Snappy Living DIY, Crafts, Food & Household Tips
Note: this is a tried and true method that worked for me and several readers!
A while back, I wrote about how there’s almost no way to escape DirecTV’s enormous cancellation fees, and it’s really not clear in the fine print that every time one of their crap DVRs breaks down and they replace it, your contract automatically renews for another 1-2 years. Surprise!
Well, I am blessed with some really smart, savvy readers here at Snappy Living. Several of you tried various ways of getting out of your cancellation fees, or getting them refunded. Doug found the solution, and it has worked consistently for various readers (see the comments) for a couple of years now:
Don’t waste your time with their customer service department (800-531-5000). Forget billing dispute (the Colorado address you have to write to). Call or write their corporate headquarters in El Segundo, CA, and it’s like you’re dealing with a whole different company.
Doug got jerked around by Customer Service for a bit, then:
I wrote a letter to John Malone, who is Chairman of DirecTV in El Segundo, California, explaining my “frustration.” I have no idea what he’ll do, but I explained that I will do everything I can to make people aware of this ridiculous business practice. I also read about the class action lawsuit in California, and emailed the lead attorney to get some more information. If he writes me back, I’ll post here.
This worked for Doug, who received a polite response. The letter did not accept any blame or fault – they’re making a “business” decision to settle things “amicably.” Read: “Oh, noes, we’re already gettin’ class action sued! Better play nice!” But hey, he got his money.
Around the time Doug got his lovely reply, I got a meaningless form letter back from Billing Dispute in Colorado saying that the cancellation fees I was charged were appropriate. I decided to skip the letter writing and just call the El Segundo number Doug found: 310-964-5000. To my surprise, the entire phone call only took about 7 minutes.
At first, you get a recorded greeting, and then it starts ringing. It may ring quite a few times – over ten both times I called. Then someone answers, and you tell him you’ve got a problem with a cancellation fee and Customer Service isn’t being helpful, and he puts you through to the “Office of the President”, where someone answers immediately. In my case, she listened to my complaint, then put me on hold to review my account, and came back within two minutes to announce they would refund the cancellation fee.
I was afraid it was too easy. She had also said it might take ten business days to show up on my credit card. I gave them that, and it still wasn’t there. I called them again, and this time the call took only about three minutes. I was reassured that they were processing the refund that day and it would show up on my card in a couple of days. And so it did.
Here is the contact info for the El Segundo office:
Phone:
310-964-5000
Address:
John Malone, Chairman of DirecTV
2230 East Imperial Highway
El Segundo, CA 90245
Good luck! If you care to share, I’d love to hear in comments how this works out for any of you who try it. This company really needs to be forced to revamp their policies. I don’t have a problem with contracts and termination fees in general, but there are two big problems with theirs: (1) their DVRs never last two years, and getting them replaced means your contract auto-renews but nowhere in the fine print does it say you’re agreeing to this, which I consider a pretty sweet little totally deliberate scam, and (2) their cancellation fees are ridiculously excessive.
Wow ! How fitting that I ran across this. Eariler on this very day I received a billing from Direct TV that I had an outstanding balance for the previous month. I hadn’t had thier service for two months how could they bill me? I hadn’t officially been disconnected. I thought I had made it clear that I was dissatified with thier service and no longer needed it paid in full and I really that was it but no not even close…
Thank you!! Calling the Office of the President was what worked for me! They refunded the cancellation fee … it IS like you are dealing with a whole different company. They didn’t roll over; I had to be doggedly persistent, but it the end it was successful. Good luck to you all out there.
Thanx a lot for the number. Calling it worked (although I had to insist that they put me thru to the President’s office). Spoke to Sharon and she was able to resolve the dispute. Generally speaking, it an age of declining service standards, at least in this country, across the board, so no particular surprise that DTv’s CS sucks. But, fortunately, w/ a number like this you can speak to a human, not one of the many humanlike low-skilled robots they hire to do this job.
My story is a little different but I got results using the customer advocate email located here:
http://investor.directv.com/contactus.cfm
Basically DTV likes to add contract length to you any way they can. They tried that crap with me and I filed a formal complaint with the BBB. After filing the complaint, that night I wrote a letter using the link above received an email the following day.
