Misleading information non payment of promised refund...
This is quite lengthy, but well descriptive of my complaint. Please be patient, it may help for someone not to fall victim as I did.
Attention to: The President of PRIME/Direct TV
From: Michael W. Monday
Date: 13 February
Subject: Customer Dissatisfaction
Dear President of PRIME/Direct TV,
I am yet another one of the many dissatisfied Americans that had fallen prey to your misleading information on how great a satellite dish for receiving television channels would be for my use in lieu of cable television. Here is my complaint:
On January 10th I responded to an advertisement about PRIME/Direct TV satellite home television that I saw on a local cable network station here in Beaufort, South Carolina. I spoke with a gentlemen named Darrel for approximately 25 minutes asking him many questions about the type of services and packages offered, the quality, pricing, and most of, if local channels would be available in this deal. Darrel inquired about my zip code (29901) and assured me with no doubt that I would receive all local channels along with the 2 free room system setup and installation, free activation, pay channels HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime special offer free for the first three months, all for $29.00, plus taxes and other minor fees that were clearly stated to me before I agreed to the offer.
A total of $38.90 was needed to pay today and $37.99 per month after the installation of service. This was quoted to me by Darrel and I gladly agreed to pay this price. I charged it to my Visa credit card that evening, and he explained that I would receive my PRIME/Direct TV satellite system within 72 hours by UPS. We discontinued our conversation and within 24 hours of our agreement to purchase your system, my Visa credit card was billed $58.90 (here is the phone number from which your company charged my credit card, 910-693-1555). Exactly $20.00 more than what I previously agreed upon. Of course, I only noticed this when I paid my monthly Visa bill on 14 January. On January 20th at 6:09 pm I phoned the PRIME/Direct TV (1-888-774-6320) and spoke to Linda, to inquire two things, (1) where is my satellite system and (2) why was I charged $20.00 more than stated and agreed earlier with Darrel.
Linda transferred me to Melissa who did not know the reason why I was given incorrect information from Darrel, and apologized for the inconvenience and misleading information from Darrel. I asked Melissa to review exactly what I signed up for. She explained that I would receive the PRIME/Direct TV system on January 23rd 2003 between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm. (well beyond the 72 hours first explained to me) and that I had signed up for a package containing 115 of my favorite channels, plus all local channels, ABC, CBS, and NBC for my area of service, along with HBO and Cinemax (Showtime not included) free for three months and after those free 3 months then, I would be billed $12.00 each to continue service if I choose to keep them. Free installation, and setup for 2 rooms. All under a 1 year contract for $42.99 per month.
The 1 year contract and the increase from $37.99 to $42.99 per month was again a surprise to me as well as the $99.00 fee that I would have to pay up front to the installer when he arrived at my home to install the system. This carnival game just kept on getting better each phone call. My confidence in your companys inconsistent agreements and misleading information was falling fast. Again, I asked one last time concerning the local channels that I would receive for my area but this inquiry had refered me to Holly in which she explained that I would NOT receive ANY local channels for my area. It was with her at 6:30 pm on January 20th that I decided to cancel my order with PRIME/Direct TV order. I was told that when the system arrived at my home, just to call back to 1-888-774-6320 and someone would arrange for UPS to pick up the system and deliver it back to the company. The system arrived on 23 January, I called to arrange pick up, and UPS picked it up on 27 January at 07:09: 31, tracking # 1Z 229 E3W 26 4673 5853. I understood that when your company received back the system, I would be refunded my $58.90 back to my Visa credit card. It is now 13 February and to no surprise at all to me, I was given yet another lame excuse for why
I still have not been refunded my payment in which your company so promptly swindled from me over a month ago. I once again called 1-888-774-6320 and spoke to Chris at extension 1508, in which he explained that the company received the system on 12 February and it would be 4 or more weeks until I was to receive my refund of $58.90 back to my Visa credit card.
This I find absolutely, the most unacceptable way to conduct business, and in very poor taste of your company to treat anyone who would be a prospecting customer of PRIME/Direct TV, let alone ME of all people. Now, I am not stating that I am of any great importance, but as an American, and an honest, upstanding member of the armed services (USMC), I feel it my obligation to other unsuspecting Americans that they too may fall victim as I did to your companys false representation and misleading advertisement. My own fault? YES. But shame on you. I will make it my mission to let as many people, not only in my home town of Beaufort, SC, but throughout the continental United States from which I have many friends and family, and make them aware that your PRIME/Direct TV is NOT what they say they are, and how dissatisfied I am to have been treated in this manner.
A copy of this complaint will be forwarded to http://usacomplaints.com, as well as /, and I intend on sending this very same letter each and everyday to your company until I have been justly satisfied in a resolution to my dilemma.
Good day to you, Sir.
Michael
beaufort, South Carolina
U.S.A.
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