirming your order and the agreement you were entering into.
>
> I am sorry for any trouble you experienced with speaking to a representative about the technical issue you reported. Difficult service experiences like the one you had are rare and we certainly do not take them lightly. If you did attempt troubleshooting steps that did not resolve the issue by phone then we would require a service call to correct the issue. After reviewing your account I see that you refused the service call due to the cost you would incur but your equipment is warranted for 90-days after activation, and any technical issues after 90-days that cannot be corrected by phone require a service call and there is a cost associated with the service call unless the customer has the DIRECTV Protection Plan, which you also declined which would have provided you the service call
> at no cost. Since we were unable to resolve your technical issue as you refused a service call to correct the issue and have decided to cancel your account with no reinstatement, we find the early cancellation fee to be valid and will not be reversed unless you choose to reinstate your services.
>
> I understand that this may not be the answer you were expecting. Since this response has been reviewed for accuracy, DIRECTV considers this matter to be closed and any additional emails on this topic will not receive a response.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Rita S ID 406557
> DIRECTV Resolution Specialist Supervisor
>
> Customer (Michelle Roark) - 10/30/2009 07:25 AM
> .
>
> Megan,
>
> I know you would have no record of the number of phone calls I had to make to resolve the "triple Bundle Package" which to me was falsely advertised. As you will note in my attached document multiple faucets of your advertisement were false. The fee of $79.99 as advertised on the post card that was mailed to me was not actually availble in my area. The rep explained to me that the fee would be $89.99 which still seemed like a savings. But with all your added cost this fee was actually $109.99. $30 higer than your advertisement with Verizon!
>
> Secondly, your technican came into my home dragging mud throughout on Easter Sunday. He also threw my Dish Satellite to the ground causing damage to the unit. I have spent so many hours on the phone between your company and Verizon, and at my hourly rate I feel you owe me money. I am not willing to discuss this issue any further with any representatives. Your company did not attempt to help me. As your records will show on the day I had difficulties with my equipment, I spoke with a very condensing woman/ technician who I actually had to ask not to be so rude. She lacked any knowledge in your equipment outside of having me unplug and plug in the receiver. I am not sure she even heard me when I told her it was showing a difficulty with your satellite and had been perfectly functioning
> less than 12 hours prior. She was adament this was an issue with my wiring within my home. She could run no tests from her location as Dish has been able to do on multiple occasions. So I have to question if your company simply does not make those attempts to have further financial gains.
>
> I will contact my attorney if some sort of compromise can not be reached. As my note said I would be willing to pay a portion of the cancellation fee, as I did not complete my portion of the agreement but I do not feel I should be held accountable for the lack of technical support. I am not at all interested in reactivating your service as I did not feel it was as advanced as Dish network.
>
> Sincerely,
> Michelle Roark

On January 6, 2010. starting at 2:00pm until 3:pm I called Direct TV, and ask them if they would before they do an install that they contact our Office to see if they can install. I also asked if they could notify their company that we do not allow dishes on our property. Joel said "No" that if the tenant had a written note " it does not have to have correct letter head or a Managers name as long as their is a note giving then consent to do a install. That they would do the install. he said they inform the customer that if they have to come back for the dish that they will be held responsible. I told him that if they put up a dish and deface or alter our property without the direct approval of Management they will be held liable. He stated we could'nt do that because the tenant gave consent. I said but we did'nt. This matter is disturbing to us and is unacceptable to us to say the least.

I hope the media takes the information to the public:

I am very curious to understand what Direct TV is being allowed by the FCC to double bill Direct TV NFL Ticket subscribers. Mind you most of us are real “ football “fanatics” and are certainly willing to pay a reasonable fee for a sport we love. However, Direct is taking advantage of their customers.

I purchased a 50” HD TV; invested in a very nice Bose sound system, subscribed to Direct TV HD services (billed monthly); and purchased the NFL Ticket. All set and ready to watch FOOTBALL. When today I find the NFL ticket subscription fee ($300) does not include HD programming. There is an additional charge ($99) to the monthly ($10) access fee for HD programming! THIS IS DOUBLE BILLING FOR THE SAME ACCESS. How can a company be allowed to differentiate one program, when they charge a monthly fee for access to that programming? This was never communicated to the subscribers. During the telecast last week... there was no mention of a "free" preview during the entire day.

