Who's Zoomin' Who???.......

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

I THINK DIRECTV IS SCAMMING ME...

I got a letter from them today which reads...

Dear Dean,

Thank you for your recent participation in the "Get $100 Cash back from DIRECTV" Offer.
Unfortunately your redemption submission is ineligible for this offer due to the following reason(s):

This offer is only available to customer who purchased from DIRECTV.
Reatil sales are not eligible.

You did not acquire your DIRECTV service from a participating dealer.

Thank You.

DIRECTV, Inc.

Well... I guess this means I'm probably ineligible to acquire the FREE DVD Player they promised me that I've been waiting for months now to show up as well, eh?
Funny... I went online to their website and "acquired" DIRECTV right from there...
Set up my account online and called their 800 number to arrange installation.
When logged on I could even track the staus of my instalation date and time.
I had no control who they sent out to install the system... They arranged all that.
I knew it was a private contractor when he showed up, 'cause I had to write him a separate check, but he was in a DIRECTV van and had all the forms for both "Sucker" promotions...
Come to think of it, I did most of the work... He was too "big" to fit into the crawl space to run the wiring and had issues climbing up a ladder.
Sounds like false advertising to me...

You know... Their initial promotion also stated I could get up to four rooms installed for FREE and upgrade one of the receivers to DVR for FREE...
Hell, I only had two TVs at the time, but figured what the hey... Went out and bought two flat screens for each shop...
Only to find out on my first bill that "Oh BTW... that'll be 6 bucks per month extra on the DVR and 5 bucks extra per month for each receiver past one.... That equates out to 21 bucks per month extra.
So we didn't start out on the rosiest of situations...

This is by no means a rant... I like the service they provide me, but I do feel they haven't held true to their promises and were a bit shady on the "Four Rooms For Free" promotion.
I just wanna hear others opinions as to agree/disagree with me that this is a case of false advertising and what if anything I should do about it...
I was/am looking forward to putting that DVD Player in the teradrop...

[wolfix]

Last week my cousin told me that they came out to his house, determined after a few hours they could not get a proper install to pick up the signal.
OK, he can live with that.
But they want their money for the work that was provided and going to hold him to a "contract" he signed when signing up for the service.
He's smarter then that.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Welp...
I googled, "Directv Offer Complaints"...
Looks as though they are doing this to several customers.
After reading several complaints by others, I think I'll cut to the chase...
I'll file complaints about this matter with the BBB and the FTC.
It seems those who have went to the BBB and FTC are the only customers having any success at resolving the problem...

[Denny Unfried]

Hey Dean,

I was going to fall the the same offer but got out the magnifying glass and read the paragraph of very fine print. Just wanted to get a couple more rooms of service. After seeing all the extra charges I'll stick with Dish Network which I've had since they started in the 90's. With Dish you own your equipment instead of renting.

Denny

[Gage]

Hey Dean, call them up and raise some hell. You didn't go through a dealer, you went through them on line. Oh they were talking free installation, but you still would have to pay the monthly of $5.00 per additional unit. but where's the $100 and DVD that they owe you.

Yep you could've gone with DISH, that's who I'm with.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Gage,
I just got off the phone with the FTC and they told me to file my complaint with Directv first.
I could use some pointers from you on raisin' hell...
I'm not worried about the extra charges each month for the extra stuff I ordered, that was my dumb, but I do enjoy being able to watch a race and be able to work in the shops at the same time.
What I'm POed about is they are disqualifying me on the $100 rebate and the FREE DVD Player they promised because they are now telling me I didn't purchase Directv form "Them".... I went online at their website and set my account up right there online and made the purchase with a "Buy Now" button. I did have to call the 800 number a couple of times for a few other things, but Directv were the ones who sent the private contractor out to my shop to do the instalation and he was in a Directv van, dressed in a Directv shirt... Blah-blah-blah. I found out he was working for a private contractor when it came time to write the check for his labor, which I might add... I did just about all the grunt work, but he did make all the connections... Kept mumbling something about my place wasn't built like an ordinary house.
So if I gotta call them up and raise some hell, please give me some pointers. I hate confrontations for the most part, but I don't like layin' down either... I'll do this for a matter of principle. After reading those Googled complaints, I'm thinking of letting them know that I'm gonna give them two weeks to resolve this matter to give them a chance to keep their word, after that if it's not settled, I'll take it up with the FTC and the BBB.
Looks like I'll need to read my contract as far as how long I gotta stay with 'em too...

Denny,
I woulda went with Dish had I not got sucked into the Nascar Hot Pass package, which BTW is a joke.

[Podunkfla]

Hey Dean... DirectTVsucks.org is available for only $8.99 a year!
You could make a nice little web page for unhappy customers to vent on...
My guess is you would get their attenion rather quickly.

https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/registra ... vsucks.com

[asianflava]

One of them came to my door pimping their services. I told him to look at my roof and check out the disconnected dish on it. He asked why I went back to cable. I told him that when the weather is REALLY BAD and you want to find out if there is a tornado warning, you loose the picture. He tried to convince me that it was because I had analog service.

I was this [] close to calling him a liar. How can you get a signal when not only are the clouds and rain blocking it, but the wind is shaking the crap out of the dish. I even prefsaced it by saying that it rarely happens but when it does happen is when you need it most.

