My Dad, a Direct TV customer passed away in early November. As a courtesy I notified all of his utility and service accounts including Direct TV. They told me to send them a death certificate (d.C.) and the receiver back which I did on 11/23. I waited for a revised bill. I then get a revised bill which included a $135 early cancellation fee. Does anyone else find this totally cruel and absurd? Read on... Anyway I was really annoyed but did not have the emotional energy to fight the charge at the time figured I'd deal with it another time. I then get notification that the account has been sent to a collection agency who has been calling me early mornings for the last two weeks. All of their calls have gone unanswered until this morning. The caller asked to speak to either me or my deceased father. Imagine my shock by this request for Direct TV - who summoned this rabid dog on me - was notified of his passing! I would not identify myself to the caller and he got very aggressive and threatened to call me everyday until he got thru to me or my deceased father. I of course laughed at his threat and hung up on him and proceeded to call Direct TV.
I initially spoke with a less than gracious young woman. She asked who she was speaking with and I told her I was calling on behalf of my father. She then asked to speak to him. I told her no she could not. She then asked me who I was and the relationship to the account holder. Before I identified myself I asked if there was any notation of receiving a phone call in early Nov. And she confirmed that she received a call from me to let them know the account holder had passed away. She then went on to tell me they never got the d.C. And... So unless they receive confirmation from the account holder, they could not discuss the account with me. I then screamed at her that her request was impossible (and cruel) for he passed away. All this after she just read the notation about his passing!!! I told her i sent the d.C. (OF WHICH I KEPT COPIES OF COMMUNICATION AND ADDRESS) and I have no control over their lack of communication and business procedures and ethics. She again said, with out now verbal confirmation from account holder, I can't discuss this with you and hung up on me! Verbal confirmation from a deceased account holder!!!
Now the hairs on the back of my neck are standing straight up. I then called back and asked to speak with a Manager, which I was told I could not do. I spoke to another customer service rep and vented about the non receipt of d.C., early cancellation fee and sending the account to a collection agency and the overall insincerity of the whole situation. I might also add that no other service company or utility company asked for a d.C. For I notified them all within 30 days. Only Direct TV had this request. He apologized and requested I send another copy of the d.C. But said there was nothing he could do at this time about the early cancellation fee and the collection agency. All this in under 60 days of notifying them on his passing. For sure this fight is not over but wanted to share my total disgust with this company! I will continue on by letting everyone know about this company and their appalling tactics.
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