I was recently double charged for movies from May in October. When I called Directv, they told me that they were valid charges and would not be crediting my account. I decided I wanted to switch services and called them again to cancel my account. While on the phone, I was told that they showed that I had recently replaced a faulty receiver and been placed on another 2-year service agreement. I explained that it was for a faulty receiver and no one had told me that by replacing the receiver I would be signing for another contract.
She agreed with me and told me that I shouldn't have been placed on another contract since it was just a replacement, not an upgrade, and since I had the service protection plan. She then told me that I would not be charged a cancellation fee. Believing that the person I was talking to was answering my questions honestly and not just filling me up with smoke, I continued to cancel my service.
A week later I found out that my checking account had been charged $698. $58 of it was my outstanding bill that I should pay, but $440 was for cancellation and $200 was for non-return of equipment. When I called, I was told the same thing as many others, that there was nothing they could do. I told the supervisor that their reps told me that I would not be charged and that their reps should be held accountable for the answers that they give customers. The supervisor agreed that she saw in the notes on my account that the other rep HAD told me that I would NOT be charged for cancelling, but there was still nothing they could do about it.
How is that legal? Can they just lie to me while I am on the phone, tell me anything they think I want to hear just to get me off the phone, and then not honor it at all? I have since gone to the bank to have the charges reversed, but there has to be something we can do to stop them from practicing in this way. At least be clear and upfront about your policies and stand behind what your employees tell customers.
0 comments