Legal Advice Needed - Directv gone out of control !

[raznaran]

This is just insane ! I hope someone here can advise me.

I've been a satellite guy since 10' dishes. I went to Directv when they first arrived in Dallas. About '94 or so if memory serves me.

I've been a loyal customer for years and years.

I moved to Mexico. I called and had my account put on hold. Six months later I received an email that said my account was going to reactivate. I called them and they said that normally they only kept them on hold for six months. I told them I would be stuck in Mexico for a bit longer so they recmmended that I extend the "on hold" . No problem.


Six months later, the same thing happens. THis time they say that I can't extend it. I say okay, let's cancel it. They say okay they will send a couple of boxes for my DVR's to be returned in.

I go to Dallas and personally get the DVR's and put them in my sons living room to wait for the boxes.

Boxes never came and the DVR's are still just sitting there. Now I am told that I have a bill for 1000.00 because they reactivated it and I never paid it. Now they've turned it over to collections!

I've tried to deal with these people to no avail. I mean, I don't even have a dish mounted on my current house in the states.

How can they do this ? Any ideas on how to handle these people. I mean it just feels like such a betrayal after all of these years of being a loyal customer !

Help !

Thanks, Richard

 

[jcrandall]

So the boxes never came, I'm guessing $500 or so is for non-return of boxes? They will reverse that if you return the boxes, so tell them to send the empty boxes again.

As for the service, you need to talk to the highest authority you can get and explain what you did here, you are in Mexico, no dish on the house, receivers sitting in a closet. You want Directv back if you move back to the states but clearly can't get it in Mexico, be nice, etc.

Try calling 310-535-5000 (their corporate offices) and ask for their presidents office. You can also email them but your situation sounds significant enough to call directly.

 

[Hall]

Ask them for proof of delivery on the empty boxes. Until they can provide that, they need to remove the charges for the boxes. Are they also charging you for programming since they re-activated the boxes ?

 

[raoul5788]

It's kind of hard to reactivate boxes that aren't hooked up. Ask them for proof that your account was reactivated. I would also follow Hall's and Jason's advice.

 

[Joe Diamond]

High atop the Geo Wash Mem Bridge connecting NJ to NYC are the headquarters of Captain America, Darkwing Duck and (ROLL COOL MARCH MUSIC WITH LIGHT SHOW)......The Stone Man!

Stonecold....time to have Directv get a grip, yo! Brother Raznaran has been most grievously disrespected.

Joe

 

[charper1]

Follow the above advice without going over board yet (going all legal) and realize most of this process is automated. Once all the terms are satisfied on both sides it will be cleared. Almost every billy process has automation of this type.

 

[raoul5788]

High atop the Geo Wash Mem Bridge connecting NJ to NYC are the headquarters of Captain America, Darkwing Duck and (ROLL COOL MARCH MUSIC WITH LIGHT SHOW)......The Stone Man!

Stonecold....time to have Directv get a grip, yo! Brother Raznaran has been most grievously disrespected.

Joe

?

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Give them a chance to fix the problem, however remain stern (but not mean) and let them know if this is not resolved to your satisfaction within a reasonable period that you will file a complaint with your states attorney generals office.

That should get them to move.

 

[spaceghost]

Follow the above advice without going over board yet (going all legal) and realize most of this process is automated. Once all the terms are satisfied on both sides it will be cleared. Almost every billy process has automation of this type.

I think this is the key point in which many people fail to acknowledge. You can have a CSR offer you the world and the CSR never lift a finger to do what they promised.

Two key points:
1-The boxes never came. I certainly would have been on the phone rattling DirecTV's cage for the boxes.
2- Its in collections - It seems the bills were ignored for quite awhile for them to be in collections.

Im in now way defending DirecTV as im sure they screwed up, but at the end of the day, its your personal business getting the screws and its up to you to make sure everything is done right. In this day of age, you have to make sure that incompetent CS rep followed up with what they said they are doing, no matter what company you're dealing with.

