Directv
Account Switched to Another Person's Name, Then Service Cut Off

In April, after receiving unsolicited cold calls on a weekly basis on my phone, which is not on the do-not-call list (I called once to ask a question, and they said that gave them permission to call and that it can't be stopped because I gave implied permission), I subscribed to the satellite TV service they offered.

Less than a month later I found that someone had called and told them to switch the account over to her name. DIRECTV gladly did this with no questions asked. I asked the customer service person why they would do this, and she stated she didn't know why. She said it was against company policy and had to do with the fact that DIRECTV required certain personal information and credit record to be on file. She said she would fix it and that the problem was a fluke and would not happen again.

Two weeks later it did. I called DIRECTV and got a different story. This time a different woman said they could do what they want because they own the account and it was theirs to work with. I hung up and called back. I got another person who gave me the story about my privacy and how important it was. I stated I had serious concerns about identity theft. She said DIRECTV has no problem with ID theft.

I asked about the free DVD player that was supposed to come with the service, and she said they had sent the paperwork out already in the other person's name, so I would not be getting it. I told her if that isn't ID theft I don't know what is, and I said I had signed up and got a contract and they should have notified me.

Again they said they don't have to notify the customer of any problems. If the customer wants to know, they have to call in. I said that isn't good enough. If my information is stolen, then DIRECTV is liable. She said not according to the contract. Again she said what others had said before, that DIRECTV could do anything they want. This was and still is a continuing theme.

I asked for a supervisor and was asked to hold. I held for 50 minutes, at which time the system hung up. I called back, and it ended up being 5 calls that night, never getting a supervisor like I asked for. The next day there were more attempts. After a few times I did get one. I told her about my identity theft issue, and she downplayed it.

I asked about the DVD and said this was a violation of the contract. She told me I was locked in because the DVD paperwork was sent out. It did not matter that it was sent to someone else, she said I was still liable. I got off the phone and filed a complaint with Planet Feedback and the BBB. A week later DIRECTV shut off the service.

After many attempts throughout the night, customer service only gave me the runaround and 50 minute holds with disconnects. No one would talk about it. After more than 50 calls over four days, I got hold of someone who said they would put in an emergency order and I would get a call back in 24 hours. I was also told that I still had to pay for the service even if it was turned off by DIRECTV.

This happened for five days in a row. I never got a call back. I could only assume I was being punished by DIRECTV for complaining.

On 12 May, after trying for weeks, I got a response from DIRECTV via the BBB. The response is shown below.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience. Our privacy policies usually help to eliminate issues like the one you are describing. Although we have been able to verify that you placed an order for installation, we also found that the person who has changed the name on the account also had an install at the same address. Both orders are attached to the same account.

If there should be two different accounts at the same address, we need to know that information also. Since there is currently a discrepancy, we have disconnected the account until we can complete an investigation. Our stolen ID department will be sending you a letter and packet requesting specific information so that we can verify the information you are giving us. The same packet will go out to the person who changed the name."

First, why would they give a second person my account number and allow them access? Why would they use my credit information to give someone an extra account at the same address? Why were both orders attached to the same account? None of it made sense. I continued to get this straight, always with bad results. At times they treated me like the bad guy and even went as far as to insult and berate me.

I had paid DIRECTV three months ahead and should have had a credit of 150.00. I asked at times to cancel my service since they would not let me have it, and I was rebuked at every turn. DIRECTV had my money, and who knows what was going on with my account.

In June a person named Beth called. She told me it was all straight as far as they were concerned. I told her that after two months without DIRECTV I went to cable. I told her I wanted the equipment removed and I wanted a refund. Beth didn't seem to care one way or the other.

She didn't want to tell me anything about the investigation, and I told her I was quite upset about the way the company treated me. She gave a basic apology and left it at that. She said she would send some boxes for the equipment and when they got them back she would look at a refund.

The boxes arrived, and I sent the equipment back. I called Beth 5 days later, and she confirmed the receipt of the equipment and said she would work on the refund. That was more than two weeks ago. On Friday, June 30th, I got a bill for the month that had just ended.

DIRECTV took my credit and made me pay for the service that DIRECTV refused to give me. I called customer service, and they said my account was still in the active state but disconnected. I told her I wanted my money back, and she said I had to pay for the service because I had a contract with DIRECTV.

I mentioned the ID theft, and we went right back to the start: they have the equipment and I have to pay for the service no matter what. After a search on the internet, it seems that this is not the first occurrence.

During all this I was still getting cold calls from DIRECTV sales to subscribe, and each time I told them to quit calling. In all, DIRECTV uses deceptive and ambiguous practices to bully consumers and keep them in line. They use nondisclosure as the way to do business.

Company: Directv
Country: USA
State: California
City: El Segundo
Address: 2230 East Imperial Highway
Phone: 3105355000

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