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DirecTV - Adult Movies

DirecTV • Billing Problems • Installation • Maintenance • Rebates • Sales Practices • Billing for "Adult" Shows • About those "Adult" Bills ... --- News • DirecTV Takes Disputed Fees Out of Customer Accounts, Suit Charges • Major League Baseball, Cable Operators Reach Agreement • Major League Baseball Extends TV Deadline • Senators Object to DirecTV Deal that Shuts Out Baseball Fans • DirecTV Settles Do Not Call Charges • DirecTV Telemarketers To Pay $75,000 Penalty • Fired DirecTV Contractors Say They Refused To Lie To Customers • Outbreak of DirecTV Porn Charges Hits Philadelphia • DirecTV Fined $5 Million for Do-Not-Call Violations • DirecTV Will Reform Ad Practices, Pay Millions in Refunds • DirecTV Abandons Satellite Internet Plans

Could it be that the porn industry has hacked into DirecTV's system and is charging customers for "adult" movies they didn't watch. Many consumers would be too embarrassed to contest the charges and would simply pay them. There have been many such scams on the Internet. So far the best solution we've heard is the one put forth by Alan's wife below. Then again, there's Jonathan, a DirecTV customer service rep who's heard it all before.

Linda of Boca Raton, FL June 12, 2009

I viewed my bill on line 6/11/09 and discovered a charge for 3.99 dated 9/17 for a PPV movie. I called to inquire about the charge and learned that the charge was from 9/17/06. I explained that the charge is over 3 years old and I could not possibly be in a position to check the validity of this charge because it was from 3 years ago, I also explained that I don't beleive the charge is valid and requested a credit, I further explained that Directv had often charged me for movies I had attempted to order but could not view because my reciever did not acknowledge the order and this may be one of those instances and since the charge is three years old there is no possible way for me to remember. Her response was if you don't see a movie you call right away, perhaps we did, I don't recall who I called three years ago but I do know that if I attempted to order a movie and did not receive it and I was not charged for it at the time than the issue was closed. I had no idea I would have to deal with this issue three years later.

I have experienced random charges from Directv for PPV on other occasions, but for the most part they were current and easily disputed, but this charge is three years old. I explained to Directv that I do not like their billing practices or their business practices and under the circumstances I should receive a credit, Directv told me I recently received a credit for charges that were on my bill two months ago and there was no way I she was going to credit my account this time, I explained to directv I deserved those credits because the charges were invalid, it did not make a difference to her. Even when I threatened to take my business elsewhere, she couldn't have cared less.

This is no way to do business with clients who have been loyal for over 3 years. I am very disappointed and in shock by the poor customer service I received. When I asked for the physical address to file a complaint, she gave me a PO box, I told her I could not send a certified letter to a PO Box, she said there was no other address available to me.

W of North Charleston, SC June 8, 2009

We were given an upgrade by Direct TV in April 2009. They did not inform us that it extended the contract. In fact, I asked the rep that installed the upgrade In April 2009 (Kendrick 843-412-9318) if we would be charged or contract extended and he said NO. This is not the main issue. We are mysteriously being charged for PPV Adult Movies from May/June 2008 which Direct TV says was on our receiver which were ordered by remote. We CANNOT order movies by remote because a landline has never been connected to our receivers. We vehemently denied these charges. Neither myself nor my spouse watch these types of movies. There are no other people in our home and we have a security system which is activated when we leave so no one could have gotten in to order these movies.

There have been numerous other complaints thru Consumer Affairs for this very situation. AND, my spouse does not know how to activate PPV movies. Direct TV personnel were very rude and in essence threatened us with collection if we did not pay for the movies. They would not give us any benefit of the doubt. Their lease agreement states that disputes can go thru arbitration. This is exactly what we intend. We will NOT pay for charges we did not incur. We believe someone from Direct TV manipulated our returned receiver (which was taken by their employee Kendrick)or are simply being scamed for money by Direct TV. Again, we vehemently deny these charges. We feel we are being harrassed and slandered by Direct TV.

Gary of Gaffney, SC February 3, 2009

I closed my account with direct tv in nov 08. I paid all balances and returned all recievers promptly. now in jan 09, i recieve a bill that states i owe for 200.00 worth of porn i allegedly purchased last june!?

Vail of Coraopolis, PA December 27, 2008

After closing my acct and mailing back 2 receivers, I was billed 9.99 for an ADULT pay-per-view from July 2007. 18 months ago. there is no way I can remember who had access to my box from that long ago. They stated the call Back feature didn't upload the rental. only when they got the memory card back in Nov 08 did they read the rental. Customer service reapeated no 10 times, was unable to locate a supervisor and supervicors are not allowed to call customers. I should not have to pay a charge that was not identified for 18 months, long after research could be done.

If I don't pay, my credit is effected.

