Misleading information, non-payment of promised refund...
This is quite lengthy, but well descriptive of my complaint. Please be patient, it may help someone not to fall victim as I did.
Attention to: The President of PRIME/Direct TV
Date: 13 February
Subject: Customer Dissatisfaction
Dear President of PRIME/Direct TV,
I am yet another one of the many dissatisfied Americans who have 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 gentleman named Darrel for approximately 25 minutes, asking him many questions about the type of services and packages offered, the quality, the pricing, and most of all whether 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, and the 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 that day 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). That is 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 PRIME/Direct TV (1-888-774-6320) and spoke to Linda, to inquire about 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. After those free 3 months, I would be billed $12.00 each to continue service if I chose 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 was 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 with each phone call. My confidence in your company's 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, and this inquiry was referred to Holly, who 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. I was told that when the system arrived at my home, I should just call back 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 pickup, 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 the system back, I would be refunded my $58.90 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 the payment 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, who explained that the company received the system on 12 February and that it would be 4 or more weeks until I would receive my refund of $58.90 to my Visa credit card.
I find this absolutely the most unacceptable way to conduct business, and in very poor taste of your company to treat anyone who would be a prospective 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 is my obligation to other unsuspecting Americans that they too may fall victim, as I did, to your company's false representation and misleading advertisement. My own fault? YES. But shame on you. I will make it my mission to make as many people as I can aware, not only in my home town of Beaufort, SC, but throughout the continental United States, where I have many friends and family, that your PRIME/Direct TV is NOT what they say they are, and how dissatisfied I am to have been treated in this manner.
I intend on sending this very same letter every day to your company until I have been justly satisfied with a resolution to my dilemma.
Good day to you, Sir.
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