Direct TV had a class action law suit several years ago regarding the NFL ticket. I was a part of the action. Initially, Direct TV charged its customers a separate fee for each television that received NFL Ticket. Now they are in essence attempting the same type of tactics.

As a part of the above bundled package, directv, allegedly, installed television service on nov. 23, 2009. After 3 hours of trying, the installer could not hook up service properly or to my satisfaction. (See unsigned copy of work order) he gave me his personal phone number and asked me to call him if I experienced problems with what he had accomplished, or to finish the project according to my needs, but not to call directv right away. He did not avail himself to the completion of the install. As a result of the faulty install we had problems with the upstairs tvs that were linked together for operation. At times they found the signal, at other times they failed. On the 4th & 11th of dec. We placed calls to technical support and installation dept. To suggest they send a technician to examine the configuration of wires from the satellite dish to tvs, in effect a completion of the install. They could not schedule a tech until after the holidays, dec 26th or 28th. When charter cable came to install phone service for our home on the 16th dec the technician was less than impressed with how directv's man had effectively used a dedicated information cable for his satellite tv hookup. Consequently, after our phone hookup the tv's were operating on interrupted signals and large in part failed to operate. When I contacted customer service the next day, dec 17, to discuss the issue I was informed of there $480 early termination fee if I canceled service, and a subsequent conversation with technical support yielded another post holiday install/troubleshooting appointment. The telephone technician with directv was however able to support me with a self install that took approximately 45 min. To complete. I suggested that they have someone come and check my work that the present configuration of wires would operate properly. The technician told me that now that there was no current problem that she could not authorize that unless it were for a service call. A service call that they would not guarantee would be without charge. I called charter immediately to restore my tv service with them, and on the 28th of dec. They installed and I canceled with directv.
I have returned verizons leased equipment and have made the necessary actions to return directvs leased equipment, in the condition that I received them.
As for directv since the installation of tv service was never effectively completed or a minimum standard of service was never given in numerous attempts, I feel I should owe nothing, but again would be willing to pay for 1/2 months service if you deem appropriate.
If any thing less were rectified in these cases, I hope you will inform me asap so that I can pursue legal claims. I have no intention of paying any more than stated above.

Direct TV
PO Box 538605
Atlanta, Ga [protected]

To whom:

I just received your bill for $437.08 which you say is an early cancellation fee.
I am going to explain to you for the umteenth time why I am disputing this.

You did not give me the product that I requested. I requested very clearly the
$29.95/month special. This is what I wanted, what I requested and what I had no
reason to believe I would not get. That is, until the first bill came in. The bill was for
over twice what I expected and there was something on there called the "NFL
weekend package". I called Direct TV to request that this be fixed. Over several
phone calls I spoke to ten or so people. The first call that I made resulted in
a promise to give me a credit to negate the extra charge for the NFL package.
This would take care of the problem for 6 months. When I asked what happened
after 6 months, I was told the cost would go up to $109.95. I again reiterated
that this is not what I had asked for. The only solution offered to me at the 6 month
point would be to downgrade to a cheaper package. This still would not
take me to the $29.95 level and would drastically reduce my program choices.

Over the coarse of 3 - 4 phone calls I was never offered any more of a solution
than that cited above. I told those that I spoke to that I was going to have
to cancel if the problem wasn't fixed. All I heard in response was "we're so sorry
but there is nothing more that we can do". Well, I'm sure there is something somebody
COULD have done if they wanted. But it appears that Direct TV is too attached
to the ol' "bait and switch" scheme to want to deal honestly with their customers.

I asked for one thing, was given another. Then I am told that I have no choice
but to pay for what I did not want. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
You've lost a customer and alot of good will. News travels on the internet fast.
All you have to do is Google "direct tv complaints or lawsuites" and one quickly
learns the scope of this issue. You people are CROOKS!

