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  • Report:  #24323

Complaint Review: VMC Satellite - Fairfax Virginia

Reported By:
- St. Paul, MN,
Submitted:
Updated:

VMC Satellite
VMC Satellite, Inc., 2710 Prosperity Avenue Fairfax, 22031 Virginia, U.S.A.
Phone:
877-998-dish
Web:
N/A
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
Thinking of signing-up with VMC? There are a few things that as a consumer you should be aware of...

Contrary to the on-line adverstisement, you will not be able to get satellite installed within 2 business days. You have to wait 5-7 businesss days for them to mail you a certificate code.

Also, if you want to upgrade to PVR, even though the ad says you pay nothing now, you will pay now. The ad says "Pay nothing when you subscribe." However, as soon as you call to activate the subscription and set-up installation, you will be required to pay the 50.00. The on-line ad says "pay at a later date," to VMC when you call to install, that is a later date.

Also, if you rent, you will need permission from your landlord before they will install. I know, I know, their on-line ad says they cannot prohibit you from getting Satellite and they quote the FCC regulations, however, if you read all the FAQ's, it is noted, third FAQ from the bottom.

One final note. Once you click submit, and they charge your credit card 49.99, they then tell you that you will receive a "complete" listing of terms and conditions. Apparently the terms and conditions as outlined on-line are not complete, but a summary of their terms and conditions.

There web site is intentionally set up to be misleading to the consumer. Becareful, be smart, take action. I filed a report with our State Attorney General and with the BBB.

Lisa

St. Paul, Minnesota


3 Updates & Rebuttals

Vicki

Dallas,
Texas,
U.S.A.
You stated: "you bet you dupa we want a credit worthy customer!"

#2Consumer Comment

Sun, May 18, 2003

What a crock of BS!!! I know for a fact that this is NOT the case.....your company is more than satified with the card number of someone's checking account! No matter what their credit history may be!! Then they have no problem of accessing someone's account without proper notification of doing so!


Lynn

Pgh,
Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
let's stop this once and for all

#3UPDATE Employee

Thu, May 15, 2003

Hi,,I am a current employee of dish ( 3 yrs 2 mos, 15 days ,,,anyway,,,I am getting very agitated reading all these complaints about "dish network",,,when in reality these complaints should be directed to the independent retailers/dealers that are giving false info or mis-leading info to their customers...in this case, vmc , vmc is an independent internet retailer that sells virtual certificates for our dhp promotion....they are not , i repeat not "dish network"..just like your local sears store that sells maytag appliances is not maytag. Now here comes the educational part, and i mean this sincerely,,i'm not trying to be arrogant or rude in any way...i'll use vmc as an example,,1. go to their website,,like offer,,,dhp promo 49.99 activation fee + 20.00 handling fee ( strictly vmc's fee,,not dish network's) 2. sign up,,they instruct you to call 1-800 number ( this comes to dish network's cust service center, since vmc does not sell the equip or provide install only the cert..the csr runs a credit check with you ssn # and does a credit card qual ( 99.00 hold) if you pass both the csr will proceed with building you account and schedule an install , a dish network cerified installer, ( dnsc--dish network service corp,,or rsp--regional service provider, or sub-contractor will be assigned to perform you install. 3. Value of the 49.99activation fee and why we cc qual and credit score qual cust's..standard pro install (199.00 for 2 rec's or less,,+ 59.00 for each add'l rec ( max 4 rec for a total of 317.00)if you would like more than 4 recs on dhp, you must pay full price for add'l recs, install and extra equip (switches,etc) 396.00 for 4 301 recs (standard dhp equip, 99.00@ rec,,if upgrading to a pvr (299.00 rec for only 50.00 more), quad lnbf 159.00, if 2 or less rec, twin lnbf=129.00,, ok get the picture??,,we are giving you equip and install valued at 913.00 maximum or 595.00 minimum..oh and that's not including custom install work , value at 59.00 per hour per custom work performed, such as; attic work, crawl space work, pole mount,etc...so yes you bet you dupa we want a credit worthy customer.


April

Waldorf,
Maryland,
Additional information to the above scam

#4Consumer Suggestion

Wed, July 10, 2002

I recieved a phone message a few weeks ago from Dish Networks. The message said: "No connection fees, Entire home (up to 4) other tv's set up at no additional cost, two months of service free, and all movie channels for 19.95 a month. That right there led us to believe something was wrong. They left an 800#. I checked them out on-line and found the information that you provided above. Then I read that any and all discounts and advertisements are only for credit card subscribers. OK, That's against FCC regulations. It was very confusing, in one sentence it would say one thing and in another something different. Anyway, I e-mailed them and asked if any of their,"Specials" were for customers paying with cash or checks. I get and e-mail back asking how I found out about this special. I e-mailed the answer, then got another e-mail from them telling me that if I recieved that message, then I must be a credit card holder. Well, I then e-mailed them again and told them, first off that was none of their business, secondly the FCC gives people that right to pay as they see fit and that they were not to give specials to one type of paying customers and not others. They then tell me that they only except credit cards. OK, so now we know that they make false ads, messages, phone calls, illegally obtain information, go against FCC regulations and ONLY except credit cards. Come on, that's one of the oldest scams in the book. Funny, I never heard of this company til they left me a message that day. I did notify the FCC and fowarded the e-mails sent to me. The only problem with companies like this is, say the FCC gets them shut down, they will show up again under another name. There should actually be some way that they can stop businesses from doing such. But, maybe people will read this report and the company(s) loose enough business that they go under. Let's face it, it is alot harder for a company to come back under another name when they file bankruptcy rather than just being shut down.

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