How to get your cancellation fees back from DirecTV
A couple of months ago, I wrote about how there’s almost no way to escape DirecTV’s enormous cancellation fees, and it’s really not clear in the fine print that every time one of their crap DVRs breaks down and they replace it, your contract renews for another 1-2 years.
Well, I am blessed with some really smart, savvy readers here at Bohemian Revolution. Several of you tried various ways of getting out of your cancellation fees, or getting them refunded. Doug found the solution:
Don’t waste your time with their customer service department (800-531-5000). Forget billing dispute (the Colorado address you have to write to). Call or write their corporate headquarters in El Segundo, CA, and it’s like you’re dealing with a whole different company.
Doug got jerked around by Customer Service for a bit, then:
I wrote a letter to John Malone, who is Chairman of DirecTV in El Segundo, California, explaining my “frustration.” I have no idea what he’ll do, but I explained that I will do everything I can to make people aware of this ridiculous business practice. I also read about the class action lawsuit in California, and emailed the lead attorney to get some more information. If he writes me back, I’ll post here.
This worked for Doug, who received a polite, response. The letter does not accept any blame or fault – they’re making a “business” decision to settle things “amicably.” Read: “Oh, noes, we’re gettin’ sued! Better play nice!” But hey, he got his money.
Around the time Doug got his lovely reply, I got a meaningless form letter back from Billing Dispute in Colorado saying that the cancellation fees I was charged were appropriate. I decided to call the El Segundo number Doug found: 310-964-5000. To my surprise, the entire phone call only took about 7 minutes.
At first, you get a recorded greeting, and then it starts ringing. It may ring quite a few times – over ten both times I called. Then someone answers, and you tell him you’ve got a problem with a cancellation fee and Customer Service isn’t being helpful, and he puts you through to the “Office of the President”, where someone answers immediately.In my case, she listened to my complaint, then put me on hold to review my account, and came back within two minutes to announce they would refund the cancellation fee.
I was afraid it was too easy. She had also said it might take ten business days to show up on my credit card. I gave them that, and it still wasn’t there. I called them again, and this time the call took only about three minutes. I was reassured that they were processing the refund that day and it would show up on my card in a couple of days. And so it did.
Here is the contact info for the El Segundo office:
Phone:
310-964-5000
Address:
John Malone, Chairman of DirecTV
2230 East Imperial Highway
El Segundo, CA 90245
Good luck! If you care to share, I’d love to hear in comments how this works out for any of you who try it.
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Posted in Do It Yourself, Featured Articles, Scam Notices on November 19, 2009
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Wow ! How fitting that I ran across this. Eariler on this very day I received a billing from Direct TV that I had an outstanding balance for the previous month. I hadn’t had thier service for two months how could they bill me? I hadn’t officially been disconnected. I thought I had made it clear that I was dissatified with thier service and no longer needed it paid in full and I really that was it but no not even close…
Thank you!! Calling the Office of the President was what worked for me! They refunded the cancellation fee … it IS like you are dealing with a whole different company. They didn’t roll over; I had to be doggedly persistent, but it the end it was successful. Good luck to you all out there.
My story is a little different but I got results using the customer advocate email located here:
http://investor.directv.com/contactus.cfm
Basically DTV likes to add contract length to you any way they can. They tried that crap with me and I filed a formal complaint with the BBB. After filing the complaint, that night I wrote a letter using the link above received an email the following day.
If someone on the DTV phone tells you that no contract extension is required for something they are doing/you are getting hold them to it by all means! I was extended two years for something and had that agreement removed.
I was under contract for 14 months prior to the extension, then it got bumped to 24 months with the fake extension. I complained and now I am NOT UNDER CONTRACT AT ALL! Time to call and threaten to cancel or actually cancel.
Also…I tried the phone number but it just kept ringing and ringing so I tried the email. Same results.
OH AND…I was given this number too…looks different to me(maybe its the Colorado number?)
