New Member
Is AT&T really as evil as they seem and completely lack remorse?
So like many, my family and I have been hit hard by the pandemic, Andy I have struggled with finding work over the last year. But my problems with AT&T/Directv go back before the pandemic. For starters, directv somehow lost one of my payments and cut service stating that I needed to pay again, even after I showed them proof via official bank statements, and did nothing but give me the run around, so naturally I requested to cancel my account and requested that the early cancellation fee, which was around $500, not be applied because of the fact they THEY can’t find my payment, which the manager I spoke with agreed to. Needless to say, they charged it anyway, and supposedly have no record of any of my dispute (which supposedly all contact made with them was recorded for quality assurance and training purposes), and they sent my cancellation fee to collections right after I fixed my credit, knocking my score score back down after work so hard to fix it. I bring this up because Directv and AT&T are the same company now, and I got both at the same time from AT&T at an AT&T store. So now the pandemic hits, and I managed ok in the beginning. But bills and rent piled up with no luck from California government assistance or unemployment, and when I reached out to AT&T for help, they had NONE to offer, and zero sympathy.. I have a wife and two young daughters, one of which is in school doing distance learning. I have been unable to keep up with my phone bill because I’ve been waiting to hear from unemployment about getting payments started. I am behind one payment, and AT&T has already charged me another payment for a month I have not even started yet, and had even turned off my service during a time where I am going through multiple job interviews with potential employers, and now I have no way of getting a hold of any of them, or for them to get a hold of me if they want to move forward. I have been getting over charged as well, being that the monthly payments for mine and my wife’s phones are less than $100 combined per month, but I have been getting charged $250+ per month when I only use my phone for calls, text, and data. Come to find out I have been getting charged for HBO, and some other things I wasn’t aware of, including ridiculously expensive late fees when I had to wait a few days to make ends meet in this difficult time. When I tried to unlock my SIM cards and get a phone number import code to switch companies, they told me I had to completely pay off my phones and pay the outstanding fees (including the month I haven’t even started yet) in order to be “allowed” to switch.. I don’t have that kind of money right now, and have been offered ZERO options for help by them after being a loyal customer while experiencing nothing but problems from them. AT&T/Directv is evil and holding myself and my family hostage, even after the phone service I want to switch to has offered to pay off our phones in order to switch. DO NOT SIGN UP WITH AT&T/Directv unless you are 100% unaffected by COVID-19 and have money to spare. I may just have to take legal action. Be warned consumers!
Jeffster
ACE - Professor
•
411 Messages
4 years ago
Yes the pandemic has taking a tole on many people and families.
But ATT is in business to make money. It has stock holders that are investing in a company that makes money.
Live can be tough at times.
ATT had Covid 19 help at the beginning of the pandemic and they are willing to work with it's customers. You needed to contact ATT before you got behind on paying for the services you have.
I hope things get better for you and your family.
.
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0
mb122485
New Member
4 years ago
I agree and disagree with you. We’ve never experienced anything like this as world, let alone our country in any of our lives so that calls for some kind of temporary restructuring to assist in KEEPING customers. You can’t just put people further in debt and cut off people from their means of finding a job to get themselves out of their situation. And you still can’t justify the actions of this company in regards to losing money I PAYED them and not receiving the service I paid for, even after providing them with proof that they didn’t even want to see, then going against their word of “not charging me the cancellation fee” then charging it anyway, ruining my credit score I worked so hard to fix, punishing me for not wanting to do business with an entity who loses my payments and demands I pay again before I have service reinstated. That is 1) not legal, and 2) not moral. I have proof and will proceed with legal counsel. Nice try attempting to defend their business model though. You must share their values.
0
0
Jeffster
ACE - Professor
•
411 Messages
4 years ago
I'm not defending anybody just telling how it is.
I'm old and been around for awhile, there have been tough times in the past with high unemployment and high inflation. And there wasn't any help then either. Life can be tough.
Why would a business want to keep customer that isn't paying there bill?
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0
mb122485
New Member
4 years ago
I have evidence that they are over charging. I just told you that o did pay them and they LOST my payment, and have evidence from JP Morgan proving that as well. I don’t want help, I want them to allow me to go to a better company with reasonable fees. I believe you’re old, because you’re missing all the points I’m making, no offense. Nothing you said helps, but thanks for trying 👍🏻
0
0
Juniper
ACE - Expert
•
22.9K Messages
4 years ago
@mb122485
With the missing payment did you use their web submission form? If not, I would do so to ensure it went through the correct channels. www.directv.com/paymentdispute
An early cancellation fee (ECF) is not something that gets waived for a payment issue or other such dissatisfaction. You choose to cancel before the end of your service agreement it charges by the system, not something agents have control to change as that is how it their system is built.
AT&T and DirecTV are not completely the same. AT&T owns DirecTV, but they still have a lot of separation. Their systems and services were so different apparently that it is taking longer to completely integrate them then they anticipated.
Yes there was some short term extension help on some things last year, but that has since ended. Not something they could keep up indefinitely. In the end they are a business that must pay their own bills, so could not be expected to indefinitely float customer's bills. Would be nice if they still had some accommodation, but understandable that they must move forward.
If bill is not comfortable for budget then you call DirecTV to reduce service to something that works better for you. Certainly be aware of what the bill is for so that you do not continue with optional services that you no longer want.
They are a business which is for making a profit, not being a charity. As such if someone doesn't pay their bill then service interruption is the normal course of action. If costs are too high then it is the responsibility of the consumer to adjust service to what works for them. It is not "evil", just the reality that managing personal finances is not their responsibility but your own.
Being "old" doesn't mean someone is going to miss your points, so no need to insult. There are just different perspectives and opinions here. But outside of the situation with the one disputed payment, they have done nothing wrong as much as you don't like or agree with it.
(edited)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Included after every post)
I am a customer, not an employee. This is a public forum.
For official support call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000, DIRECTV STREAM 1-888-429-4023
www.directv.com
(AT&T has sold off their share in DirecTV)
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0
Jeffster
ACE - Professor
•
411 Messages
4 years ago
I'm not missing any points, I don't work for ATT and this is a customer to customer forum.
You need to call DirecTV about your lost payment and getting out of your obligation.
*I am not a DIRECTV employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
0
0