# DirecTV is stealing from my family!



## rkrajnik (Sep 18, 2007)

DirecTV stealing from my family...

I had cancelled my DirecTV subscription back in January 2007 (we sold our house and were in the process moving.) At the time I was encouraged (forced) to put the account on "hold" ("trust me, sir, there are noe charges for doing this...") 

What do you know?!?!? My account was magically reactivated without my consent and then I get a bill for $170, past due, for "services" on the Tivo box I purchased from Best Buy, which DirecTV claims was a leased box, though no mention of "lease" on the reciept from Best Buy. So, they also want a $150 early cancellation fee for the DVR that I bought, and want it returned! 

We had planned to renew with DirecTV once the house was ready (this past month) but it's amazing that they can jump the gun like this and get away with it! Anyone have similar experiences with these theives? thier customer service was rude to the point where I was told to "shut up or hang up"... 

Any recourse in your expereince? My lawyer is looking at this but just thought I'd ask.

Thanks!


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## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

You are obviously upset, so it is hard to judge without knowing all the facts, but I don't think they are stealing from you. They may be guilty of dubious practices, but theft is a VERY strong accusation!

First, when did you buy the DVR?. Second, how can your account be "reactivated without your consent"? If your account is on hold and there is a chance of you returning as a customer, then it's doubtful you'll have to return anything. Was there a time limit on how long your account could be "on hold"?

I'd call again and talk (nicely) to another CSR. We are all used to playing CSR roulette around here and know that who you speak to makes a huge difference to how you get treated and what you get out of the call. If you really are planning on reconnecting your service, remember that it will probably involve a two year commitment, but I'm sure a decent conversation will probably result in a favorable solution and maybe even some freebies to make up for your troubles.

Oh, and I wouldn't start the conversation by calling them "thieves" either!


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## ttodd1 (Nov 6, 2003)

Are you sure the spouse didn't reactivate the account and forgot to tell you? And Tony is right - was there a limit on how long they would leave it on hold or did you say that it would be reactivated at a certain time when the house was done? And there was a "cutoff" on when the boxes would "become" leased, not sure of the exact date but yours may have fallen in that time frame. And no one can "force" you to put your account on hold if you really want to cancel it.


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## ebonovic (Jul 24, 2001)

"Holds" have a time limit on them, I thought it was 9 months... but very possible it 6 months. 

You can't put your account on indefinent hold.

And recently they have been going through and auditing most accounts, especially those on "movers hold" and other suspend type accounts.

As for the "lease" it wouldn't be on the receipt... it would have been explained to you at the time of activation.


It also could simply be a mistake, and as the other poster recommended...
Call back and see if you can get it all straighted out.


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## MurrayW (Aug 28, 2005)

rkrajnik said:


> DirecTV stealing from my family...
> 
> I had cancelled my DirecTV subscription back in January 2007 (we sold our house and were in the process moving.) At the time I was encouraged (forced) to put the account on "hold" ("trust me, sir, there are noe charges for doing this...")
> 
> ...


I am wondering why you are asking about this on an internet forum if you already have your lawyer looking at this. I am not sure what your lawyer charges, but I would have guessed it would more than $320 that DirecTV says you owe. If it's not too late to call your lawyer off and not have to pay him, then I would do what the other posters said -- call back ask for retention, stay calm and see if you can work it out with another CSR. If it is too late, then let your lawyer handle it. Either way I am sure you can work something out that dismisses or reduces the $320 DirecTV charge.
Good luck!
Murray


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

As others have said, there is a time limit on putting the account on hold.
You said it was in January 2007. Well since the time is 6 Months, then it would of re-activated July 2007. It is now September, so I bet that is what happened. So NO Directv did not steal from you.

With the DVR from Best Buy, did you even read any Terms or Conditions at the time of purchase? i bet not because as was the case recently with some Directv/Tivo units that Circuit City was selling, they most probally are "Leased" units and Directv is 100% correct in doing what they have done.

So you owe a $320 Bill. Well its simple. Pay the $170 you owe, and reactivate service at the new House. This will remove the $150 for the unit.

If you talk to Directv I am sure you could get the $170 removed if you stay calm, do not start calling them Thieves, and talk to the right people. Directv CSR's are only Human to.

But going to the Lawyer is fine if you have alot of Money to throw away. Not only will you still owe the $320, but you may as well double or triple that with all the Lawyer fees. And you will be no better off anyways.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

I had the VERY same thing happen and I received an explanation from DTV as this was due to change in their customer agreement last spring.