1-866-785-5524 between the hours of 7:30 AM and 7:30 PM MST
Latest contact info for DirecTV and their Governing Body:
mike.white@directv.com ;
patrick.doyle@directv.com ;
larry.hunter@directv.com ;
MWPalkovic@directv.com ;
jfmurphy@directv.com ;
eafilipiak@directv.com ;
gregory.maffei@libertymedia.com ; john.malone@libertymedia.com ; david.flowers@libertymedia.com ;
ccarey@newscorp.com
Boise, ID Office of the President # 208-363-6015 (which is listed as Unpublished).
Contact them … I am sure they would LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Subject: FILED COMPLAINT WITH BBB AND AG OFFICE AND STILL SEARCHING FOR OTHERS PLCES TO FILE COMPLAINTS
I WAS AN EMPLOYEE FOR 2 YRS WITH AN EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT. I WAS LAID OFF IN 12/09 AT THAT TIME I CALLED INT O LET THEM KNOW I WOULD NO LONGER AN EMPLOYEE AND TO DISCONNECT SERVICE. THEY DID ON 12/31/2009 YET I WAS BILLED IN MARCH 2010 FOR 3 MONTHS SERVICE WHICH I DID NOT USE. MY CHANNELS HAVE BEEN SNOW SINCE THE DISCONNECT ON 12/31/2009. EVERY CSR I SPOKE TO DIDNT HAVE A CLUE HOW TO HELP AND WAS RUDE AND UN KNOWLEGABLE. I AM ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 11.79 FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. I WILLNOT PAY 103.22. AND HAVE RETAINED LEGAL COUSIL.. I FILED 3 COMPLAINT TO THE BBB AND THE ONE TO THE AG OFFICE AND WAS CONTACTED TODAY THAT THEY WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU. i HAVE FWRD ALL YOU INFORMATION TO THEM , SO THEY CAN SPEAK WITH YOU DIRECTLY. i WILL FILE COMPLAINT ON EVERY LEVEL EVERY DAY UINTIL I SEE MY BILL AS THE TRUE FACTUAL AMOUNT IN WHICH IA M WILLING TO PAY. YOUR CSR HAD THE NERVE TO ASK ME IF I WANTED TO CONTIUE SERVICE??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THE WAY YOU ALL HANDLE BUSINESS IN REPULSIVE, AND IWISH I WAS NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH A DIPICABLE CORPORATION. I WILL BLOGGING EVERYWHERE I CAN ABOUT THIS AND HOPEFULLY WORD OF MOUTH WILL GET TO ENOUGH PEOPLE, AND THIS WONT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THIS IS FRAUD! AGAIN I WAS AN EMPLOYEE AND KNOW JUST HOW BAD YOU ALL NEED YOUR GOVERMENT CONTRACTS. STOP RIPPING PEOPLE OFF! I MAY REACH OUT TO EVERY BLOGGER AND THERE ARE PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON YALL… I THINK I SMELL A CLASS ACTION SUITE.
THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME FOR MAKING YOU ALL BILLIONS.. I HIRED IN THOSE TECHS THAT ARE GENERATING ALL THAT MONEY JUST FOR YOU ALL TO KICK ME IN MYREAR???
WOW- YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW AND I KNOW MY RIGHTS AND THANK GOD I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS AN ATTORNEY FOR A MAJOR FIRM IN DALLAS- YOU PICKED ON THE WRONG GAL.
B. RGDS
KRISTINA G
469-531-4449
Ya Kristina, you go! I too have had a bunch of problems, all lies, unauthorized equipment sent to my house and my credit card used without permission for the money! I can’t believe they are still in business, you expect something like this in a third world country not in the US, it is so appalling I can’t even comprehend it all. Yes, it’s fraud! and it has to stop!
I will dedicate the rest of my life to warning everyone about Direct TV, they make Comcast look like saints…and I never thought that could be true. Congrats to the rest of you for your success, may we all have it. Thanks for the info I have used it! I don;’t get anywhere calling the number, but will tr email.