Complaint Review: Dish Network

Thanks Dish Network - any reservation I might have had about cancelling my service have all been layed to rest today. A year ago I was approached by a representative of dish network (8 a.m. on a Saturday I might add). Promising all the joys of cable tv at a fraction of the cost.

Free eqipment and installation with many more channels and features to boot. Contact signed (before morning coffee) and promise of speedy and professional installation. Two weeks passes and no installer. When he finally get there I am at work and can not supervise the installation. This being a brand new house it was wired, by the builder, with coaxial cable and the accompanying jacks.

I specifically asked my salesman if my existing cable will work... his response was of course it will work. Upon returnign home after work I find a complete new set of jacks and cables in all of my rooms that I was to have dish access. Problem number one rears it's ugly head. Then after looking around I see phone cable strewn about and felt compelled to ask the installer, why? You have to have phone access to all of your receivers in the house to get updates etc from Dish network. Oh you don't have them in ALL rooms well then you'll have to go buy some wireless phone jacks. $90.00 later I have Dish Network.

A couple of months go by and our "trial period" in up and we go back to the basic teer channels. Well about 3 of the promised channels disappear with the second teer as well. I call dish network and am informed that I was sold by an independant reseller and if I had any problems with what I was promised that I would have to talk to him.

Can't reach him after two months of trying. Finally I give up on my beloved Discover Wings Channel and just settle down to wait out my contract. In the process of this wait one of my "free tv's" will nto get a signal from the receiver. In a whole year NEVER getting a signal. When I asked dish network about it, call your local reseller. his problem.

FINALLY contract is up in Jan. of 05. Call dish and cancel it. Somewhere around the beginning of the 2nd week in Jan. Nothign is said at this point of "automatically drafting" money from my account if the equipment isn't returned within 15 days. Two weeks later I get a box in the mail with return postage for UPS. That was around the 20-25th of Jan. 05. Today is the 16th of Feb. 05 and the "unreturned equipment fee" was just taken from my account. $450.00 to be exact, with no warning or any correspondence at all.

I call the alleged "Customer Service Hotline" i.e. the automated number but you have to keep hitting "0" until it jumps you off of the system. Talk to (Ben) he is sorry for the debit but is powerless to do anything because of "policy". I ask to speak to his supervisor and he replies, I am a supervisor. Well can I have YOUR bosses name? "No". Can I have your direct line back to you? "No". 3 more phone calls later I get Tony the suprevisor who after explaining my situation with him proceedes to read me the contract which I supposedly signed. No where in it did I hear that they could draft money from my account with prior notice. Well they did.

Being an understanding guy I apologize for not gettng the equipment to them in a timley fashion that I wasn't notified that money would be "stolen" from my account without prior "timely notification" and I would have their equipment in UPS today. Upon supplying a tracking number of said equipment could they expedite my refund immediately. "No". I must wait 3-5 business days for the box to get there, then about a week, as they said, for them to check out the equipment to make sure it wasn't destroyed by me while in my possession.

THEN the refund will be processed in 5-10 business days from THAT POINT. Well being like most people haveign $450.00 that wasn't accounted for taken from my account will cause some problems. "Should have sent back the equipment, then we wouldn't have to punish you" is the response I got. (I am paraphrasing of course). By my count that's 20 days I have to wait for a refund of money THAT ISN'T EVEN THEIRS!!!! If you wanted to go "tit for tat" it should be back in there in no less than 15 - that's all they gave me. I don't know how "illegal" this practice is but I can for sure say it s unethical.
disatisfied,disheartned and disgusted

Morrison
Pearl, Mississippi
U.S.A.

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Dish Network

EDitor's Suggestions on how to get your money back!

HERE IS WHAT RIP-OFF REPORT SUGGESTS YOU DO:

Go to your bank within 60 days of the charge, or as soon as you know about the charge, don't delay, and tell them that there has been fraudulent activity within your account. Explain that you wish to file a dispute, and demand that they assist you in accordance with Federal Regulation E.

According to the majority of victims interviewed by Rip-off Report, those who immediately called their banks to dispute the charges did not get very far. Many victims got the following responses from their banks: we could not do anything for you or you waited too long; it has been more than 60 days.

If the bank is says that you have waited too long, explain to them how you called their 800 number as soon as the charges were found, and were told by the bank that nothing could be done. Remind the bank that they failed to assist you properly at the 800 #, and instead, provided you with an inadequate explanation of your right to dispute. Tell the bank that it's their fault time has expired, and since they gave you the wrong info to begin with, they will just have to deal with it, take the loss and reverse the charges.

Tell them the truth; this was unauthorized and your account was NOT to be charged! Keep emphasizing how you never authorized anything! Direct them to the hundreds of victims reports that were filed on Rip-off Report.com. And if you're at the bank, walk them over to their computer and make them go to this site! If you are on the phone with them, tell them you will wait while they access this site! Either way, be persistent!

DO NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!

Let them know nicely, that you were advised to Report them (the Bank) and this situation to the Banking Commission in your state. Since each state has a different name for the agency/controller over banks, find that name before you call or get to the bank so you can throw it in their face. The more knowledgeable you appear to be, the further you will get.

And just continue to demand the Federal Regulation E form! The bank CAN, MUST and WILL reverse the charge! But, you must be persistent; ask to speak to the supervisor or the area manager for all the branches in the state.

Let the bank personnel know you are meeting with the media later in the day, that you would much rather they do the right thing (as most other banks have) by looking at the complaints and immediately reversing the charge(s) to your account; no matter how long ago it was. Be sure to call the Media if necessary so you are telling the truth.

If you have to, be loud (but nice) in front of other customers. If you are just calling by phone, the above tactics should still work. The bank can easily fax or mail to you the Federal Regulation E dispute form.

CHARGES TO YOUR CREDIT CARD

If the charge was to your credit card (not debit card, check card, or checking account), contact the credit card company as soon as possible to request a dispute form. Consumers usually have a little longer to dispute fraudulent credit card charges (up to 6 months), but it is better to act right away. In this type of situation, credit card disputes are usually successful since fraudulent companies often won't contest the disputed charge. In rare cases, credit card companies will review disputes, but refuse to reverse the charges. If this occurs, complain to a manager and let them know you will be filing a report here.

Remember Don't let them get away with it! Make sure they make the Rip-off Report .. The more Reports filed on a Company or individual, the more likely it is that the authorities, media and attorneys will want to take action.

And good luck Let us know how you do!

ED Magedson Founder, Rip-off Report.com & Author of www.ripoffrevenge.com
EDitor@RipoffReport.com
badbusinessbureau.com
www.ripoffreport.com

Don't let them get away with it.
Make sure they make the Rip-off Report!

We are not lawyers.
We are not a collection agency.

We are Consumer Advocates.
...the victims' advocate

WE are Civil and Human Rights Activists

We are a Worldwide Consumer Reporting News Agency
...by consumers, for consumers

CLICK HERE to read about Credit Card Scams... find out how to get your money back. *Rip-off Report Investigation provides valuable information.