DirecTV
Receivers Bought Online Were Leased, Faced $480 Cancellation Fee

My wife and I signed up for DirecTV online at their website. We purchased the receivers and paid $319.00 for them. As far as we knew, we owned them, as there was nothing on the site that said otherwise. We received our first bill on 6/9/08, and there were charges for "leased" equipment. I called DirecTV and was informed that we did not actually purchase the receivers, but that they were leased, along with a $4.99 per month charge for each receiver.

When I told the rep that the site says nothing about leasing them, he said, "It does, you just have to know where to look to find the information." They have just agreed with me that they are misleading their customers. I was furious. I called on 6/10/08 because the charges were wrong on our bill, and Mandy, the representative I spoke with, also told me that the internet leads you to believe that you are purchasing the receivers, and it is only when you call in that you are told that you are actually leasing them. In all reality, the $319.00 we paid was a "leased" price, but you only find that out when you receive your first bill.

They also inform you after you are tied in that if you cancel within 2 years you are charged a $480.00 fee for canceling, plus they take the equipment that you thought you purchased. It is awful that even the representatives know that there is a problem with the internet site, but apparently no one will do anything to correct it. DirecTV is very deceptive in the way that they lure you in to get your business, but once you are signed up you are locked in for two years, unless you pay the cancellation fee and lose the money you have spent on the receivers. Every month our bill is wrong and they WILL not make it right.

I am furious that we were not told that not only would these charges be incurred, but we would also lose the money we spent on the receivers. They lead you to believe that you have bought your equipment and all you have to pay is your monthly bill. How wrong that is. I feel like we have been totally taken advantage of and I am stuck in a contract for 2 years with a company that tricks its customers into its services.

Company: DirecTV
Country: USA
State: California
City: El Segundo
Site: directv.com

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