If someone on the DTV phone tells you that no contract extension is required for something they are doing/you are getting hold them to it by all means! I was extended two years for something and had that agreement removed.
I was under contract for 14 months prior to the extension, then it got bumped to 24 months with the fake extension. I complained and now I am NOT UNDER CONTRACT AT ALL! Time to call and threaten to cancel or actually cancel.
Also…I tried the phone number but it just kept ringing and ringing so I tried the email. Same results.
OH AND…I was given this number too…looks different to me(maybe its the Colorado number?)
1-866-785-5524 between the hours of 7:30 AM and 7:30 PM MST
Latest contact info for DirecTV and their Governing Body:
mike.white@directv.com ;
patrick.doyle@directv.com ;
larry.hunter@directv.com ;
MWPalkovic@directv.com ;
jfmurphy@directv.com ;
eafilipiak@directv.com ;
gregory.maffei@libertymedia.com ; john.malone@libertymedia.com ; david.flowers@libertymedia.com ;
ccarey@newscorp.com
Boise, ID Office of the President # 208-363-6015 (which is listed as Unpublished).
Contact them … I am sure they would LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
I was wondering if anyone knows if these are still the valid e-mails? I am having issues right now with DTV and am disputing my cancellation fee’s and want to e-mail everyone on this list. Thank you very much.
Subject: FILED COMPLAINT WITH BBB AND AG OFFICE AND STILL SEARCHING FOR OTHERS PLCES TO FILE COMPLAINTS
I WAS AN EMPLOYEE FOR 2 YRS WITH AN EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT. I WAS LAID OFF IN 12/09 AT THAT TIME I CALLED INT O LET THEM KNOW I WOULD NO LONGER AN EMPLOYEE AND TO DISCONNECT SERVICE. THEY DID ON 12/31/2009 YET I WAS BILLED IN MARCH 2010 FOR 3 MONTHS SERVICE WHICH I DID NOT USE. MY CHANNELS HAVE BEEN SNOW SINCE THE DISCONNECT ON 12/31/2009. EVERY CSR I SPOKE TO DIDNT HAVE A CLUE HOW TO HELP AND WAS RUDE AND UN KNOWLEGABLE. I AM ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR 11.79 FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. I WILLNOT PAY 103.22. AND HAVE RETAINED LEGAL COUSIL.. I FILED 3 COMPLAINT TO THE BBB AND THE ONE TO THE AG OFFICE AND WAS CONTACTED TODAY THAT THEY WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOU. i HAVE FWRD ALL YOU INFORMATION TO THEM , SO THEY CAN SPEAK WITH YOU DIRECTLY. i WILL FILE COMPLAINT ON EVERY LEVEL EVERY DAY UINTIL I SEE MY BILL AS THE TRUE FACTUAL AMOUNT IN WHICH IA M WILLING TO PAY. YOUR CSR HAD THE NERVE TO ASK ME IF I WANTED TO CONTIUE SERVICE??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THE WAY YOU ALL HANDLE BUSINESS IN REPULSIVE, AND IWISH I WAS NEVER ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH A DIPICABLE CORPORATION. I WILL BLOGGING EVERYWHERE I CAN ABOUT THIS AND HOPEFULLY WORD OF MOUTH WILL GET TO ENOUGH PEOPLE, AND THIS WONT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THIS IS FRAUD! AGAIN I WAS AN EMPLOYEE AND KNOW JUST HOW BAD YOU ALL NEED YOUR GOVERMENT CONTRACTS. STOP RIPPING PEOPLE OFF! I MAY REACH OUT TO EVERY BLOGGER AND THERE ARE PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON YALL… I THINK I SMELL A CLASS ACTION SUITE.
THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME FOR MAKING YOU ALL BILLIONS.. I HIRED IN THOSE TECHS THAT ARE GENERATING ALL THAT MONEY JUST FOR YOU ALL TO KICK ME IN MYREAR???