 

[yaz96]

I think this is the key point in which many people fail to acknowledge. You can have a CSR offer you the world and the CSR never lift a finger to do what they promised.

Two key points:
1-The boxes never came. I certainly would have been on the phone rattling DirecTV's cage for the boxes.
2- Its in collections - It seems the bills were ignored for quite awhile for them to be in collections.

Im in now way defending DirecTV as im sure they screwed up, but at the end of the day, its your personal business getting the screws and its up to you to make sure everything is done right. In this day of age, you have to make sure that incompetent CS rep followed up with what they said they are doing, no matter what company you're dealing with.

The guy's in Mexico. He's supposed to bother his son every week? "Did the boxes arrive?", "Did the boxes arrive?", "When are those boxes going to arrive?".

Since when is it NOT corporate America's fault for not following through with what they said they would do. They obviously have you and many others under their thumb, and it's ruining it for the rest of us.

 

[Joe Diamond]

?

Stonecold........StoneMan will fix.

Joe

 

[raoul5788]

I got that part, it's the Captain America etc stuff I don't quite get.

 

[raznaran]

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I suppose I could have done more to ensure they pickied up the receivers. Fact is I have talked to CSR at least three times. They'll give you the world to keep you but if they aren't keeping you it's like they flip a switch and don't give a crap any more.\

When they reactivated my acount would they have to have communicated to my receivers ? In other words, can they just look it up and see thaqt I havne't been conncted ?

Obviously, I have to call them again. This is just ridiculous.

 

[Hall]

They have the ability to know if their satellites have "talked" to your receivers. They likely won't admit this though.

Regarding working with D* at this point, is it with D*'s internal collections, if they have one, or have they already sold it to a 3rd party? If they've sold it, D* likely won't work with you.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Next time you are in traffic on the Geo Wash Mem BR look up. At the top of the bridge towers is the home of Captain America. Dark Wing Duck also set up a fortress of power there. So does Stonecold. I'm pretty sure of that. We could ask him to confirm or deny that he too is up on that bridge defending America. How else could he detect trouble on this site and fix them? Ask Captain America......your kid's room is full of the issues....mine hid them under the pile of Pokeman Cards and CDs.

Stoneman will fix this pronto!

Nos vamos,

Joe

 

[Joe Diamond]

Pretty sure the communication is down only. Sat to dish. The other link is receiver to telco to Directv. Recently an internet connection will also work. If the landline phone or ethernet run is not there there is no communication.

Joe

 

[Hall]

Pretty sure the communication is down only.

Yeah, I realized that after... So used to having a phone line or broadband connection anymore.

 

[stonecold]

1. We sent the boxes, the system does not charge NRF ( Non Return Fees ) unless we dont recieve the equipment back plan and simple

2. if you want proof call us we can give you usps / fedex tracking

3. We can reship the recovery kits overnight if need be

4. Hate to say it generally we cant extend anything past 6 months so if it was suspending more then 6 months consider your self lucky.

Basically your only priority is returning the recievers once we have those back we can get everything else straighten out.


Note I just going based on what been said I dont have access to his account to see where the 1000 dollar bill is comming from.

 

[sonydude1966]

I know a couple of people are tip-toeing around it, but come on, you failed to confirm that Directv received the equipment back. You needed to do this and didn't.

Account balances are available online, and can be checked anywhere there is internet access. Or, the 1-800 customer number would suffice. You could have easily checked and disputed any charges you incurred by simply checking this balance one time. This is what people with excellent credit do, they MAKE SURE things are properly canceled, paid, whatever is needed. You didn't do what was needed, and here you are. Since it's in collections because of numerous attempts to collect their fee, Directv may not even want to deal with you anymore, equipment or not.

You need to find this attorney to possibly work something out, or you should do some humble calling and working something out on your own to try and get some relief of the $1000.00. This is your fault pure and simple for not following through. Life is full of these lessons whether we listen to them or not.