So, I am sending copies of this letter to all interested and appropriate
parties. I have sent all the requested equipment back to you. I would have prefered
to stay with Direct TV but you did not seem to want me as a customer.
I am now with Dish Network paying...you guessed it...$29.95 per month
for a year. Why couldn't you have been straight with me?

Sincerely

Charles Johns
acct #[protected]

My father is very ill 74 year old man. He spends a lot of time at home and most of that time he is in front of the TV it is his only way to the outside world. Because of problems with the cable company he was with my father felt it was time to move on. he called Directv and signed up with them. He was told that he would only have to pay $29.00 a month. This was an out right lie. My father stayed with this company for about 5 months and all the bills where over $100.00. He contacted and told them he was being over charged yet they staff would not clear up the matter. my father then called and asked where he can drop off his boxes and the staff began try to justify past bills and offering deals in order to stay with their company. My father is now with dishnetwork and is only paying $24.00 a month. for three months my father has calling to return diretvs equipment as well as to get them to send him a overall bill so he could show them how he was being over charged and they would not help him. Now the newest thing is that my very sick father may soon be put out onto the street because Directv went into his Social security money and took $604.oo out of his card now he does not have the money he needs to pay his rent, car insurance, or phone bill. Directv sent a installer to my father home and that took five times of setting that up before he got here. He had been drinking and scared my father by being in my fathers home like that. The installer told my father he needed a post put up in order to receive directv services that would have been another $100.00 when my father called to complain but he was told that the installer was not a part of directv and that they could not do anything about the installers behave r and actions. This company took money out of my father debt card without his approval and new my father will lose his home and maybe his life because of this company's greed. If any one know what I can do to get my fathers money back please contact us at [protected]@aol.com I also would like to point out that there are more issues that I have not listed but the need to get this out so some one can help my father that i'll write the whole grievance out and hope my father will not have to be thrown onto the street.

All who have a complaint with directv please please please make a complaint with www.Ftc.Gov, www.Fcc.Gov and www.Bbb.Org so that we can stop them. These agencies will intervene. If we do not complain we will not get anything done. Do it online fast! I am disabled and my parents are elderly. We are being ripped off! When ordering directv as a bundle with at & t I was told my contract would be for 18 months. The package was $29.99 for 12 months, $5 savings with at&t for 200+ channels, three receivers... One being a free dvr. To make this story short, when the installer came he had 3 standard receivers, by phone directv told him I was to get one, he said I would be charged for the dvr I said I didn't want it. I asked the lady on the phone specifically "does my 18 agreement stand? She said yes as well as my 18 month agreement stands. To make things short, after installment, directv changed my agreement to 24 months. I didn't get anything saying I was in a 24 month contract until 2 months into my contract by mail. After going online a few days after installment and seeing my plan I saw the discrepancy and I told them I was in a 18 month plan. Directv was the rudest and uncaring company I had ever dealt with. It was almost as if they were telling me I was a lie and that they were not changing anything. I was bind to a 24 month contract and that was that. I have not slept a wink since this day. I hate them and justice needs to be served! I ask all that visit this site to complain complain complain! This makes no sense at all! Keep up with your complaints to these organizations. They will intervene and ftc will only intervene if its several of us. They can stop these crooks but we must take action. We as consumers must fight or crooks like these will forever give us bad business and get away with it! Not only have I in disbelief with this company, I have been speaking with so many that have been done the same way or worse even being overcharged ! Please complain! At&t should be held accountable as well because they both should be on one page when bundling services with one another!