WOW- YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW AND I KNOW MY RIGHTS AND THANK GOD I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS AN ATTORNEY FOR A MAJOR FIRM IN DALLAS- YOU PICKED ON THE WRONG GAL.
B. RGDS
KRISTINA G
469-531-4449
Ya Kristina, you go! I too have had a bunch of problems, all lies, unauthorized equipment sent to my house and my credit card used without permission for the money! I can’t believe they are still in business, you expect something like this in a third world country not in the US, it is so appalling I can’t even comprehend it all. Yes, it’s fraud! and it has to stop!
I will dedicate the rest of my life to warning everyone about Direct TV, they make Comcast look like saints…and I never thought that could be true. Congrats to the rest of you for your success, may we all have it. Thanks for the info I have used it! I don;’t get anywhere calling the number, but will tr email.
I wish I could say that I was surprised that this happened, however, it is more common than not. I have been a long time subscriber of DISH, and I have never been treated as disrespectfully as I have with DirecTV. My mother has service, being older and hard of hearing she prefers I do her business over the phone. They act as though since she isn’t on the phone, that they can treat ME as if I don’t matter. Since becoming an employee of DISH, and understanding customers frustrations when calling in, in reference to parent/spouses bill I try and make them feel valuable as well. I hope that it gives a bit of comfort to you knowing you are not the only one being mistreated by DirecTV, and knowing that if there is anything I can help you with. Please do let me know. Miranda.Barela@DISHNetwork.com
We cancelled our Directv after being with them for over 6 years. I purchased a new HD flat screen TV and Directv wanted an outrageous amount to hook my new TV so we opted to find a more affordable service. But in December of 2010, our old satellite receiver started causing problems with our service and a new standard receiver was sent to us to replace the defective one. We found out that by replacing the defective receiver, Directv constituted that as a new one year contract. If we didn’t pay the early cancellation fee they were going to turn it in on our credit rating. I work for a bank and anyone messing with my credit rating especially when it is unjustified…well it makes me alittle crazy. So I started checking the Internet for other people who had a dispute with Directv. OMG!!!!! I did write a letter to the Billing Dispute Department in Greenwood Village, CO (mailed letter on 3 29 11) but I found the information on this site to be very helpful. I emailed the person noted in this writeup and sent it at 4:30 – Central time to California. I had a call from that email at 6:45 PM Central time, with a total reversal of the 160.00 early cancellation fee. YEAH!!!! So don’t give up and let them charge you with fees that aren’t warranted.
That’s great news! I’m so happy people are standing up to them and getting those fees removed.
This site literally helped me resolve my dispute with directv. the people at this number were friendly, professional, they took the time to listen and review the case (40 minute conversation) and best of all they were able to resolve the issue, which was initially caused by one of their call center reps making false promises that he had no right to make in the first place. If only all the folks on the DirecTV phone lines were this helpful and courteous. Based on this i would consider going back to DTV at some point in the future, although I will be VERY cautious about all of the ‘fine print.’ Thanks to this site, and thanks to the folks at DTV corp HQ.
Wow, anonymous, it’s so gratifying to hear the site helped! I’m glad you got it taken care of.
I got an 8am wake up call from a Direct TV monkey wanting money. I told them it’s in dispute and it’s been over their 14-21 day turn around time. Clearly, they are only allowed to read from a script. I called the 310-964-5000 number at 8am California time and gave them their wake up call right back. I talked with Steve with the chairmen department. It was a very civil conversation that resulted in the full reversal of the early cancellation fees that was reflected on our online acct while still on the phone. The only charge now is the 15 bucks for the time we had the actual service which I agree to pay. I was a frothy jackal when I started this morning but this website and my subsequent success killed off the rabies. Now I’m back to being a happy dawg with a wagging tail… Thank you so much!!!
Great result! Glad it helped!
I’ve been seeing tons of articles all over the web about trying to get out of cancellation fees, it’s not really comforting when you think about it. Working for DISH Network I saw an article online from the Chicago Tribune about a 13 year long customer being charged something like $280for simply moving to a place that didn’t allow satellite dishes, that’s just unfair. This guy was ONLY able to get the fee overturned because he went to the newspapers, it seems that they were more worried about what other people would think about them instead of putting customers first.
