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DirecTV - Billing Problems

DirecTV • Billing Problems • Installation • Maintenance • Rebates • Sales Practices • Billing for "Adult" Shows • About those "Adult" Bills ... --- News • DirecTV Takes Disputed Fees Out of Customer Accounts, Suit Charges • Major League Baseball, Cable Operators Reach Agreement • Major League Baseball Extends TV Deadline • Senators Object to DirecTV Deal that Shuts Out Baseball Fans • DirecTV Settles Do Not Call Charges • DirecTV Telemarketers To Pay $75,000 Penalty • Fired DirecTV Contractors Say They Refused To Lie To Customers • Outbreak of DirecTV Porn Charges Hits Philadelphia • DirecTV Fined $5 Million for Do-Not-Call Violations • DirecTV Will Reform Ad Practices, Pay Millions in Refunds • DirecTV Abandons Satellite Internet Plans

Bich of Philadelphia, PA (04/19/06)
My problem dates back to late September of 2005 when I started receiving messages from a collection agency, claiming I had unpaid bills from a Direct TV account. At first I ignored it because I thought it was a scam, since I've never even had Direct TV before. But I kept on getting more calls so I decided to contact Direct TV in early October.

It turned out there was an account under my name, although it was mispelled. Like the other consumers, the service address they had under my name does not exist. When I asked how and with what documentations the account was opened, they couldn't give me an answer. All they had was the subcontractor's name, but no number or any contact information.

Ryan of Menifee, CA April 18, 2006

Ryan of Menifee, CA (04/18/06)
I received a bill for over 600 for Porno movies. NO ONE HERE ORDERED THEM.

I called to resolve this and at first I was told that I was liable. After escalating this call to "Doug", who said he was a manager, he told me that there had been multiple calls for this exact thing and that "something weird is going on".  Doug told me to send in my normal payment and he would take care of these charges.

A couple days later, I received a message on my phone from "Melissa", an account manager, saying that I was liable for these charges.  When I called Melissa back she said "Who knows?, lifestyles change" and that "maybe your wife or you had a boyfriend or girlfriend over and that we may be getting a divorce" "So one of us, or our boyfriend or girlfriend, charged the PPV's" !!!!!  Yes, this was said to me.

As it stands right now I will be charged the difference from the "one time courtesy credit of 381.00" I will NOT pay this. But I fear they will damage my credit by sending this to collections. By the way, I've been with DirecTV for roughly 10 Years and have NEVER ordered Porno, but I guess last month I couldn't hold out anymore. (Sarcasm, of course)

David of Newport, RI April 14, 2006

David of Newport RI (04/14/06)
Received mail from Allied Interstate that I was being processed for collections for 189.57 for an unpaid DirectTV account. The account had an address of Cerro Gordo, NC. The town has a popluation of 254 and there 's no street under the given name in this town.I've never lived in North Carolina, nor ever doen buisiness with DirectTV. My credit report showed a second credit agency that sent my account to collections for 262.00. when I called the collections agency they refused to give me the information on my account. DirectTV refused to give me any information on that account either. They told me to call the Collection complany.

My credit has been damaged severely. I;ve been denied several credit cards...

Grace of Raleigh, NC April 14, 2006

Grace of Raleigh, NC (04/14/06)
I ordered DirectTV, with 3 receivers, in January, 2005 under a one year committment. One receiver went bad in January, 2006 so I called to get a replacement. We were told we would be renewing our contract for another year committment, so we said no.
 
The customer service rep said if we paid for shipping the new receiver they would send us a "refurbished receiver" as a "replacement" and we would not have to sign another annual contract because we were just under the one year mark.  We agreed under the condition that we were not obligated to a committment. We received the receiver and it was "new", not "refurbished".

In February cable was available in our area and we signed up. I called DirectTV to cancel our services on 3/5/06 and again asked if we needed to send any receivers back and was told we fullfilled our one year committment and that was not necessary.

I overpaid the last bill by 59.88 on 3/17/06 and received a statement dated 3/27/06 showing the 59.88 credit.  Then I received a statement dated 4/2/06 with an Early Cancellation Fee of 65.12 (59.88 + 65.12 = 125.00 total cancellation fee).  When I called I was told I had to wait 8 days to find out the response to my dispute over the early termination fee and request for my 59.88 overpayment.

Today I received a call from DirectTV stating that I terminated my contract early because I got the receiver 1/06 and "any equipment replacements constituted another one-year committment". The rep then stated that if I returned all the equipment (3 receivers) I could terminate the contract, but the boxes for returning them would cost 20.00 each and they had to all be sent back.

I will spend multiple hours dealing with this issue and probably have to eat my overpayment. 

William of Rushville, NY April 9, 2006

William of Rushville, NY (04/09/06)
In late 2001 my parents moved and cancelled service with Direct TV. In January 2006 my mother noticed an entry on her credit report from a collection agency for 173.00.  When I contacted the collection agency for her, I was told it was for a bill from Direct TV.  Direct TV said it was for unpaid services at the time of cancellation.

My mother can't seem to remember whether or not she paid the balance in full at the time of cancellation, but she is positive that she never received another bill from Direct TV.

I assumed that an error occured either with my parents forwarding address or the Direct TV computer system and that the bill was in fact valid so I contacted them again to pay the balance owed.  I phoned Direct TV, stated I was willing to pay the balance and requested that Direct TV make a good will gesture by removing the collection from my mothers credit file. I was told that there was no way for them to do that because their entire billing and collection system is computer automated.

I don't understand how Direct TV can get away with having no contact for nearly five years yet file an account for collection with no prior notification.

My mothers credit score has suffered significantly and may affect her ability to obtain credit in the future.

Kevin of Newark, DE April 5, 2006

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