Let my niece use my debit card to make a $21 payment to direct tv and the representative that took the payment understood it was a one time use only. She also agreed that no other charges would come off my card. When my niece later lost her job and could not pay her bill they sent her boxes to return the units and on the same day she received the boxes, direct tv debited my card for $899.48. My information was retained even after the representive agreed not to use the info but for that one time only.
After a great many calls to customer service and 2 times faxing all my bank account info to the dispute dept to prove it was my card. I was told that they would not ever refund the charges to me. I started this on 12/1/09 and was told on 12/18/09 they would not even consider returning my money. They retained the info and it did not matter who's info it was they will bill any card info they get! This is right at christmas and they took every penny i had! I do not have a direct tv account nor will i ever have a direct tv account! How can this be legal? How can this be right? Direct tv have become the modern day "scrooge". They told me in no uncertain terms "they do not care"!

I called to cancel - price getting too high AND since I've had DirectTV I have had to reset the satellite over and over again.
I got some run around and 'customer service' just keeps talking and offering this and that. I was not in a contract and I owned my own equipment (which was offered as a start in 06 and must have been old stuff to begin with thru store and installed thru store and rebate and gift card thru store). But throughout it was not so bad and I thought everyone lost the signal all the time.

I was offered FREE (it is what my first sets of receivers were and they were FREE after rebate and FREE installation and Gift Card on top of that)... I was getting haranged about what this would do and what that would do... I accept this FREE offer and then get a bill that is higher than what I was paying - I had been paying low $70 and was trying to reduce my monthly payment. Medical problems of mine (don't want more stress and more expenses) and my husband losing job and now benefits being paid by my paycheck... Anyway, NOW the first bill comes and it is $101. because somehow they adjusted one bill and added something for the next. I payed it and wrote SCAM on the bill and the memo on my check going back to them. Then I get the next bill and find I am LEASING the FREE equipment and they have LIED to me. I call to cancel and the guy I speak to cancels the DIRECTTV stuff using the FREE equipment I am paying for and says all I have to do is rehook old receivers up.
NOT! I have to call them again and ask why that did not work. That gets fixed I am tired of the misleading info and out and out LIES. And we lost signal with the new and old equipment - so how good is DIRECTTV - NOT good at all! And very frustrating.
Now I call a cable company and get them to hook me up AND I call DIRECT TV to cancel. I speak to AMY and she keeps talking about this and that and keeps talking and keeping me on the phone, asks if she can put me on hold. I agree and 5 - 10 minutes later I hang up because you can't get their attention that you are still on the line... I have children that need to get picked up and dropped off, I don't have time to play games and hear more garbage... I do not like being SCAMMED and if I did it to someone, I would go to jail... Customer Service continues talking even when you tell them you want to CANCEL.
Now I get back from pick up and drop offs and call to see if CANCELlation has gone thru and its like I never called... What a ploy - put someone on HOLD until you get tired of the run around and hang up. Now I have JENNIFER who says I have a CONTRACT with DIRECTTV. WHAT CONTRACT?! I would NEVER HAVE AGREED to a CONTRACT AND PAID for a LEASE - I had called to CANCEL DIRECTTV and then the SCAM began. JENNIFER says I will be billed for $300 for break of a CONTRACT I had with DIRECTTV... The lies supposedly are there to set you up and OOPS sorry someone from DIRECTTV lied to you but now you are in a CONTRACT and we lied but you have to pay!

I am seeking out a lawyer to either SUE DIRECTTV for this SCAM or just to get my DIRECTTV cancelled like I wanted the first time I called when the SCAM and LIES began...