Wow, all this has made me realize how very lucky I’ve been in all my dealings with DirecTV. My DVR has been a champ for years, and the very few times I’ve had to talk with any support function, it’s been great.
However, my experience with DishNetwork before I came to DTV was a lot like these descriptions, and a friend of mine recently got so disgusted with Dish, she closed her account, well after her contract expired. She got stuck with a bunch of “disconnect” fees that I sure didn’t think she should have to pay. Does anyone have similar contact info for Dish? Any of you Dish employees have a suggestion to offer — maybe from the corporate phone book? (BTW, I’m heartened that at least two Americans are being employed by Dish — one of the reasons I quit them was that none of their support functions, at any time of day, appeared to be conducted from the continent of North America.)
I thought DirecTV was great even when I had to get my DVRs replaced (because they were so quick about it). It was when I canceled the account that suddenly I got to know the “Give us our money and shut up” side of the customer service department, demanding outrageous cancellation fees from a four-year customer.
After requesting to disconnecting service and then trying to stop the disconnection, I learned that they disconnected my service a day early. I spoke to a guy who told me that he could reconnect the service as if nothing ever happened, discounts intact. He proceeded to reconnect my service with no discounted rate. When I called back to try to get my bill fixed, the next rep said “sorry, he (the previous rep) lied to you.” I spent about 8 total hours trying to sort out that mess. Naturally I was angry and have been angry until I called the office of the president today. Helen answered the phone and took the time to listen and halved my disconnect fee as a show of good faith. I’m certain that I was speaking to one of the best employees that DirecTV employs. Thank you for taking the time to make this page and give us some hope for resolution!
I started with Direct TV to do a bundle and save some money In May 2011. Since then I have had nothing but problems, including not getting the price I was promised from the Qwest bundle rep. Having a service Rep come out 4 times. Not being able to pay for movies with remote, and them wanting to charge and Extra $5.00 when the screen said a $1.00 fee for phone order, it goes on and on like this since day one. I would say a total of 15 hours on the phone and another 12 waiting for rep’s to do a service call. Oh and 1 service call the rep never even showed up. I’m frustrated to say the least – Thank you for the phone numbers and the information.
it works,found this site ,after researching direct tvs main office number .and we will see ,they told me after 5 times calling me back and all the lies that it will be in my account in 48 hrs,,,,,,
it happened last year and after calling this number it did eventualy work
OMG…I am so thankful for the internet and google…all I did was google Direct TV dispute and came across this website…thank you so much Doug and Snappy Living…I talked to Scott and he waived my fee in 4 minutes flat and helped me re-establish service…it is frustrating that customer service makes it so difficult…it would help also if they were a little more courteous…trust me…I will be keeping this phone number on speed dial in the even it becomes necessary to use again! This site has been a life saver!!!
I am pleased to say that I called that number and was immediately transfered to a lady , i told her my story and how customer service was unhelpful in returning my cal.fees. She said will get my almost $700.00 back. Thanks for this info, it’s greatly appreciated. Thank God!!!
Wow, THANKS for the heads-up! They were so nice about it too. Saved over $400!
I called The 310-964-5000 number and was treated like a customer wants to be treated. With a listening ear ,genuine concern and a fair and equitable resolution. My encounter lasted approx. one year (03/11-04/12 ) I bought another home within the same city limits and was told by the direct rep that I would be able to bundle my phone ,internet and direct TV and keep the same business and home phone numbers I told him upfront that it was imperative to keep my numbers , He assured me that it would be no problem . After we moved I discovered my old phone numbers had been disconnected and I had new phone numbers this devastated my business income due to lack of people able to contact me . I called Direct immediately and the said i was out of their phone area by one mile so they just had to give me a new number. I told them cancel my service but only after I canceled my card that I used to open the account.the Rep on the line said I would be charged for my 24 months early cancellation fee ($464.61) and that my card needed to be updated.Sorry direct, I would rather they fight me for the money than me trying to get it back . After a year, two collection company’s 23h13min of conversation with people from india trying to get me to give them the money I called a wonderful 310-964-5000 number and spoke with the office of the President John Malone I spent a whole 11 minutes talking to a women named Sylvia who told me that direct tv would send me another bill indicating that I had a zero balance and that direct TV was sorry about the confusion.
