Credit card required?

[nitemare]

Am I required to give them my Credit Card# at any given time during sign up? Im reading so many stories how they were told to give them there CC# for incidentals or activation fees and then they end up getting overcharged.

I dont ever plan on giving them my CC# at all. Is this possible? I will not be doing auto-pay at all.

 

[Joe Diamond]

They will run a credit check. Without a CC# you will have to give them your SS# & make some advance payment. 800 531 5000 has all those answers.

Joe

 

[harshness]

I'm pretty sure you need to give them some sort of plastic to qualify for any promotional offers.

Offers end 2/8/10 and are based on approved credit; credit card required, except in MA & PA. New residential customers only. (Lease required. Must maintain programming, DVR service and/or HD Access.)

It is my understanding that some have had success with using debit cards but you can't contest a debit card hit as readily.

 

[stonecold]

My best advice is to have a pre paid card to use for the service. Even when we waive the shipping and handling there still is a 25 dollar hold we put on the card just to make sure it good. Any debit card with a visa / mc logo is fine also. But my suggestion is a disposable card as they charge it more then what you put on it.

 

[Mike0616]

My best advice is to have a pre paid card to use for the service. Even when we waive the shipping and handling there still is a 25 dollar hold we put on the card just to make sure it good. Any debit card with a visa / mc logo is fine also. But my suggestion is a disposable card as they charge it more then what you put on it.

Either that or get an account like the one that Bank of America offers where you can create a unique account number that can only be used once and only for a preset limit. That account number can be used by D* once and then no more, keeping them from "accidentally" overcharging you. (Your "real" account number stays the same, when you need another one, you obtain it, use it, and it goes away, but the charges all go to your main account number.) That is the only reason I have a BoA card and I use a different account "number" for each month's bill.

As to using "auto-pay", have tried that 3 times and was never a pleasant experience. I was always "accidentally" charged for something that I didn't owe. Amazingly, it was always in the biller's favor, never mine.

 

[stonecold]

Either that or get an account like the one that Bank of America offers where you can create a unique account number that can only be used once and only for a preset limit. That account number can be used by D* once and then no more, keeping them from "accidentally" overcharging you. (Your "real" account number stays the same, when you need another one, you obtain it, use it, and it goes away, but the charges all go to your main account number.) That is the only reason I have a BoA card and I use a different account "number" for each month's bill.

As to using "auto-pay", have tried that 3 times and was never a pleasant experience. I was always "accidentally" charged for something that I didn't owe. Amazingly, it was always in the biller's favor, never mine.

I will say the unqiue card number is not safe for services. I had BOA to keep honoring a reccuring charge I did not sign up for and I had given a unique one time use number that was only supposed to be used for a week. Same with Discover.

Best bet never use anything tied to yoru bank account and this is from a person who sees dtv accounts every day.

Never use your debit card to pay yoru bill never let them put it on file.

 

[nitemare]

Im ordering this online now and at the page where it says "Credit Check"
Options:
1 - Yes, check my Credit - Enter Social Security #
2 - No, continue without credit check (may require refundable deposit)

I guess I should choose YES and enter SS#?

Also, can I just pay them thru Chase Website like I do for all other of my bills? I have CHASE debit/visa card. I dont want to give them that at all. I dont have any other credit cards.

*Just noticed in fine print all the way on bottom it says
Offer ends 2/8/10 and are based on approved credit, credit card required, except in MA & PA.

Unreal. So it looks like it requires me to enter a CC# somewhere along the line. No way. I guess my only option is to purchase a "Pre-Paid" card with a visa logo.

Anyone know how much I should put on this "Pre-Paid" card to start off with? Looks like Ill get a 'Visa Re-loadable Card' for DirectTV only.

 

[sddtvtech]

also keep in mind. they do say they wont charge your CC if you cancel before your contract is up.. however ive seen a few times on this board that they do charge without letting you know..

id do what stonecold said or SSN... dont give them your primary CC

 

[sddtvtech]

on a second note.. just get a prepaid credit card.. pay it with that. when they try to get more, they will see that they cant and will deny them payment that they try to accrue without your permission.

 

[nitemare]

I just called Walgreens and they sell these Visa Reloadable Cards for one time fee of $4.95. In order to add more money, I pay them in cash. So Ill just get that and add $10 to start with. I am not going any further with checkout until I get this card.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[sddtvtech]

I just called Walgreens and they sell these Visa Reloadable Cards for one time fee of $4.95. In order to add more money, I pay them in cash. So Ill just get that and add $10 to start with. I am not going any further with checkout until I get this card.

Thanks again for all your help!

not to sound too negative, but if you go to BBB of directv, you will see numbers of complaint of money taken without permission on CC accounts and such.

this is playing it safe. this assures them not to take more than they are required to take.

however, you choose your provider you want tv from,

 

[sddtvtech]

Heres an example of a BBB complaint....

" DirecTV are a bunch of liars and crooks. On Christmas Eve, 12/24/2009 they took $920.00 out of my account without my authorization. I tried to dispute this with my bank, to no avail. I asked a supervisor(supposedly) to send me a copy of the contract I signed and she refused. She kept telling me that its on the back of the bill. With 6 kids and me the only one working, that was my Bills money and christmas money. If there IS a class action suit, let me know. "

 

[marcschibig]

you will need $25 on the prepaid card. DTV will authorize the card for $25 then put it back on the card in 10 days or after install, which ever comes first

 

[Joe Diamond]

As a customer I have been paying Directv for over ten years using a debit card and auto pay without issue. The payment is correct each month. The only problem I ever had (twice) is that I forgot these debit cards expire and if you fail to notify creditors of the new number they don't get paid until you let then know the new number.

As an installer I have, in the remote past, ended up driving installation customers to pay phones (no customer phone) or to convenience stores (needed a money order to activate equipment)..so things have evolved.

Joe

 

[stonecold]

Well my recommendation is Prepaid card still the safest way to deal with dtv. I am in the billing dept and I if anything ever with south I glad I have my amex on file but I would never leave my debit card on file.

 

[nitemare]

Prepaid cards are no good as well. Went into CVS, read the bottom of the box and says "Monthly Fee of $5.95". So they charge you a monthly fee FOREVER! on top of the $4.95 each time you want to add money. On top of that they require you to give them your Social Security#.

Forget Prepaid cards. I have an American Express Card Ill give DirectTV instead.

 

[stonecold]

One trick I use while i have a amex card my friend got a amex gift card and hat is what he uses. Some prepays are scams others are not.

 

[nitemare]

Just placed order!! Now I get to pick install dates.

Is this Sunday, Superbowl, a good day? Im concerned that Ill get less knowledgeable people on Sunday. I am thinking during the week I might get more professional people.

**OMG - it was for March 2010 (Not this month!)..Damn!!! So the earliest date is March 1st. Hilarious. Well, that stinks. Ill book it for March 2nd then.

Also, it said I did not need a deposit and they will not access my Credit card at all. thats good.

Thanks for all your suggestions!

 

[nitemare]

Sorry, our installation calendar is unavailable at this time.

Everytime I hit schedule later button and hit it again to set a date - the calendar pushed back the available months by 1! So now its telling me the earliest date to schedule is April 1!

Jesus! So I have hit my first snag with them..

 

[sddtvtech]

Directv - 1

you - 0