This is the letter I sent to the president of Direct TV.
Dear Michael White,
I am writing you with tremendous frustration and concern. As a previous customer, account #, the experience in dealing with your company has caused undue stress to me and my family. In 2009, due to a job relocation, we temporarily suspended service with every intent of renewing our service when we settled in our new location. I want to first establish that my credit history is impeccable and I always pay my bills on time, in full. I have been a customer since 2007.
On June 15th of 2010 we received our first bill for a monthly service for $120.81, the receivers were still in moving boxes, and had we had not contacted your company to set up installment of a dish. At that time I called and spoke with a customer service representative to arrange cancellation and return of the receivers. I received the boxes and returned the receivers and remote controls. On July 21st I received a bill for the monthly service we never used and for the receivers and remotes for $367.56. I contacted Direct TV and to verify why I was receiving these bills. I was told at that time that you had received the boxes and I did not owe for the boxes or for the monthly service fee because we did not use it. I made sure the account was closed and everything was settled. My next American Express bill showed a charge from Direct TV for $120.81 that I never authorized. I called Direct TV and spoke with a supervisor to complain and dispute the charges. I was told as that time that when I settled the account that the representative did not make a notation about dismissing the monthly service fee and she could not do anything to help me. I thought this was ridiculous and unfair. I have been such a good customer and was being treated so unfairly. I called AMEX and disputed the charges and they agreed with me and dismissed the charges.
On November 8th 2010, I started receiving daily calls from a number that were hang ups. On November 10th 2010 Focus Recv Mgmt called again and I was able to speak with a woman who informed me that they were a collection agency and were pursuing a charge of $165.76 on behalf of Direct TV. We agreed that yet again I was going to dispute these charges. This morning 11/11/10, I received another hang up call and called them back to inquire why these calls were continuing and was hung up on by a man who demanded I give my social security number, which I refused. This entire situation is unbelievable. Now months and years later you are charging me for a monthly service fee for a service that was never used but have also added a pay per view charge.
We had every intention of returning to Direct TV when we were finally settled. This experience has surely changed my opinion and intentions. Mr. White I hope you will do the right thing and clear this up. I also hope that you will change how you treat your customers. Current customer and previous customers are the best advertising for your company.
*This letter made little difference. They still charged me for a monthly service fee for service that was impossible to use since I did not have a satellite. They did remove the paper view charge. I gave the representative from the president's office the option to not charge me for service I never had and have my business return or to charge me and never see my monthly payments again. They chose the latter. Sad!
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