My situation is that I HAD NO service comittment and with a limited income, I had a basic DTV package which I paid monthly however when I couldn't afford it, I would simply have my server intrupted until I paid the past due bill. This was understtod by both me and my rural electrical Coop who did my inital DTV install, it was a good agreement, I paid when I could which was the majority of time, if money was tight, then all I received was the 101 preview channel until I got the more important things caught up with, then with paying my past due, service would be restored by a simple online payment; all of this with no issue.

Well due to them changing the service agreement in the spring, they reserve the right to collect any past due if you have a credit card (debit card) number on your account. .

In a nut shell, once you have used a CC number with directv, they now keep it and should they determine that you are past due, they take on themselves to charge it to recover the past due even without auto-payments;

I changed my CC number to a gift Visa card so that they can't have exclusive access to my bank account.

_Silly OP, don't you know that Directv really need your family's money??? They are hurting for money too and shame on you for thinking about your family when the stock holders are getting less profit than the projection predicted!! Do you know how it costs to put those new birds in orbit not to mention how expensive it is to drop a perfectly working good DVR system and make your "inhouse solution" ??? To feed and give your family a place to live is not nearly important!!_


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

It would not surprise me. Directv's customer service and practices are no where near where the used to be.



rkrajnik said:


> DirecTV stealing from my family...
> 
> I had cancelled my DirecTV subscription back in January 2007 (we sold our house and were in the process moving.) At the time I was encouraged (forced) to put the account on "hold" ("trust me, sir, there are noe charges for doing this...")
> 
> ...


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## RS4 (Sep 2, 2001)

It sure sounds like stealing to me. DirecTV should have called you first telling you they were planning on reactivating your account. They are getting to be like bullies more and more every day.


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

RS4 said:


> It sure sounds like stealing to me. DirecTV should have called you first telling you they were planning on reactivating your account. They are getting to be like bullies more and more every day.


They could, but how i read it is the OP had sold his or her House and was moving to another. Did Directv have the new Phone Number to your House, or perhaps you kept the number?

Or do they have a Cellphone Number to contact you?

If they only had the Old number, and you had no access to that number anymore who is to say they did not try and contact you?


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## RS4 (Sep 2, 2001)

wolflord11 said:


> They could, but how i read it is the OP had sold his or her House and was moving to another. Did Directv have the new Phone Number to your House, or perhaps you kept the number?
> 
> Or do they have a Cellphone Number to contact you?
> 
> If they only had the Old number, and you had no access to that number anymore who is to say they did not try and contact you?


That's pretty lame. There are all kinds of ways to notify a client. At the very least they ought to leave the account dormant and have the customer call back when they are ready to reactivate the account in a case like this. Either that or just terminate the account. To charge an account without permission is stealing, and clearly they did not have permission.


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## vigfoot (Dec 1, 2003)

why can't D simply inform its customers of their "account suspension" policy when the customer asks to be put into suspension? 


i requested my acct. be suspended for 2 months more than a week ago and have an email to confirm the stop and restart dates, yet my service continues.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

How about just sending you a bill each month with no balance but at least telling you that you have X amount of time to have your account left on suspension?

Also, it would be nice for Directv to tell you that you have X months of commitment left on your account?

Giving the customer informative data to help them make decisions would be nice and would let them know that you are not trying to be deceptive.

But they probably look at it more like if I know that I have 2 months left on my contract... I might plan to go to another company.



vigfoot said:


> why can't D simply inform its customers of their "account suspension" policy when the customer asks to be put into suspension?
> 
> i requested my acct. be suspended for 2 months more than a week ago and have an email to confirm the stop and restart dates, yet my service continues.


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

RS4 said:


> That's pretty lame. There are all kinds of ways to notify a client. At the very least they ought to leave the account dormant and have the customer call back when they are ready to reactivate the account in a case like this. Either that or just terminate the account. *To charge an account without permission is stealing, and clearly they did not have permission*.


According to you they did not have permission. Read into the terms and conditions of a Suspended account. It clearly states in them what Directv can and cannot do.

With most major companies, just giving them your CC Number gives them every right to charge the account or card. I know for a fact Cingular does this. My Wife is fighting something very similar. She paid her Account by Credit Card, and told them do not charge the same card again. The next Month .... wow they charged it even after she told them not to. Why?

Read the terms and conditions. So we did and sure enougth it was there in plain language. Just by paying by Credit Card over the Phone gives them every right to charge the same card again. In fact, just by calling the 1 800 Number it gives them the right.