Customer ordered hd tv satellite service on 02/03/09 and was told price was guaranteed for 18 months but was told that it would only require a 12 month commitment over phone only to find agent was not truthful and the agreement was allegedly for 18 months. Customer was to receive 1 hdtv box and one reg box, customer never received hdtv box after many requests.In november 2009 customer called the customer service line again to ask why he had not received his hdtv box and was still having to use the sd box that the installers installed. At this time in november 2009 customer had called to cancel his service because no promised hdtv box and ever arrived. The customer was immediately transferred to the companies retention department. The customer service rep told the customer that for $10 extra dollars a month the company would be sending the correct box that he should of already have had and paid for. The customer service rep. Then explained to the customer that he would then need to switch to the digital tear for an additional $65 on top of the customers already $30 a month introductory monthly bill. The customer explained to the companies representative that the amount of $105.00 for dish service was completely unacceptable and that the costumer would be canceling his service. The representative then informed the customer that $160.00 fee would be charged to cancel the service. The customer disputed the cancellation fee as he explained that he payed 12 months of service for hdtv that he never received the equipment for. The customer service rep said well that's just the way it go's mr. Russell while he was chuckling. After canceling the service the customer asked that until the cancellation fee was disputed with the bbb that no debits be taken from his card. The representative stated that no other charges would be taken from my visa card however, 2 weeks later a $30 debit was taken for another months service. The company is now stating that the customer owes a balance of $130 because the customer breached the contract for terminating his service early and breaking the contract when in fact the company breached the contract by not providing the correct equipment and service as stated he would receive at time of ordering by the companies representative. The deceptive practices and bait and switch tactics (Up-selling after the fact) of this company have not gone unnoticed in other states in which the attorney generals offices in 1 or more states have made the company refund consumers money for unauthorized credit card transactions and misrepresentation. I certainly hope that the az attorney generals office takes the same type of actions as other states have against direct tv for their fraudulent, unlawful and deceptive business practices.

It should also be noted that at the completion of the installation of equipment ie. The dish and the receivers the installers forged the customers name and stuck the receipt in his the door and left without notice. The installation resulted in a $50 fine from consumers hoa because the installers failed to properly install the cables per the hoa's written instructions given to them at the time of installation, and $200 to repair the stucco to his patio walls. Direct said they would send claim forms over 12 months ago that never arrived until today. The companies representatives also threatened to ruin your credit if he did not pay the fees for the early termination fees. Company also said they would be sending a recovery box to retrieve their equipment that has never arrived. I'm sure they will attempt to bill me for the equipment even though they have never given means to send it back.

Companies response from the bbb

To the bbb and in this response you will notice no personal name.In this response the unknown person states that I turned down the hd service for just an additional $10 a month.In this statement to clarify, hd access is $10.00 per month plus tax. What the person did not tell you is this is just to have access to hd but to receive the actual channels the customer would have had to pay the additional $65 a month to be on the hd tear, the $10 a month was just for the already promised receiver. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ company's final response company's final response - posted 12/17/2009 unfortunately, you have not provided any new information to make us change our original position. There are no records indicating you notified us your original equipment order was to include a directv® hd receiver. Also, you made no request for a hd receiver until november 2009. Furthermore, there is no record indicating you notified us there was damage allegedly caused when the original installation was completed in february 2009. However, as we previously indicated, we have opened a claim on your behalf to determine what compensation may be due, if any. You mentioned hd access was an additional fee of $65 per month. To clarify, hd access is $10.00 per month plus tax. You were advised of your 18-month agreement at the time of order, in an order confirmation letter, and in the directv equipment lease addendum, which was provided at installation. You disconnected before the completion of your agreement. As a result, you were charged a valid early cancellation fee. You may remit the final balance due of $130.86 to the following address to avoid a collection action: direct tv, po box 78626, in phoenix, az [protected]. Sincerely, direct tv office of the president

I canceled my DirecTV account 3 weeks into the service because I was lead to believe the cancellation fee was a flat fee of $20 at the time of sign up by the sales representative on the phone. When I got my bill, I realized this was not the case, tried to communicate to the company of the problem, was told too bad basically even tho there is no one you can talk to who can help you. I canceled because I felt the victim of bait and switch and they are still going after me for the money which is over $320. I now have health issues...

To: directv copy to attorney general state of ohio
Columbus, ohio
Po box 78626
Phoenix, arizona 85062

Reference [protected]

Dec 16, 2009
Yet another collection company is now calling me about this item. I am sick of your ###. Put it on my credit report so I may respond once and for all so everyone who looks at my credit will read about directv and how they have been explained to many times.
Put it on my credit report so I may respond to it!

Oct 22. 2009
Hey idiots, this has been settled years ago, today I rec’d another collection call. I have asked you to stop calling me about your mistake. What the hell!
I will never use directv nor will any members of my extended family.
###! You are late on your storage charge on your dish on my roof, pay up ###.

