Crank calls from Dish network

[Aviator10]

I had a customer service call with Dish network today for moving my sat to another state and since then ALL day long have been getting called at least about 10 times already from folks claiming to be from D* to offer to "establish service". I have had D* for many years now and do not need to establish service, and this is very inappropriate. Two of them introduced themselves as from "the satellite guys". I kid you not. And after a couple of sentences they asked for my credit card number. What idiots!!!
I am so fed up. The last call was at 10PM. Called D* and they put me on the do not call list, and few min later another call. Told him to .. off.

Is this the norm? And they used the Sat guys name. Incidentally, I just registered here today earlier on and since this has started. What is going on?

 

[Sparkman]

Who are the calls from, D* (Directv) or E* (Dish Network)

 

[Stargazer]

The calls may not be from Directv or Dish Network, they might be from a retailer. The only way to get rid of the calls is to put yourself on the do not call list then it takes effect 31 days after your on the list. Go to www.donotcall.org (I think thats the correct address). Telling Dish or Direct to take you off the calling list will not stop the calls as they are not coming from them but from people that sell their product which are independent from Dish and Direct.

 

[lakebum431]

Do you have caller ID? If so you need to tell the people to take you off the list, and record the call. If they call back after that it can be considered harassment and they can be fined for it.

 

[dodge]

Do not call website

donnot call website is
www.donotcall.gov

 

[Pepper]

The calls may not be from Directv or Dish Network, they might be from a retailer

You're the master of understatement with that one. I took a look at my local phone book. There are about a dozen entries for "Dish Network" and another couple dozen or so for "DirecTV" some of which have toll free numbers but none of them are the "real" company.

Most likely the people who called you got your name from public records, i.e. recent real estate purchasers.

Both companies need to police who uses their name. These should be required to either (1) use their real company name or (2) clearly state that they are a retailer for said company.

 

[Zero327]

Most subcontractors use the service provider's name. If you pull up DirecTV or DISH Network under the BBB addresses you'll find several dozen listings across the nation. Both companies however have VERY strict policies regarding presenting yourself as a company employee or provider representative in the field or publically. You can flash the logo all you want, but if you put the provider in the line of fire, you're liable to get a response.

 

[SmityWhity]

A lot of "sales by telephone" companies are now calling numbers with a recording giving their sales pitch. At the end some will give you two choices, such as press 1 to speak to somebody, or 2 to be removed from the list. Pressing the 2 doesn't seem to work.

Most of the time, I don't answer the phone, but after seeing this one number a few times, I answered the phone and the recording started...

Hi, this is Dish Network....

The only choice it had was 1 to be connected. Turned out to be either a Retailer or maybe a Scam Artist.

I believe they replaced some company with a 571 area code (Northern VA), who use to call once a week wanting to give away a free Dish Network system.

And to think, we never had this problem before we started paying multiple Universal Service Fund fee's, and multiple taxes.

Edit: I wounder what would happen if I converted from a plain voice system to a TDD terminal. Guess the funds we pay for that allows telemarketers to TEXT us!

 

[GaryPen]

Why would somebody listen to one of those recordings all the way to the end? I hang up before the recording has finished uttering the first word.

 

[Stargazer]

Dish Network and Directv have been fined in the pat over telemarketing. I think Directv got into trouble recently for telemarketing calls again if I am not mistaken.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

There is a company calling people - including people on the do not call list - with a pre-recorded message that they are from Dish Network and say "let me get right the point" and then try to get you to take a DVR. They call about every 3 weeks and have for months.

They illegally do not give you an option on the call to remove yourself from their call list.

If you press the button to be connected to a representative and tell them you want to be put on their do not call list, they will laugh and hang up.

I have called the E* CEO office four now about it - and they claim they let subcontractors call under their name - but would put my number on their do not call list.

BTW, the number that shows up on Caller ID and has for months is 213-666-7676 which has been disconnected as long as the calls have been coming in. Clearly they are going to get nailed big time for all kinds of fraud.

Despite everything, after the 4th time and asking the CEO's office to give me some fake identity I can have the telemarketers add me in as a sub and then Dish can determine first hand which subcontractor is doing this, they refuse to cooperate.

Thus, I have given up on E* and now working with the State's Attorney General and expect to see a whopping fine for E* come out of this as they have not done one thing to stop the calls or identify who is doing them - despite my efforts to assist them in this effort.

I suggest you call your state attorney general as well - and when Charlie gets fined again for big bucks for condoning illegal business practices and violating federal law - he will pay attention the next time.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Why would somebody listen to one of those recordings all the way to the end? I hang up before the recording has finished uttering the first word.

There is a sucker born every minute and the last time I looked into this type of advertising you had to harrass 12,000 people before you would find 1 idiot willing to give their credit card and SSN to a complete stranger.

I even get customers who call me and say "DISH Network has been trying to call me to get me in on this special offer, but everytime they call me I do as they say and I can never talk to anyone" and while the customer is say this, im saying to myselfe Here is an idiot that would actually buy something from a telemarketer

Not for anything, but with all these Nigerian identity theft scams going around the internet, these scam artists should get their own autodialer and pretend to sell DISH Network. They would find it much much easier to pull off than the scams they have in place right now,

But here is how these guys get away with what they do...

#1 There is 3-4 problem retailers out there.....
A) Sky High Entetainment
B) Allsat (Also known as Isatellite)
C) VMC Satellite
D) Dish Direct

At any given time you got all 3 of these retailers calling your home. You might think its the same retailer, but it might actually be 2 retailers using the same lists.