[pgwilli]

Thanks for posting this Dean.
Every month when I make the Comcast payment, I start thinking about some kind of satelite alternative. Then I look at the flyers and start adding up all the things I don't understand and I stay where I am.
We need the fast cable internet hookup for work anyway...doesn't take many trips to the office @ $3.40 a gallon to make $45.95 a month for high speed look like a deal.
~$70 for tv on the other hand seems nuts

[Elumia]

I called Comcast and told them I was going to quit my High speed internet and switch to AT&T DSL. Amazingly, they lowered their price to match. I now have High speed internet for $27. I need to do the same for cable, tell them I am going to switch to dish and see what they'll do.

Mark

[asianflava]

I called Comcast and told them I was going to quit my High speed internet and switch to AT&T DSL. Amazingly, they lowered their price to match. I now have High speed internet for $27. I need to do the same for cable, tell them I am going to switch to dish and see what they'll do.

Mark

A buddy of mine had the Time Warner 6 month introductory rate for almost 2 years. You know the teaser rate they use to get you to go with them. when the rate was over, he'd call and tell them that he wanted to cancel. They'd offer him the rate to keep him onboard.

It usually works with Credit Card interest rates too. A couple times I've called and told them that I wanted my interest rate lowered, I was only denied once. I havent done it in many years, I'm at the point where my 2 credit cards are as low as you can find. We only carry a balance on one, the other is for emergancy situations.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Gage,
I didn't hear from you on pointers about raising hell with them and as I said earlier, I hate confrontations...
I sent and email to their response team instead.
Here's a copy of what I sent, please let me know how I did...

DIRECTV, Inc.,
I received the rejection notice from you yesterday regarding the "$100 Cash Back from DIRECTV" Offer and can only assume that I'll be receiving a similar rejection notice shortly regarding the "FREE DVD Player" Offer as well.
You state in the rejection notice I received that I the customer did not purchase from DIRECTV and that I did not acquire my DIRECTV from a participating dealer.
Let me remind you that I went to DIRECTV's website, setup my account and paid online at DIRECTV's website. I also called your 800 number for further instructions from you to complete the transaction.
I have Googled this matter and have read countless complaints from other customers regarding this matter. I see that the only customers that have had any success in getting this issue squared away have been those who have filed complaints with the FTC and the BBB. I have contacted my attorney on this situation and he advised me to take this matter up with the State Attorney General's office. In fairness to DIRECTV, I am giving you a two week window to fulfill your commitment to me. If this matter is not fulfilled within that time frame, I will turn this matter over to the State Attorney General's office.
I would also like a response from DIRECTV regarding this matter within forty-eight hours.
Thank You.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

Well,
I gotta quick response from them, only time will tell...

Thanks for writing about your $100 Cash Back and free gift. I'm sorry to hear that
you received a letter from us stating that you're ineligible for the Cash Back
Offer. I completely understand your frustration, and I would like to help resolve
your issue without having to involve the Better Business Bureau. While our corporate
office responds to any inquiries that the Better Business Bureau forwards to us, we
encourage our customers to call or write us directly with their concerns.

At this time, I don't see a note on your account about this ineligibility letter so
I have forwarded your e-mail to a specialist who will contact you within the next
few days.

Normally, we are able to get back to you within a day or two, but we’re receiving
more e-mail than expected, so it may take a little longer. Our agents are working
overtime to be able to help you as fast as possible, but if you need immediate
assistance, please call us at 1-800-531-5000.

Thanks for your patience and for allowing us to respond to your concerns.

Sincerely,

DIRECTV Customer Service

If anyone is wondering who my attorney is, I'll give you a hint...
He returned my call from Antlers RV Park in Lakehead, CA last night.

[asianflava]

Seems fair, just make shure to reiterate the 2 week window. The delay delay delay tactic is what they usually resort to.

[War Eagle]

Dean, like you I love my DirectTV service and like you I have had a few run ins with the Customer Service dept. First let me say that I came close to signing up with DT several times before but I always backed out becasue of the additional charge per receiver after the first. But later I determined that I could install 4 rooms and still pay the same monthly rate as cable. The added benefit to DT is that I can take it with me, try that with cable.

My advice when dealing with DT Customer Service is do not talk to the first person that answers the phone. Tell them that you are very upset and that you would like to talk to a superviser (insist). When you get to that superviser if they are not able to satisfy you ask for their boss, and so on. Someone will give you wha tyou want.

As far as the free DVR, that is the equipment that is free you still have to pay for the additional receiver on your account, which actually it's a good deal becasue the DVR is actually two receivers (so you can record and watch something else or record two things at once). You are nolonger leasing DT equipment, they stopped that a long time ago. I decided I wanted a DVR so I called CS and told them what I wanted a free DRV and I wanted them to upgrade my other three receiver to th ecurrent models. They told me no. So I did as I described above and after a couple days of bitchn I got three new digital receivers and a new DVR installed. The only thing I was charged was instalation, initlially. Then the day the guy was supposed to come do the instalation he didn't show. The next day they said they could provide a specific time for instalation. I got back on the phone and my installation feee went away and I received a $15 credit per month for the next 24 months. Hurray for me. I enjoy calling DT CS.

Good luck. Just don't take no for an answer and always go to the next level.