So after going into OD because of them, and $250.00 later with fees, 3 other OD Fees etc etc we have learnt our lesson. Guess what...... We paid all we owed, settled the account, and the phone now sits in the bottom of the trash can


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

I disagree. These agreements are always one sided and depending on the Credit Card Company... they will reverse the charges because you did not actually authorize the payment.



wolflord11 said:


> According to you they did not have permission. Read into the terms and conditions of a Suspended account. It clearly states in them what Directv can and cannot do.
> 
> With most major companies, just giving them your CC Number gives them every right to charge the account or card. I know for a fact Cingular does this. My Wife is fighting something very similar. She paid her Account by Credit Card, and told them do not charge the same card again. The next Month .... wow they charged it even after she told them not to. Why?
> 
> ...


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

magnus said:


> I disagree. These agreements are always one sided and depending on the Credit Card Company... they will reverse the charges because you did not actually authorize the payment.


LMFAO. Well try telling our Bank that. As far as our Bank (And it is a well known Bank) is concerned "You gave them the CC Number, they have every right to do as the agreement says".

Even you yourself have stated: "Depending on the CC Company".

So you disagree with my statement, but then agree with it depending on what CC Company it is.... LMFAO.

 So which is it?


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

Depending on your CC you might need to do a little more work than just gripe about it but it is not an authorized charge... you authorized the 1 charge... not every charge until the end of time.

And you know... if you CC does not help you out with something like this... then maybe you should throw that POS away. 



wolflord11 said:


> LMFAO. Well try telling our Bank that. As far as our Bank (And it is a well known Bank) is concerned "You gave them the CC Number, they have every right to do as the agreement says".
> 
> Even you yourself have stated: "Depending on the CC Company".
> 
> ...


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

Well it also appears that Tivo also does this practice:

Tivo automatically charges CC without Permission

Read the part here, and the Post above it:

"So, if I understand, if I do nothing, Tivo will ding my credit card for the monthly?

think i'll stick with the S3 with the lifetime sub.

thanks,

don"

As for Magnus. We have talked to the Bank over the Phone, emailed them, and even gone into the Main Branch 3 times. And yet, same answer. We also talked to our Family Lawyer, same answer. It is an Authorised Charge according to their own Terms and Conditions period.


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

magnus said:


> And you know... if you CC does not help you out with something like this... then maybe you should throw that POS away.


Which is why and I said this: That the POS now sits at the bottom of the Trash Can.


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

The *bank* and the *phone* if ya ask me.



wolflord11 said:


> Which is why and I said this: That the POS now sits at the bottom of the Trash Can.


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## eboydog (Mar 24, 2006)

It's not fair when Directv changes the rules and uses the the old lame "Didn't you read the changes in the service agreement?".

Honestly and fairly speaking with regards both people and companies, it's a rough time out there and companies are changing their debt collection rule in effort to keep as much revenue coming in as possible.

Still sucks!


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## RS4 (Sep 2, 2001)

magnus said:



> How about just sending you a bill each month with no balance but at least telling you that you have X amount of time to have your account left on suspension?
> 
> Also, it would be nice for Directv to tell you that you have X months of commitment left on your account?
> 
> ...


All of your suggestions are what a good company would do.


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## Pauli (Mar 1, 2004)

I'm calling BS on the original poster. I mean, c'mon -- you're gonna call your lawyer for a $300 dispute? And I am really questioning his description of customer support's unwillingness to work it out with him. CS reps are rarely that rude -- unless we're not getting the full story here.


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## rkrajnik (Sep 18, 2007)

The law is what I do, lawyers are fred to me... whatever you're bright mind might tell you, this is real. I just posted here to see if I there were others biend screwed by DirecTV... the research we did will almost automatically be a small claims refund plus T&M. Money is not the issue - bad service, cryptic rules, and (yes Pauli, sorry to let you down) very rude CS! I would encourage everyone to stay clear of DirecTV - I was even told by the (yes, Pauli) rude CS rep that "... and we may change tthe rules again before you call us next time..." so I can add sarcastic to the list (sorry to let you down Pauli.)


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## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

RS4 said:


> All of your suggestions are what a good company would do.


Really? Care to name one and show us an example?


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

LOL. Hell every Company out there will steal from you, change the rules to suit themselves and do about anything they can for one thing and one thing only: MONEY.

But I suppose we all live in the perfect World, and see none of that happening each Day.

People sometimes ask me why I stay with Directv and not switch to my local Cable Company. Wow I could get the TivoHD, wow this and wow that.

