Direct TV
Billed $290 for Old Account Reactivated by Ex-Wife

Last year in September, I kicked out my soon-to-be ex-wife, and she put a password on my Direct TV account and cancelled it. I made several phone calls to them, and they told me that the equipment was no good without the password. I explained to them several times that I was going through a divorce. They even called her at her new residence and asked for the password. She wouldn't give it up. I had to buy all new equipment (I had already paid for the NFL package for last year, and now I had to pay for it again). How can someone just call and put a password on my account when the bill is in my name? Anyway, I had the new equipment installed, and even the installer told me the old equipment was no good without the password. "Useless, throw it out," he said! So that is what I did.

Here we are, a year later, and I get a bill from a collection agency for Direct TV. I called them up, and they told me that the charges were from the old account (the one the ex-wife put the password on). I explained the whole story to them, that Direct TV had told me the equipment was useless, and they told me that it was reactivated in April. Well, it is activated to the old phone number that is now non-existent and has been for the last year.

Why would I want 2 services for 1 household? And I have told them dozens of times that I was going through a divorce. Shouldn't some red flags go up when my ex-wife called to reactivate it? No, of course not, they just want the money. The reason I never knew that the service was reactivated is that I get my regular bill and they just take it out of my checking account, so I never open the letters from Direct TV (lesson learned there). So when I called them, they shut off my service that I pay for every month until I paid the $290 for the old service. And again, I already paid for this year's NFL package.

Now I have no TV. Also, mysteriously, they said that there never was a password on the old account. Liars! I think they are trying to cover themselves.

I also called and pretended I was someone else and asked them if someone (like an ex) would be able to put a password on my account. He told me there was no way that can happen, only the person being billed can put a password on it. I got his name and employee number, then I told him, "Thank you very much, it was me that you people did that to and you will be hearing from me again." He was speechless and hung up on me.

I was told I had to write them a letter to get the issue resolved. I sent the letter out on August 18, they received it (certified mail), and there was no response. I call and no one knows if the letter was received. I finally got a different address and tried that. No response yet.

Their customer service is awful! No one knows anything, and they treat customers terribly!

I have told a lot of people about this, and now they are going to go to Dish Network or cable instead (it's the least I can do). I have never been late on a bill. I have paid for 3 NFL packages for the last year and only got one, and here I am without any TV. I can't believe a company can run a business this way!

Company: Direct TV
Country: USA
State: California
City: El Segundo
Site: directtv.com

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