Dish Network A Division of Echostar Satellite Corporation ripoff smuggled pay per view into my home, told me it was not hooked up, then charged me $200. for children pushing buttons Littleton Colorado
I responded to local advertising stating 100 channels were available for $9. per month through Dish Network. I called in advance to ask if there were hidden charges. When I went in to the retailer and ordered, I was shown other packages, but I said I wanted only the advertised special. (There was no mention of pay per view)
When the installer had finished installing the dish and wiring, he asked me if I would ever be ordering pay per view. When I said 'No,' he said 'Okay, I won't hook that up, so you won't have to worry about that.' I told my son that we could not get pay per view.
Several months later, when I opened what was to be my $9. bill from Dish, I was shocked to see a bill in excess of $200.! I called customer service immediately, where the young man recited over and over that 'pay per view charges were not reversible.' He told me that the installer did not have the authority to determine who receives pay per view. My question is this: How is a consumer to know this? I called later that day, and spoke to a young lady who was more receptive, and able to reverse about $16. of the charges. I thanked her sincerely for the effort, but told her this is not good enough. I was also told over the phone, now several months later, that if I do not want pay per view charges, I need to call the company and request that my balance be set at zero. How is a consumer to know that?
I was also told (several months after installation) that the wiring necessary is as simple as hooking up a phone line to the box. My phone line is hooked up to my computer, in a very inaccessible cabinet, and I use the computer daily. It was never hooked up to anything else, so these 'movies' were never received. My son admitted to trying to 'figure it out,' but couldn't.
I wrote them a letter detailing what had happened, and now, several months after activation, they have mailed me two documents I have never seen before: A copy of a 6 page Residential Service Agreement and the detail of the process to order pay per view. These would have been appropriate initially. They are inappropriate now.
Dish states they have no liability. They have disconnected my service.
Who else in America can smuggle a line of credit to the children in your home, pornography 24 hours a day to anyone who can push a button, bill you for something you DID NOT receive, and then apologize in a letter for the confusion?
Confusion is their marketing strategy!
Two weeks ago, someone from the Dish retention department called me. She was a gem, listened carefully, and showed sincere interest in me as a consumer, and said she would recommed the issue be reviewed. She observed also that the pattern of the ordering appeared to be 'someone trying to figure it out.'
To date, I have heard nothing more.
Dish, Echostar, and any satellite company needs to be up front and clear on what they are planting in the hands of children in America! Dish needs to know that they cannot charge people for products never received, just like any other American company!
Becky
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
5 Updates & Rebuttals
: )
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
Its your fault for being ignorant and naieve
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, February 03, 2003
I am wondering if you read the instruction manual that came with your receiver/remote. If you did not want your children to watch ppv, there is a way that you can block the channels. by doing this, your children would have had to know your 4 digit code in order to unlock, order, and watch the ppv channels. i dont think you should blame dish because you didnt take the time to learn about your equipment. you are the type of person who would blame tv or rap music for your kids hurting each other or themselvs. if you have irresponsible children, why werent they more carefully monitored? chalk it up to bad parenting and move on. next time you get something new in your home, educate yourself about it.
: )
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
Its your fault for being ignorant and naieve
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, February 03, 2003
I am wondering if you read the instruction manual that came with your receiver/remote. If you did not want your children to watch ppv, there is a way that you can block the channels. by doing this, your children would have had to know your 4 digit code in order to unlock, order, and watch the ppv channels. i dont think you should blame dish because you didnt take the time to learn about your equipment. you are the type of person who would blame tv or rap music for your kids hurting each other or themselvs. if you have irresponsible children, why werent they more carefully monitored? chalk it up to bad parenting and move on. next time you get something new in your home, educate yourself about it.
: )
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
Its your fault for being ignorant and naieve
#6Consumer Suggestion
Mon, February 03, 2003
I am wondering if you read the instruction manual that came with your receiver/remote. If you did not want your children to watch ppv, there is a way that you can block the channels. by doing this, your children would have had to know your 4 digit code in order to unlock, order, and watch the ppv channels. i dont think you should blame dish because you didnt take the time to learn about your equipment. you are the type of person who would blame tv or rap music for your kids hurting each other or themselvs. if you have irresponsible children, why werent they more carefully monitored? chalk it up to bad parenting and move on. next time you get something new in your home, educate yourself about it.
joey
st louis,Missouri,
what about the company
#6Consumer Suggestion
Sun, September 15, 2002
maybe he is correct in saying the co did not give him the paperwork about ppv. some companies will say or do anything to make the sale, or their just not imformed about their product.
i used to work for a new car dealer that sold conversion vans w/ tv/vcr combos- well the salespeople would tell customers that these were television sets when in reality they were just video monitors- couldnt get any channels, no antennae, etc. so after purchasing their 30,000 van they would be extremely pissed about that.
the gm's response-you bought it-our salespeople are trained to sell these- ya and say anything to sell one
Chester
Denver,Colorado,
We must take responsibility for our lives.
#6Consumer Comment
Sat, September 14, 2002
People today are often not willing to take full responsibility for their personal choices. We often do not read the fine print on a contract because it is too much trouble to read. When it comes back to haunt us, we blame the company. yet, it is OUR fault. The fine print did in fact state what our/the companies responsibilities actually are.
Installers are not really responsible for the service unless they are actually employed by the company. Many are independent contractors, who are only responsible for hooking up the equipment. The customer is actually responsible for maintaining the equipment.
It is a generally accepted fact that the subscriber is responsible for the full use of the service. For example, parents are usually required to pay if their children dial 1-900 toll numbers out of ignorance.
Satellite receivers commonly have the ability to password lock pay per view functions, as well as channels/programs above a certain rating level. Did the consumer even bother to set these locks and limits? Did the consumer even bother to read the manual? Did the consumer bother to read the contract/terms of service that they signed? Information sent in the mail? Call customer service to ask if pay per view was active for her account, or if it could be blocked? In other words, did the consumer take reasonable and necessary steps of PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
A consumer has little right to blame a company for their own laziness. They must take responsibility for their own choices. Too many people simply refuse to do this, and then wonder why they are being screwed (by their own willful-ignorance (lawyerese for: should have known better, did it anyway, must have known better... no excuses))