San Francisco, CAA California court has granted class-action status to a potentially multi-million dollar class-action suit against DIRECTV. Customers allege that they were charged as much as $480 in early cancellation fees in violation of California consumer law.
Attorney Ingrid Evans, who has been working with the plaintiffs for over two years, sees this recent court decision as very good news. "I would say we are one step closer to achieving justice but still have a significant way to go," say Evans.
The suit claims that DIRECTV charged customers an illegal cancellation penalty when they ended their service, even if customers terminated their service because the satellite equipment stopped working or they moved to an area where they were no longer able to receive the signal.
In cases where malfunctioning equipment had to be replaced, DIRECTV automatically extended the "programming commitment" by a year or two, even going so far as scooping fees from customer's bank and credit card accounts without permission.
"You could have a customer that has been with DIRECTV for ten years, but if they upgrade, they are locked in for an additional two years," says Evans.
Calls from disgruntled DIRECTV customers have poured into the Evans Law Firm offices since the suit was first launched. How many plaintiffs have already joined the class action Evans won't say, but the answer is "lots."
"I can say that my office has had hundreds of calls and those are just the people who are upset enough to call," says Evans.
Wow. Stay tuned.
Ingrid Evans is the founding partner of the Evans Law Firm. She is a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate and nominated for California Consumer Attorney of the year in 2009. As a former Deputy City Attorney for the city of San Francisco, Evans had an undefeated jury trial record. Her practice focuses on consumer law, class actions, including consumer fraud, insurance and banking litigation; qui tam/government false claims act litigation; pharmaceutical; and asbestos toxic tort law and employment law.
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I to made this mistake of signing on with Direct TV and after nothing but the dish was installed, multiple phone calls, and numerous visits by "Technicians" to correct I informed them that I wanted to cancel. The phone calls to their main office in Atlanta got me no where, all they keep saying is that if you cancel you have to pay $480. I received absolutely nothing, no programming nothing. I am considering contacting a lawyer to resolve this. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop this ripoff?
Posted by Teresa
on
Directs has fraudulently charged me and won't stop reporting to my credit.
Posted by Julieann Thornton
on
I'm posting on behalf of my 82 yr old neighbor. He recently purchased an RV so he and his wife could drive back to New York to visit family and friends. He was told that he could sign up for DirecTV in order to watch TV while traveling. When he called DirecTV, they never once told him that he'd be under a two-year contract. No mention of a contract at all was made. When he returned from his vacation and was ready to put the RV in storage, he had used the service for a total of 3 months. When he called to cancel, they informed him that he'd have to pay $480 in cancellation fees. He got nowhere with Customer Service, so I found the phone number for the office of the president. He called them today and was hung up on once, then treated rudely the second time he called. So not only is DirecTV engaging in full-blown piracy, they're arrogant and rude about it as well. How can they hold you responsible for cancellation fees without ever having signed a contract or even verbally agreed to a 2 year commitment?!!
Posted by Leo Mitchell
on
Before I signed up to Direct TV, I asked what the charges would be. Their representative told me the first year would be $23.00 a month and the second year would be $47.00 a month. THAT WAS A VERBAL CONTRACT! When the second year came around, they sent me a bill for $67.00. I called them and spoke to three customer service people but they would not change the amount of the charge. I told them to cancel the service immediately. They told me there would be a $225.00 charge to cancel. I said cancel anyway. I immediately called my credit card company and told them to block any charges coming from Direct TV. They now have a collection company trying to extort the money from me.
Posted by Paul Craig
on
Why is the FCC not protecting American citizens from
predatory giants like directv. Isn't that their purpose?
And if not, then of what value is that agency?
Posted by Traci
on
AT&T is dirty and greedy. When I cancelled my phone service with them in year 2014, two months later I get a letter from AFNI collections that they were representing AT&T and that I owe them over $200 for outstanding charges. I sent that dirty collections agency a letter and told them it is a lie and they are not getting nothing from me. I also contacted the Better Business Bureau and they contacted AT&T and then AT&T got scared and told this outrageous lie that they made a mistake and had me associated to this medical business so they dropped the charges. They were lying and never had me connected to some business, they thought they would scare me into paying false charges because they were mad that I cancelled their phone service. Now in year 2015 they are trying to do the same thing with Directv which they now own. They have never sent me a bill or anything regarding some fake account and that I owe the over $800 - then all of a sudden in June 2015 I got a letter from AFNI that I owe Directv. I have all the proof and backup that they are lying. These people need to be sued for $100 for harassment and trying to steal money from customers. I will sue them for harassing me.
Posted by James Gaston
on
Direct T. V. became belligerent when I tried to cancel service, I tried to do so many times and they would promise lowering my bill which never happened. Finally they cut the service and illegally "scooped" over 300.00 from my checking account w/o my permission. My bank replaced the money...a couple months went by and Direct took the money out of my account again ! My bank said that I would have to bring documentation in from Direct...but trying to get Direct T.V. to provide said documents proved timely and unsuccessful....I have not pursued it further. they Suck !
