For those with Direct TV, please be diligent about checking your bills. Here is my horror story about Direct TV. I hope that others can avoid what I went through.
I was a faithful Direct TV customer since 2000. Because of my job, I had to cancel my service in 2003. Back then, service was good and the monthly basic charge was only $30, which included Fox sports channels. In any case, I decided to move closer to work and had my Direct TV reinstalled in the summer of 2004. At the time I got it, there was a special deal for the NFL package for $60 per month, which included the premium package. As many know, the premium package runs about $90 per month. This deal only lasted for about 16 weeks, the length of the NFL regular season.
One month before the deal expired, I got a call from Direct TV asking if I wanted to continue with the premium package. I explicitly declined and wished to go to the basic package at the end of the deal. I thought that was it and everything should be taken care of. Unfortunately, much to my dismay, that was just the beginning of my problems with Direct TV. During this time Direct TV charged my credit card directly. They had insisted on this from the first day of installation. I think that was a mistake for a consumer such as myself.
I did not know that Direct TV had been charging me the premium package rate after the end of the offer. I found this out when I got my credit card bill. I immediately contacted Direct TV's customer service and contested it. The gentleman at Direct TV agreed to credit the charge back on the next billing cycle and agreed to change my package to the basic one. I also requested that a paper billing statement be sent to my home and that Direct TV no longer charge my credit card.
I thought that was the end of it. However, my next credit card statement showed the same charge from Direct TV. I was a bit steamed, because nothing had changed. It appeared that all my requests fell on deaf ears.
I called Direct TV about my problem. This time the person assured me that my billing would be changed. The funny thing was that all my requests were noted in their record. This time something did happen: my service was changed to the basic package and so was the charge. However, they did not credit me back for the previous charges. After 2 more calls, I finally got my credit. Every time I called them, I asked for a paper statement to be sent. However, they never sent one, for whatever reason. So at the end of my contract, I cancelled my Direct TV service.
Just this June, I reactivated my Direct TV. Before I reactivated, I asked customer service about the charges and requirements. It was simple since I own the equipment. At the end of June, I got a bill for the month of June and also for July. I did not understand why I got charged for the month of July when it was just the beginning of July. Generally, one would get charged for service rendered. However, service was not rendered and I was charged already. I called Direct TV about the bill, and a lady looked at my account and said it must be some sort of mistake. She told me to pay whatever I owed for the month of June. That was what I did, and way in advance of the due date.
This month I got a warning from Direct TV that I was late on my payment and that they were going to cut my service off unless I paid the prior month and next month's charges. So I called them again, and the first thing that this unhelpful customer service man named Martin told me was that the reason for the charge was that I still lease the equipment. I shot back and asked him what sort of nonsense that was. He told me, "Whatever you want to call it, that is the company's policy." I told him how could that be, because I own the equipment. I explained to him that I had called the prior month and one of his people told me to pay for the prior month and that I didn't need to pay for the month in advance. He responded that she was not part of the company. I was angry and shocked by the answer. I figured I wasn't going to get anywhere with this guy, so I asked for his supervisor. I'm not even sure if Flora was his supervisor. In any case, I did not get any satisfaction from her, but more nonsense. I decided to cancel once and for all at that point.
I will never use Direct TV services again. That's my vow. There was too much blatant nonsense. I think the company operates on a very fine line, very close to a scam.
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