May 26, 2009
Brian burk
5734 river road
Madison, ohio 44057

Dear sir:

I do not owe directv any money. Over two years ago, this was settled with directv. As to why you are bringing it up again I have no idea.

You failed to mention dates of the debt. How nice of you.

To recap and pay attention this time!

1. Directv switched me to email billing without asking or telling me.
2. I could not pay the 50. Due without knowing about it.
3. Directv shut off my service. I assumed this was a final action and ordered cable the same day.
4. Unknown to me=directv turned my service back on. I did not tell directv to do this.
5. I paid my final $50. Due for service up until directv cut off my service.
6. I used cable from that point on. I did not want and didn’t know that direct tv was still billing after directv shut off my service..
7. I explained this over and over again 2 years ago. But directv is like dog ###, you never seem to get it off your shoes.

I am not paying for service I did not request. Directv shut me off!

Notice:

Your equipment is taking up space on my roof. As I asked then and am repeating now & ldquo;i want directv to remove their equipment from my property.
After july 1, 2009 I will begin charging directv $5.00 a day to store their equipment on my property. By not removing this equipment you agree to pay the storage charge of $5.00 each day after july 1, 2009.

I am asking you and your stooges not to call me.

I am a 100% disabled vietnam veteran with ptsd and I take this personally. Stop by my house and I will settle this with you.

Brian n burk
5734 river road
Madison, ohio 44057

The amount owed for storage of directv equipment at my house has grown to 165 day @ $5.00 a day equals $825. Pay up

I have been a qwest and directv customer since october 2008. I just received my bill for december and to my suprise it was $100 more than it usually is. When I checked out why it was so much higher, (I have phone, internet, and tv bundled), I found that directv had billed me for two months at once! For the 14 months that I have had directv, I have received a monthly bill through qwest from them for every month, and paid it. I have always paid my bill in full every month, although I do usually pay it about 5 days late, but I don't have a balance forward on my bill. I get paid on the 1st and the bill is usually due around the 26th to 28th. And as an added bonus for the holiday season, the bill is due december 24th. Merry frickin christmas!

When I called qwest to find out what was going on, they called directv and verified that the charges were valid. Apparently directv had been behind in their billing before and now they are catching up. No advance letter. No sorry about the problem. Just, we were behind. However, qwest did say they might be able to offer payment arrangements. I live on a fixed income. Again - merry frickin christmas!

Yes, to all of you out there who know your utility law, if I refuse to pay my tv portion they supposedly can't disconnect my phone. However, in the real world, even if you notify them ahead of time that you will be doing that, the disconnect notice will get automatically generated. Then, even if you call to straighten the mess out, someone along the way will drop the ball and your account will never get unflagged from the disconnection list. Then you will have to pay the disconnect fee, reconnect fee, and what ever else kind of fee that they can come up with for every service that you have with them. It's no wonder the whole world needs prozac! Alas, i'm afraid I will just need to take this one up the butt, it is easier.

Ps: in august, directv bills me for the deluxe football package out of the blue. I didn't order it, I didn't even push the button on my remote to order it - they just billed me for it. I complained the day I received the bill, but I had to pay the charges for two months before the credit got through on my bill, just so I wouldn't have my phone disconnected. The qwest representative recommended that I pay all the charges to avoid disconnection, because any balance forward would trigger a disconnection before the next billing cycle. Then, on top of that, when they credited my account for the services I didn't ask for, they raised my normal charges by $15.00 a month. No this wasn't a discount that disappeared, this was the regular charges.

As an update to this, directv is now blaming qwest for being behind on their billing and causing the problem. Plus I just found out I got signed up for a 24 month contract not the 12 month contract that I thought I signed up for, which would have been over with in october 09. So now even if I cancel my service with them I have to pay a cancelation fee of $480. They would prorate it, however, for the nine months that they say I have left on the contract. I didn't even know that I had a cancellation fee on my tv service until I started reading these complaints on the internet and found out about the california lawsuit. I'm too scared to ask about the fee that they will charge me after I cancel my service and until they receive my receiver back.