Cindy of Pleasanton, CA October 24, 2008

I received a phone call today from a collection agency. Apparently, I had an outstanding balance. I informed her that that was odd because I pay everything month to month, and never do I leave an outstanding balance. Why was I in collection for an outstanding balance from November and December 2006? Why I was not billed for these charges prior to them going to collection? The story became more bizarre when she explained that most of the charges were for pornography!

Well, now she really had my attention. A subscriber history would produce a consumer profile that would conclude that I do not have a history of viewing pornography. She reasoned that possibly someone in the home ordered it other than me. I explained that I would look at my 2006 calendar to see who was at the Malibu house during those dates. My 2006 calendar substantiated that I was in Malibu during those dates and I did not sit in my room viewing pornography THOSE ARE NOT MY CHARGES AND I DID NOT ORDER ADULT MOVIE FILMS

This has hit a moral cord with me and I am beyond indignant. Direct TV is obligated to society to investigate who is behind this illegal behavior. A simple internet search will alert you to how many people are being targeted and I do not believe that consumers bogusly and passionately turn to internet to pursue justice.

My husband and I were sent into collection. We have a excellent credit rating and we feel it has been wrongfully damaged.

James of Seneca, SC September 27, 2008

We terminated our service w/ Direct TV as advised by one of their representatives when we called about storm damage to our system. He (Jerry, from Louisiana) said that it would be cheaper for us to cancel our service and order new service, which we did. Direct TV sent boxes for us to UPS the receivers back to them. Which we also did.

About 3 mos. later we received a bill for 5 porn movies. At this time I think it is up to around twenty. We have disputed these charges in writing to the company. they responded with these movies were ordered from inside your home & payment is due. They have turned us over to a collection service which may damage our credit, but this bogus bill will not be paid.

L of San Diego, CA August 28, 2008

We had cancelled and paid off our balance last June 08, and also returned our recievers in the Recovery Kit that they had provided for us. We just recieved a bill for 42 for Porn Movies that we had never ordered. We don't even have the equipment anymore since our HOA doesn't allow dishes, and the CSR noted that these were movies that were ordered and the telephone line mustv'e been cut, so it never showed up on the bill, if that makes any sense...

She also accused my husband of ordering the movies, and even laughed it off! The CSR said that she can't get a supervisor on the phone and that the only way I can get this removed is to pay for it. I don't want to get this into collections, but I don't want to pay for it either. I think what they are doing is wrong and someone needs to monitor the accounts more closely.

Yolanda of Shrewsbury, PA June 22, 2008

Has anyone ever had PPV charges for movies you didn't order? Someone, I don't know how... Called in on the phone (Direct tv says it was MY PHONE number that used to call in the orders) to Direct TV everyday for 2 months and placed orders for PPV Porn running up charges of over 1000.00. We didn't do it! Anyway, after several attempts to contact them all the way to the Office of the President, we were told that we were liars and that there was no way that someone else could have done this and we were responsible for the bill.

Since then, credit agencies have attempt collections and we refuse to pay it. They have been so unreasonable and flat out calling us liars. They say that someone living here had to have called in these PORN movie orders. I didn't do it, my husband did't do it, nor did my 2 young children! Some orders were placed at 5AM when no one was even awake or home. Some were suposedly downloaded to our living room receiver... now, why would we download porn movies to a living reciever where our children would see them?

So my credit is destroyed because of this. Can anyone explain how this could happen...could it have been a cruel joke and how did they do it? Direct TV says that their System is fullproof and un- Hackable. Why is Direct TV so unreasonable about these charges? They won't remove them.

Jennifer of Anniston, AL February 20, 2007

I had service with Directv until one afternnon I came home and it had been turned off.  I thought I had forgotten to pay my bill, so I called and found out someone had been buying movies/porn on my account! 1400 worth!!

I told them that I hadn't bought anything nor had I authorized anyone else to buy on my account.  They told me it was my husband - but I'm not married!  I later found out it was soneone we let stay with us until he got on his feet.  No relation and a minor! 

So they sold porn to an unauthorized minor on my account and they don't care!

Glenn of Middletown, DE May 9, 2006

I recently received my May 06 statement and found charges for 7 Porn and 3 other pay per view movies dated back Jan 03 and Feb 03. I spoke with a customer service rep regarding these fraudulent charges. I did not order these and asked the rep how they could even go back to charge a customer for a service that may or may not have happened over 3 years later. The rep informed me that I had received a new card in Sept 03. Our Direct TV service was installed in Sept 03. The rep then informed me that we had ordered pay per view in 2001, at that point I knew they were incorrect and needed to send me exact dates and times of these fraudulent charges and that we never had Direct TV in 2001.

Our house wasn't built until 2003 and settlement on AUG 02. We first had regular cable TV and within the next 2 weeks had DIRECT TV installed. I asked him if he was going to charge me for pay per view 3 years from now and i better keep track of every movie I order from now until doomsday because you never know what may pop up on your bill.

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