Complaint Review: Sirius Satellite Radio

I signed up a couple times for Sirius satellite service about 3-4 years ago. I provided a credit card, and made it clear that I WAS NOT to be billed on a recurring basis. I was willing to pay in advance in 3 month blocks, and that was all.

A couple years ago, my stereo was stolen from my car, along with my wallet. I cancelled the credit card that Sirius had been billing (for obvious reasons).

I didn't think much about Sirius, because I knew the service was probably just about run out, and I was fairly certain I would never get any money back.
I replaced the stereo with a new "Sirius Ready" stereo a few weeks later, but it would not receive a Sirius signal. I figured the service had run out, and wasn't really interested at that time in renewing, so I let it slide for quite a while. I guess they tried billing the credit card during that long time period, and continuously did so for what I can only guess is about 1-2 years. LOL

About a year ago, I called to get it turned back on. The CSR told me I had a past due balance I had to pay before he would turn it on. I told him he was nuts, and that I was not paying anything termed "past due" because they had no authority to bill me on a recurring basis. I explained that the card had been stolen that they were trying to bill, and that even if it had not been stolen, I would have been pissed if they billed it without my approval. I told him I wasn't paying a nickel of the money he considered "past due", and hung up.

In the meantime, I continuously received calls from Sirius asking me to come back as a customer, and telling me I had no balance due at all. I was PO'd, so I never agreed. This week I received a letter from NCO Financial Services (A collection agency) saying I owe $199.21. Jesus, that's alot of radio!

I see a ton of similar complaints on this web site. What can I do in the form of litigation? State AG?

I'm going to call them (Sirius) and update this report as I go. Like I said, I'd been told before this was a mistake, and the account was clear.

These people are complete incompetent idiots. Absolute ripoffs. I think they are right up there with the GGW idiot.

On a side note, About 3 months ago, on a long trip with the family, I called to see if I could get it turned on (long before I received this collection notice). The lady was very nice, she said I did not owe them any money at all. She turned the reciever on without even collecting any CC or billing info. Unfortunately, it was only on for about two weeks. I guess somebody must have found the OTHER set of records. What a confusing, corrupt and incompetent company!

Dan
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
U.S.A.