Well after a one year, I only wish that Direct TV would hire more people like Sylvia not only to sell their product as well as customer support. The above Information, had I read it one year prior would have given me back 4 good days of fishing,Thanks Doug for your help Kevin
Thank you so much for having this blog post! I contacted the same office — e-mailed after work the night before, received a call from a woman named Autumn at 10 am. It’s like dealing with a company who really cares about your business. I had an issue with being charged for service after I had to connect to another service (I live in a multi-dwelling unit). I recommend providing as much documentation as possible and be polite, because they want to work with you! — May 9, 2012
my credit card used without permission for the money!Thank you so much for having this blog post! I can’t believe they can just charge what ever they feel like on your card..
I will call 310-964-5000 number and ask to speck with the office of the President John Malone
terry 5/12/2012
Gotta say, I sent the e-mail this morning. By this afternoon a very nice women called to say she dug in to my problem and agreed with me. I was not in a contract and never was. I had signed up with a company called primecast who at the time was a directv agent. Primecast and Directv had a parting of the ways and Directv pulled the accounts back.
Anyways, primecast had something screwed up and she was able to find the issue and resolve it. Something 3+ hours of being on hold/talking with CSR’s could not seem to find.
Thanks!! Saved me 200 bucks and a bill is on it’s way showing a zero balance with DTV.
I installed directv with the understanding I would be bundled with internet. install was done on a friday at 4pm. the internet company was closed saturday and sunday, so when I got through monday I found out they would not offer me internet. I immediately called directv to cancel, and was told I would have to pay them in excess of $500! Mind you i had service less than 72 hours. THAT was when they notified me that directv only has a 24 HOUR cancellation period! It took me over 4 months to get my cancellation package mailed to me. The entire time I have been fighting to get the fee removed. Now they are debiting my account without my consent!
I was just recently billed $865.98 for early termination fees and had $456.08 taken out of my debit card (which left my card balance at $0.00) I called directv and was told that this was an authorized transaction because I signed the from when I had directv installed. I then called my bank and was also told that because they have a from signed by me agreeing to have the early terminatin fee withdrawn from my credit card they could not overturn the unauthorized transaction. how is it possible they they were able to withdrawn the exacty amount I had remaining on my debit card? I have been miserable with directv since I had it installed! They said my bill would be not more that $50 a monty but I have never seen that balance. Is it possible that I would benefit by calling 310-964-5000 since the previous comments are about contract extensions? If anyone can help me please or give any kind of advice I would appreciate it!
I GOT OUTTA PAYING MY CANCEL FEES!!! I got out bc I’m moving and my landlord said no satellites allowed, but yet they said I would still have to pay according to the contract- I said I never signed anything… They said it was signed when the installation occurred… After thinking, I remembered my boyfriend was here when they came so when they looked up the signature it wasn’t mine and I told them I don’t know that person. So apparently I’m not in contract since he wasn’t on the account! So if you weren’t there when the installation happened and someone else signed your name, you’re not obligated by contract for ANYTHING! I’m so happy now to call EPB back and get their cable!!!! Hope this helps anyone that couldn’t be home when the installers came:)
We saved the movers installation fee they wanted to charge, saved $250!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This actually worked for me!! I was very skeptical of this but I used the email submission form from the above thread and explained that I was forced out of my home (condemned building) and into a new place that did not accept a dish. Within 24 hours I got a call (from a 1-800 number so pick up!) that they were going to credit the $180 fee and this was a year old case! I even still owed a remaining balance for the last month’s bill but that didn’t discourage them from crediting the termination fee as long as I pay what I owed in installments.
Seriously in shock and so happy
This is where I submitted my claim yesterday: http://investor.directv.com/contactus.cfm
Good Luck!