Posted by Idara Udoh
on
They told me that I was only going to be paying about $100 for the package I was receiving but when I got my bill it was for about $148 per month, then the storms in my area started to roll in and my service would go out, funny that's the time I would need it most. So I told them I wanted to cancel the service if they could not provide me service during the storms, then they took close to $800 out of my checking account to pay for early termination services. I called them and asked them what was going on and they explained to me I had to pay $20 a month for each month that I cancelled and also $150+ for the DVR box and other items I had. So the only way to get my money back was to reinstate my service and go to autopay. I signed up for it and they only reimbursed $500, so once I got my money back, I changed my debit card to avoid paying for crappy service. Then they send me another bill for $777 (funny these numbers don't feel lucky to me), and now they sent it to a collection agency and now I have to deal with them calling me and my wife. But their ads are full of lies and hidden charges and because of that I will never deal with them again ever in life.
Posted by Dione
on
I signed up for service May 2012 and since then I have I had nothing but problems. From the time I signed up, they have lied about hiden fees and services. One example is on 3/3/14 I called and spoke with a supervisor, who at the time was the first person that "seemed" to give a crap. I told her I was paying too much for services. She siad she could downgrade me to the Xtra package to save money. So of course I did that. I get a bill for the same 95.00 I was paying previous months. I called 4/1/14 and was told that by downgrading to the next lower package I gave up my 10 credit that I have by being on the more expensive package. First, why wasn't I told that in the beginning and why would I downgrade to save money only to be charged 10.00 more dollars? That makes no sense! So I ask for sup. and he told me that there is nothing he can do and started to tell me my bill is a lot lower than the average customer. He really could care less! This has been my story with them since I signed up. I'm on autopay so I have never been late and have always paid my bill. So today I will be filing a complaint with the BBB and anyone else I can think of. All I want is out of my contract!
Posted by Gwen Watson
on
I was purchasing internet service through DirecTV for several years from BlueSky Internet. I found out that they have not supported BlueSky internet for more then 2 years. In which they continued to charge me for the service. It also has not worked in months. I did discontinued the service last month. Is there any recourse in the getting any of the money back that I have paid to them?
Written by Jeff Runyon her son-inlaw for Gwen Watson who no longer has internet access. Gwen is a 79 year old widow living on Social Security.
Posted by Gwen Watson
on
I was purchasing internet service through DirecTV for several years from BlueSky Internet. I found out that they have not supported BlueSky internet for more then 2 years. In which they continued to charge me for the service. It also has not worked in months. I did discontinued the service last month. Is there any recourse in the getting any of the money back that I have paid to them?
Written by Jeff Runyon her son-inlaw for Gwen Watson who no longer has internet access. Gwen is a 79 year old widow living on Social Security.
Posted by Edward Muldoon
on
I received an ad in the mail for Directtv for only $29.99 per month for 2 years. I upgraded to the $34.99 per month which was also in the ad. I was supposed to get an HD DVR and up to 3 additional HD receivers. I was also supposed to get the NFL Sunday package. When I got my first bill, there was an extra $6.00 charge for each of 2 receivers and a another charge for $20 per month for service to the main TV. My $34.99 package was now costing me $67.21 per month. I was also supposed to get internet service and phone service. I was then informed that I would have to obtain separate service for these services. This month, I received my bill for $127.00 per month. They are now charging me for the NFL package in the second year and have increased the regular monthly charge. I have retained the original ad.
Posted by mika
on
I saw a add for bundled rate with Century Link/Direct TV. Expecting the rate I asked for because I had a budget, I found I was being billed twice a month. When I called the companies each said they were fine as far as my billing goes. That is when after talking to the 5th representative that two account numbers had been created and that neither company had each others account number. I was being overcharged what I had originally asked for. Direct TV also added on charges after three months of service where most companies drop certain services and they don't charge Direct TV Charged me where they added on all there channels.
I also returned equipment to Direct TV in the box from FED EX with the return label and they said It wasn't returned and I was told to prove it by a representative. I've been hung up on, told I wasn't a customer, I even asked for the corporate offices address and number and they said they wouldn't give it to me unless I was a customer. Of course I found it on line my self.
Posted by Alexis Lobaco
on
Directv engages in deceptive advertisement and deceptive practices. I have been gauged by them for a long time. They promise a discount and continue to charge you the same amount for months. When you call and complain and threaten to cancel, they threaten you back with the cancellation fee. They cheat you on every promotion and discount they offer.