#2 All of these dealers spoof their caller ID's, meaning that the actual number does not appear on your called ID.

#3 The only way to catch these dealers is to actually place an order.

With all that said, im getting pist off taking these calls also every day at my office. If anyone cares to give their name to these people and place a fake order, I'll work with ya and make sure it gets to the right person at Dish to take appropiate action.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

If anyone cares to give their name to these people and place a fake order, I'll work with ya and make sure it gets to the right person at Dish to take appropiate action.

I actually tried that with a fake name and social security number when they I said I didnt have a credit card - and of course it didn't clear so after spending 10 minutes they hung up on me.

You would think Dish would give me a name etc that I could use to get these idiots - because at that point - they can see which company actually placed the order and nail them - but they refuse to cooperate.

So lots of luck with that making sure the right person @ Dish will take appropiate action as I have tried.

 

[GaryPen]

Claude - If those 4 companies are well-known as conducting shady business practices, why does E* continue to deal with them? You have connections there. Find out why they don't just cut 'em off. They get enough business from the legitimate resellers, they don't need crooks staining their brand.

 

[TBoneit]

A lot of "sales by telephone" companies are now calling numbers with a recording giving their sales pitch. At the end some will give you two choices, such as press 1 to speak to somebody, or 2 to be removed from the list. Pressing the 2 doesn't seem to work.

Most of the time, I don't answer the phone, but after seeing this one number a few times, I answered the phone and the recording started...

Hi, this is Dish Network....

The only choice it had was 1 to be connected. Turned out to be either a Retailer or maybe a Scam Artist.

I believe they replaced some company with a 571 area code (Northern VA), who use to call once a week wanting to give away a free Dish Network system.

And to think, we never had this problem before we started paying multiple Universal Service Fund fee's, and multiple taxes.

Edit: I wounder what would happen if I converted from a plain voice system to a TDD terminal. Guess the funds we pay for that allows telemarketers to TEXT us!

Do what I do, listen to the recording and press 1 everytime. When the real person comes on, let them do their sales spiel.

Then explain to the person that everytime they call you, you are going to tie up their equipment and their real human as well as the recorded calling equipment as a public service to others that may have been tempted by their call. And of course since you already have what they are selling and have a no purchases based on phone calls household policy. So if they want to keep wasting their time, then should keep calling. By this time most of them have hung up in disgust.

When they call at work I try and sell them a computer(s) or computer repair since I work in a computer store unless I'm busy, then I just lay the phone down until I hear the off hook noises.

I can spell, Type? that's another subject

 

[Stargazer]

I report all of mine to the donotcall.gov website. I get very few telemarketers call me after signing up for that.

 

[Pepper]

Somebody must be complaining to the right people. The following email just went out to all AllSat affiliates.

Telemarketing Advisory

DISH Network has experienced some problems with retailers utilizing unsolicited outbound telemarketing to generate leads. Due to the seriousness of this problem, we would like to remind our affiliates that unsolicited outbound cold calling is a method of marketing that is not allowed per your affiliate program agreement. Anyone found using this tactic will forfeit any commissions earned and will be terminated immediately. As an affiliate, you are an independent contractor due to the fact that AllSat does not have control over how you run your business. The affiliate agreement requires that you conduct business in a manner that will not impugn AllSat or DISH Network's reputation and goodwill, and that you comply with all applicable laws and policies. Should you desire to use telemarketing to generate sales, you need to be approved and enter into a separate, written Call Center Agreement with AllSat.

At AllSat, we take outbound Affiliate telemarketing activity very seriously. As per our program agreement, affiliates are not allowed to use outbound telemarketing in the process of generating new leads for DISH Network. This is a zero tolerance policy that is strictly enforced by AllSat. If an affiliate is confirmed to be engaging in outbound telemarketing, we will terminate them immediately.

AllSat's policy is to adhere to all laws relating to marketing activities. Each affiliate is responsible for making sure that its own marketing activities conform to the law. The purpose of this email is to inform all affiliates of DISH Network and AllSat's policies in regards to telemarketing activities. You must take all steps necessary to tailor your marketing efforts to conform to the law and AllSat's policies. AllSat maintains the right to immediately terminate its Agreement with any affiliate that AllSat believes, in its sole discretion, may have breached the Agreement, violated AllSat's policies, or otherwise engaged in illegal, objectionable, inappropriate, or otherwise forbidden marketing activities. AllSat will also immediately terminate the Agreement of any affiliate found to have made misrepresentations to AllSat or DISH Network about its marketing activities.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact our Affiliate Team. Happy selling!

Sincerely,

The AllSat Affiliate Team

 

[SmityWhity]

Why would somebody listen to one of those recordings all the way to the end? I hang up before the recording has finished uttering the first word.

Although I often don't listen, there are 3 reasons:

1. Sometimes, with the call going to the end, they will not call you back the same day.

2. To increase the time charges for their outgoing long distant charges.

3. So that I can get a live operator on the line and tell them
"This is your notification that I find your telephone soliciting to be harassment".

I don't know if Qwest has a number that you dial after an incoming call that reports it back to the phone company as a harassment call or not.

 

[mzopinionated]

Here is what I do to tele-marketers. I am on the National do not call list. I advise them of such. I get their name and phone number report it to the gov't. I advise them that if they call me again, since I am on the national do not call list, I will take a picture of my caller id box, hire an attorney and sue them and the company they work for. I also let them know that prostitution is illegal. And since they are both breaking the law how do they think they are any better

 

[Stargazer]

I just tell them that I am reporting them to the Do Not Call organization after this phone call ends. They do not care.