Been there done that. If you think Directv is bad, try our Local Cable Company, who by the way recently sold out to another Company. Every single person who stayed on with them has had their entire Agreement changed, and told "Too Bad!" You have no choice now.

Lets now turn it around: Was the OP not stealing from Directv? They had service, but refuse to pay the Bill. So Directv only took what they were owed.

First they say they "Cancelled Service" then it was "Suspended". The Op would of been told how long the Suspension lasts. And given all the details that they have misplaced somewhere. So why does the OP not take a look at themselves.

According to the OP, the Law is what they do. And yet they cannot even tell us the Terms and Conditions of the Suspension agreement. What a fine Lawyer the Op will make


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## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

> LOL. Hell every Company out there will steal from you, change the rules to suit themselves and do about anything they can for one thing and one thing only: MONEY.


Then why deal with any of them? Why not just use OTA and send Directv, TWC, and others a message?

A lot of people b*** about them but they're not willing to do anything about them. Not wiling to change their lifestyle to make a point.... and so they just keep on sticking it to the customer.


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## juliemangoes (Sep 30, 2007)

rkrajnik, I believe Directv is stealing from my family as well. Last year I told them to terminate the service, as I was selling my house, instead they suspended. Early this year I started service in a new house and notified the customer service rep. that I no longer wanted service in the old house. He ignored that last piece of info and service continued as of April. I think it's suspicious that I did not get any notice of any reactivation. Instead I received a notice that my account was going into collections this past August. Directv wants me to pay close to $300 for service I never received on an old house, despite the fact that during that time I was paying for service on my new house. Apparently they are willing to lose me as a customer and to lose my mother as another customer (she will cancel her service and move to cable with me) instead of resolving the matter in the appropriate and reasonable manner. Any advice form anyone out there. I sent a letter, but they refuse to budge. I will not pay this bill, which means they will report the account as delinquent and ruin my credit.


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

magnus said:


> Then why deal with any of them? Why not just use OTA and send Directv, TWC, and others a message?
> 
> A lot of people b*** about them but they're not willing to do anything about them. Not wiling to change their lifestyle to make a point.... and so they just keep on sticking it to the customer.


I do agree that if everyone and I mean everyone got together, say ALL SAT and CABLE users, then we could make a difference. But in the US thats just too much work. It has happened in other Countries and guess what.... the People won!

To answer your question. We get ONE OTA Channel here. So if I was just going to use that, then I may as well just sell all my TV gear and be done. I really do not want to watch Infomercials for hours upon end


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## wolflord11 (Jan 17, 2007)

juliemangoes said:


> rkrajnik, I believe Directv is stealing from my family as well. Last year I told them to terminate the service, as I was selling my house, instead they suspended. Early this year I started service in a new house and notified the customer service rep. that I no longer wanted service in the old house. He ignored that last piece of info and service continued as of April. I think it's suspicious that I did not get any notice of any reactivation. Instead I received a notice that my account was going into collections this past August. Directv wants me to pay close to $300 for service I never received on an old house, despite the fact that during that time I was paying for service on my new house. Apparently they are willing to lose me as a customer and to lose my mother as another customer (she will cancel her service and move to cable with me) instead of resolving the matter in the appropriate and reasonable manner. Any advice form anyone out there. I sent a letter, but they refuse to budge. I will not pay this bill, which means they will report the account as delinquent and ruin my credit.


Are you sure the $300 owed is for Service? If you cancelled your Account (Terminated Service) did you return any Leased equipment at all?

Just trying to make sense of your Post.

You said you Cancelled Service (But they Suspended it) at the Old House, but then had Service at the New House set up, and told them you did not want service at the Old House again?

If you could make it a little clearer it would help


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## kchristy (Jan 30, 2004)

rkrajnik said:


> DirecTV stealing from my family...
> 
> I had cancelled my DirecTV subscription back in January 2007 (we sold our house and were in the process moving.) At the time I was encouraged (forced) to put the account on "hold" ("trust me, sir, there are noe charges for doing this...")
> 
> ...


 I was just shocked to learn that an HR10-250 that I bought off the internet was considered 'leased.' They told me that if I had purchased it after March 2006 that it is considered leased. I am just a little incredulous that they can claim something as their property based on when you activated. Did it say in small print somewhere that when I activated all ownership of equipment is automatically transferred to them????


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## Billy66 (Dec 15, 2003)

I wouldn't worry too much about that kchristy. The HR10-250 is legacy equipment so there is unlikely to be much resale value of the unit when you are ready to move onto something else. At that point it's just a matter of who owns something that has run it's course in the product lifecycle.

It's just semantics.


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