Posted by Steve Kralick
on
Am 68, disability-retired teacher, head coach & athletic director living in Alabama on fixed pension. After dropping DISH for without warning, increasing annual rate from 348.00 to 748.00, switched to Directv-huge mistake! 3/8/2012, called DTV lady & got information on Xtra package listed at 480.00 per year. Told her to confirm to installers-no TV or extra trial packages.Was confirmed by installer in writing. Showed me where the HBO/Starz etc. channels come--where blacked out. I scanned them myself over 5 month period. Always blacked out as I'd wanted. Exactly 6 months later, 8/9/13 I get a bill from DTV for 67.28, a charge for movie pack-47.00 and70.99 per month for continuation of next 6 months for my already-paid-for yearly 480.00 fee--paid by check. Tried DTV's customer service. Spoke with 3 ladies,( 3:45 hours) one admitted I was justified. 3rd lady gave me 18 different price quotes that I would be charged in order to continue! Her last comment-"After 54.00 credit, you must pay 39.00 per month to continue." Like DISH, a Bait & Swich scam company. She 1st said I had a loose cable, then said they turned the channels off, & finally admitted to me that my receiver not only did not receive HD as advertised, but only controlled one TV, was incapable of viewing movie packs of any kind!! I was to have gotten a DVR but did not!! The Internet is literally flooded with DTV scams, mostly directed toward retired or poor people. I've gone through BBB (Well aware od this problem!), the state attorney's office, the FCC and their cutomer fraud affairs office with no end in sight. How can our government allow these people to keep fraudulent advertising and scamming people millions of dollars on a daily basis? It's everything that is wrong with America! Please help us!
Posted by Loren Simonis
on
Directv is the most outright in-your-face fraudulant company I have ever dealt with in my 59 years. They must have very good attorneys to be able to continue to operate as they do, continuously screwing the little guy while raking in literally 100's of millions of dollars each month. I don't think a month goes by wherein I don't have a problem with the company. I notice new additional charges on my bill for unrequested services such as being charged for two different protection plans at the same time. Or, out of nowhere a $6.00 "Additional TV" charge will show up on the bill. Compound these "little" "mistakes" by the 300 million customers they claim to have and each month they've just scooped up a huge amount of money from the unknowing "little guy," which would be you and me. I would love to join a class action lawsuit against this company which would perhaps restore my faith in the judicial system.
Posted by Andria Craig
on
directv had a tech install equipment and take old equipment then they charged me for my old equipment and now they wont give me my money back they want to credit it to my account for next months bill that is not even out yet
Posted by Richard S. Salter
on
I signed for Direct TV's service in June 2010 I was not the leaseholder of the apartment that I was living in. In August 2010 the leaseholder was evicted which forced me to move. I moved into an apartment that does not allow installation of satellite service. The new residence did not have private areas like a porch or balcony that I could set up an antenna either. I accepted this and continued to pay my bill month after month and did not receive any service. I suspended my service last year and it started again at the first of 2012. I have routinely checked to see how much it would cost to get out of the contract. Finally, on Apr 25th I was spoke with a service representative who advise I fill out a move order and once it was seen that the landlord would not grant permission to install and that I had no private area to set it up then the service tech would not that "line of sight" could not be established and I could cancel my service with out any early termination penalties. The service technician came out and did not get the permission and allowed me to speak to someone in his chain of command. That person said I could cancel that day. When I called to cancel the service representative said that I could not cancel my service without incurring the penalty and that the landlord's refusal was not the same as a inability to set up a line of sight. But I was told by the other representative that it was. Obviously, the right hand does not what the left hand is doing and we a dealing with a company that has serious case of cranial rectal implantitis . I am livid over this. What remedies do I have? I have reported this claim the BBB and Missouri attorney general's office. What else can be done?
Posted by Millie Salvas
on
I was guoted one price to save money if I switched from DISH. We were very happy with DISH and had them for years. They promised same service plus and to a free recorder for LESS. I told the guy (PAUL LITTLE) several times the only reason we were changing was to save money!
He keep saying, you will have better for less. At first billing
it was more than DISH. I told them if I could not get this settled I would cancel. They disconnected us... I called to find out why, they said, I said to disconnect. than it was harassment. I will not pay the early disconnectplan to fight in small claims court.
If you have any advise please share................
Posted by susan
on
Am I allowed to comment if I do not live in California?
My receiver went bad and had to be replaced.
It was an "owned" receiver.
The company said I did not have to return the receiver at all.
Then I noticed on the website there was almost a $200.00
charge on my bill.
Customers on the automatic billing system probably have
it worse and the company already has your credit card
on file.
I called in advance, told the company more than once that there was an incorrect charge on my account and they needed to take it off before my credit card was charged.
They said I did not have to return the receiver. Called more than once getting the same you do not have to return your failed receiver ( a receiver is equipment)
Now if a customer is told they do not have to return the directv equipment not just by one agent but more than one agent and the agent
does not prevent a charge even with warned and
the company directv takes money from your credit card almost $200.00 that is wrong.
Not just this type of action but DirecTV not filing a worker's compensation claim when they knew there was an accident or failing to give a DirecTV employee a DirecTV first report
of injury when DirecTV by law is required to do that but DirecTV still goes against worker's compensation rules and does not give a first report of injury when the employee was taken by ambulence.
Workers compensation retaliation, FMLA interference and FMLA retaliation, worker safety issues should be checked out equally as losses.
Now after quite a lengthy process of me having to repeated call and fix agent errors, I finally was able to prove DirecTV was wrong and finally got the charge for almost $200.00 credited back to my credit card but I just wanted to say
part of these issues with consumer fraud could due to just like what happened to me agent error (in my case it was more than one agent that errored) and a customer knowing there was an agent error.
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Attorney Ingrid Evans, who has been working with the plaintiffs for over two years, sees this recent court decision as very good news. "I would say we are one step closer to achieving justice but still have a significant way to go," say Evans.
