I had been a DirecTV customer since 2000 with no upgrades or contract.in April I called to complain about overbilling for a "mirroring" fee plus equipment rental and was told that, indeed, I had been overcharged for an amount close to $200.
I was told that they could not refund my overpayment but instead was offered a ten dollar per month credit and a free upgrade to a DVR receiver. During this phone call there was no mention of a contract OR request for a credit card number. The installer did not mention either of these topics.
Last month I decided to switch to another provider to bundle services. When I contacted DirecTV I was told that I would be charged an early termination fee for not fulfilling an 18 month contract and if they had a credit card number on file it would be billed. I wasn't concerned because I had not given them one. I returned the receiver as requested and was shocked to find that they had run through a $474 charge on my debit card. The company had absolutely no authorization to use that debit card other than for one time monthly payments.
I have disputed this payment with both the company and my bank but in the meantime was forced to borrow 500 bucks from the credit union to cover the charge. From what I read the company is notorious for this type of unauthorized use of debit card numbers. Sounds like time for a class action lawsuit!
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