DirecTV under suit for humongous list of deceptive business practices

[UTUSN]

There was a thread re: DISH vs DirecTV, and the poster eventually decided to go with DISH. This article mentions that DISH had previously been sued and had settled, but nowhere THIS bad:


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http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/12/a-lawsuit-filed-this-week-by-washington-state-against-directv-could-have-a-secondary-purpose-it-could-serve-as-a-textbook-fo.html

DIRECTV THRIVES ON "DECEPTION," LAWSUIT ALLEGES

A lawsuit filed this week by Washington state against DirecTV could have a secondary purpose: It could serve as a textbook for consumers on tricks companies play to take their money.

The suit filed by Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna alleges so many forms of misbehavior that he thinks DirecTV, the nation’s largest satellite TV provider, has "built deception into their business model." In an interview with msnbc.com, he also said that the firm has "left few deceptive tactics unused."

"It's amazing, the wide variety of ways they've taken advantage of their customers," he said.

Much of the case centers on alleged misleading advertisements, and on a series of pricey early termination fees the firm levies on customers. For example: Aggressive marketing campaigns tout service for $29.99 per month, but leave less clear the two-year obligation attached to the deal, or that the price almost doubles after the first year, the lawsuit says. After the first year, consumers face a Hobson’s choice – either pay the higher price or cough up an early-termination fee of up to $480.

"It is what amounts to a bait-and-switch strategy,” McKenna said. “They use a variety of lures to bring people in at prices the customer doesn't actually pay." ....

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[NewJeffCT]

1. This happened to us a few years ago when we tried Direct TV

We got upset when we moved and Dish Network wanted to charge us an extra fee when we moved... so, we switched to Direct TV because they supposedly had a great deal at the time. My wife usually is the one that would do this, but since English is not her first language she'll sometimes put the phone on speaker so I can hear both sides and confirm what she heard is correct.

We were going to get it hooked up in 4 rooms and it was a special deal they had going on at the time. So, she asked at least 3-4 times if there were any charges beyond the $39.99 monthly charge and the monthly DVR charge of around $5.00. The guy insisted that there were no other charges on several occasions. I listened in and made sure that both sides understood each other and that was what he was saying. We figured with taxes and fees and everything, it would be around $50. And, yes, we were told, that included local channels.

However, when we got our first bill, it was like $75 for the month. There was an additional charge of $5/month for each room (so, 3 extra rooms was an extra $15) and another $5 for DVR in the 3rd and 4th rooms and then another $5 for local channels, which we were told was included in the $39.99.

So, we called them back and wanted to find out about all these extra charges and the customer service manager insisted that none of his employees would have offered such a deal. We asked them to pull the tape of our conversation and they refused. We filed complaints with the Dept of Consumer Protection in CT and the BBB, but got no help from either.

[madmx19790]

2. guess i'll reconsider signing up

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. Cable, satellite, they all offer the same crappy content

The only reason I have even basic-basic cable is that my Internet connection plus cable is cheaper than Internet alone.

Almost all my TV viewing is DVDs, except for an occasional look at PBS at the rare times when they're not having a pledge drive, or the Sunday evening mysteries on MHZ Worldview.