On April 10, we purchased an HD receiver at Best Buy for $100. We activated it on the same day over the phone with a DirecTV representative. I contacted DirecTV several days later regarding an unrelated billing issue and was informed that my current contract which originally expired on June 19 had been extended an additional two years due to the activation of the upgraded HD receiver. I explained that I was never informed of an additional 2-year commitment. We were simply swapping out our standard receiver for an upgraded HD receiver. We were never advised that DirecTV would tack on a new 2-year contract. The representative explained that it was on the receipt that my husband signed when he purchased the unit at Best Buy.
The terms and conditions on the receipt DO NOT advise of an additional 2-year commitment so I contacted DirecTV customer service again. This time the representative informed me that I should have been advised of an additional 2-year commitment by the DirecTV representative who activated the receiver over the phone. *I was NEVER advised of an additional 2-year commitment by the person who activated the receiver over the phone and certainly not by the receipt which my husband signed at the time of the purchase.
I started doing research across the Internet to see just how many people out there may be having the same problem. There are a lot of angry people posting complaints that accuse DirecTV of all kinds of deceptive practices. You should see the amount of complaints from people whom were led to believe they were being upgraded without any additional contract commitment and then told otherwise. All you have to do is Google DirecTV CONTRACT SCAMS or DirecTV LIARS or DirecTV DECEIVES. DirecTV has already lost a class action lawsuit regarding leased receivers purchased from an independent retailer. DirecTV wasn't informing customers that they don't own the equipment. NOW they aren't informing people of the additional 2-year commitment when you upgrade!!!
On April 29 I submitted an email to DirecTV's Office of the President. Jennifer #U8381 contacted me and advised that the HD access is a service that we didn't previously have; therefore it constituted a new commitment. I disagree with this as we were already paying for HD access. We simply wanted to swap out the 2nd standard receiver in our home for another HD unit. Jennifer offered to cancel the additional commitment if we send back the new HD receiver that we purchased at Best Buy. However, none of our money would be refunded.
My husband actually went to Best Buy and spoke to a manager to attempt to recover any of the money that we spent on the HD receiver which we are now expected to ship back to DirecTV. The manager advised my husband that his employees are "not allowed" to mention an additional 2-year agreement when a current DirecTV customer comes in to purchase a new receiver. Best Buy's General Store Manager, Drew, tried to contact DirecTV on our behalf. He himself was advised by DirecTV that the representative who activated the receiver over the phone was supposed to inform me of the additional 2-year commitment. DirecTV has admitted twice that their rep should have advised me of the 2yr contract before the receiver was activated! This confirms that it is DirecTV's practice to lock current customers into an additional commitment without informing them first. Why isn't DirecTV informing customers of the additional 2-year agreement at the time of activation?
We purchased this receiver for $100 at Best Buy. The receiver wasn't even activated for 2 weeks! Now we have to send it back in order to not be tied into another 2-year commitment with this CHEATER COMPANY! I have agreed to send the HD receiver back to DirecTV, but I want a refund for the $100. They have refused to honor my request. I also want them to admit that they deliberately trap customers into additional 2-year agreements without informing them first. This is very deceptive and someone needs to hold them responsible!
Jessica_B
Bridgman, Michigan
U.S.A.
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