I have been a direct tv customer for over 5yrs and have an account with good standing. We usually rent movie off the tv. We have to call and order the movie on the phone and then the movie usually plays. However we rented a movie on sat. And the movie did not pay and we still got charged. The offices were closed as the automated system says so I waited to call monday which I worked late and was not able to call so I called monday and they wer of no help at all. I was just asking for either a credit or for them to play the movie so wwe could view it. I have never called in the past and I would not have wasted my time calling had the movie played properly. I told them all the steps we went through.. Like resetting the box, trying other stations that played the same movie and nothing worked. They suck at customer service and I am very upset with them. They just kept repeating I should have called in when the movie didn;t work.. However their automated system says that there offices are closed so I fingured I would wait till they are opened.. But I guess this I should have know that doesn;t mean for the movies and I could have called technicial support.. But there system just says they are closed. They have issues! And we we no longer be renting any moves.. Ever from them. Beware! Tori zirpolo #6015

I purchased a DirecTV receiver from Walmart on special - $99 and added it to my service by purchasing a $20 DirectTV card with it.

DTV bills me $5 "lease" fr the receiver every month. When I called them they stated I had to pay the "lease" fee even though I purchased the receiver. In other words I *own* it but I have to pay them for the "lease"!

Hope this info is of interest to you.

DirecTV has a great channel lineup and awesome sports packages. That's the good news. More good news, if you have no problem sticking with a long term contract and paying your bill each month, you will most likely be satisfied. The problems come when you change your mind before your service even starts or if you try to cancel before contract expiration. I went through a tedious battle with the company when I tried to cancel a contract. I understood and was willing to pay the cancellation fee because even with that I was still going to save $200 over the balance of the contract by switching to cable. The company then offered a retention deal that essentially wiped out any savings I would realize and I decided to simply ride out the contract and re-evaluate at the end. My decision was to switch and DTV then tried to charge back all credits given to me because I didn't stick with them for a year from the date the retention offer was accepted. When I explained to them in writing and in recorded calls that I never agreed to those conditions of the retention and that the conditions were never disclosed, they responded by apologizing that I was not informed yet insisted that they made the offer with the belief and expectation that I would honor the "undisclosed conditions." No one I spoke to seemed to care that they were holding me to terms they never disclosed and that I never accepted. I called in and cancelled the card DTV had on file to insure they would not charge me money I did not owe. Then, I diligently called and wrote to them over the next two weeks. I filed a BBB complaint, made a demand for arbitration (per DTV's contract) and wrote directly to its legal dept. (P.O. Box 915, El Segundo, CA 90248). DTV resolved the dispute in the most cowardly way possible. After I paid the amount I believed was due (the last month's bill), DTV responded to the BBB admitting that they had no record of the conditions ever being disclosed and agreeing to cancel all remaining charges. This company is used to bullying people and because the dispute usually involves the customer trying to get a refund, they get away with these tactics. My advice is that once you decide you no longer want the service, cancel the credit so no charges will apply and/or immediately dispute with the credit card company any charges that have already posted. That reverses the table. If you make clear to DTV that they are going to have spend money to get money (which in my case was four times the amount in dispute), they will check their own records to verify they can prove their claim and necessarily be more reasonable. This company is notoriously bad at documenting. After the initial contract, it never sends anything in writing and verbal statements/promises vary from person to person. It will never be able prove any verbal contract but as long as you are the one trying to get money back rather than fighting the legitimacy of a due and payable bill, the company will take a sanctimonious attitude and bully you despite being in the wrong. I hope this helps give people guidance.

Direct TV is promoting rebates and $100 visa gift card. Beware this is a scam. They tell you they will send you links via email to two sites and then they never do. When you call them back they tell you that you opted out on the initial call and no longer are eligible for the card. Their customer service and ordering website are horrible. I very very strongly am against their unethical practices and do NOT and would NEVER recommend them.

I'm confident I'm not alone. Please make my voice heard.

Thanks