Got Billed for old equipment I sent in 7 years ago

You just got billed now for equipment you returned 7 years ago? That makes no sense. Have you contacted customer support? There has to be more to your story than you are sharing.

Exactly. Usually, DIRECTV will penalize you months or a couple years after returning equipment. I’ve never heard of a seven year increment. If you still have that UPS receipt (unlikely), then you can use that as proof of returning the equipment.

For 7 years I never noticed that Direct TV still had my old receiver on my online account.

My online account just showed my upgrade picture receiver. It wasn't until

recently when I clicked on manage equipment it showed the old receiver.

See, they upgraded my equipment 7 years ago. Direct TV sent me a new receiver in the mail, and told me to put the old receiver in the box that the new one came in, then take it to UPS. So I went down to the UPS store and UPS put labels on it and shipped it to Direct TV.  So when I noticed the old receiver I called up and told the Direct TV agent. She took it off but now they are billing me for it. After 7 years!!!!! It is too late to get a receipt from UPS.

Unless DIRECTVHelp responds and offers to help, you need to contact customer support and explain that to them. If that doesn’t get that charge removed, file a BBB complaint.

@whitfieldjohn

Use this link below for customer Contact --That would be a better start.

Contacts | AT&T (att.com)

DTV's old policy was to use USPS post office to return receivers but since AT&T acquired them it was changed to taking returnable receivers to a UPS/FedEx store to scan them in and they give you a receipt so most likely UPS lost/couldn't deliver it.

Direct TV sent me a new receiver in the mail, and told me to put the old receiver in the box that the new one came in, then take it to UPS. So I went down to the UPS store and UPS put labels on it and shipped it to Direct TV.

That explains the problem. The prepaid label was not for UPS. It was for USPS.

Even years later when AT&T acquired DirecTV, the process with UPS is not a prepaid return kit. You take your box and account number for the free return. If over 10 miles away from a participating shipper, they can use the old process which sends you the box to return by USPS.

Sorry but the end result is you took the box to the wrong shipper. The label would be properly identified with USPS and their tracking number, which would not be the 1Z starting of a UPS tracking number. The end result is a non-return fee (NRF) is valid.

The box still being on the account is odd. They would have only sent the return kit upon the box being deactivated. If the box was reactivated later that would be an error. However if on the account for 7 years, then it is well beyond the dispute time frame for the additional TV fee. Time to start being attentive to your bill details with any company.

Rather than complaining to BBB (which may not be worthwhile, afterall BBB is interested in protecting their paying customers, the businesses).  File a complaint with your state Attorney General.  And with your local TV station that does investigative reporting.  

Bottom line, AT&T sucks.  Too bad they have ruined the DirecTV brand.
Oh, and I would tell them to eat it and not pay.

@janichol1 

If the additional TV fee has been on the bill for 7 years, then at that point that is responsibility of customer for accepting to pay for the additional TV fee. AT&T/DirecTV like many companies have a 60-day timeframe for a bill dispute. Once in the realm of years, almost a decade, that is customer responsibility for not paying attention to the bill.

Yes, companies should fix errors. But when it goes on this long it is now our responsibility as the consumer.

Inform local TV station that a customer didn't read their bill for 7 years doesn't seem it will do anything. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead.

And at 7 years ago, this was before AT&T acquired DirecTV. So, AT&T didn't cause this situation as it was already there.

Thanks for reiterating your previous pompas post.  Since you don't know the circumstances and FACTS behind this persons problem, your answers a moot.

@janichol1 

The OP themselves gave the facts.

I set back through UPS 7 years ago.

This was before AT&T acquired DirecTV. So that was the old process which is send a prepaid return kit to customer by FedEx to return by USPS (Post Office, not UPS). Regardless of if agent misspoke or customer misunderstood, the label would still say USPS.

For 7 years I never noticed that Direct TV still had my old receiver on my online account.

The bill would still show the number of TVs they are paying for. Any changes of box being deactivated, or if someone activated later in error, would reflect partial charges and change in bill going forward (up or down respectively). A 60-90 timeframe for bill dispute is common, as we consumers must be responsible for our own bills and report any dispute within a reasonable time. Almost a decade later would be too long with pretty much any business.

The facts as shared by the OP verify that the NRF is valid as it was not returned to DirecTV since they used the wrong shipper. Unfortunately, other shippers tend not to pass on boxes to the correct shipper in these cases.

If the box has still been on the account for 7 years as the OP shares, then it is too late to dispute the additional TV fee. I highly suggest when making any change on an account, or even starting a new one, to read fully the following two bills. That way you can see any partial or one-time charges/adjustments and verify the normal bill going forward. After that, just be attentive to the total balance at least so if it changes you can review. That way you address any problems as soon as possible, instead of many years later.

Again, this is going by the facts the OP themselves have presented. My answers are no less valid than yours. Nothing given was "pompous", just a realistic perspective on the situation.

He Juniper Superman, who gives a (Edited per community guidelines)!  FO

@janichol1 completely unnecessary. Go elsewhere unless you want to be banned from these Forums.

Rather than complaining to BBB (which may not be worthwhile, afterall BBB is interested in protecting their paying customers, the businesses). 

@janichol1 BBB complaints get forwarded to corporate which results in someone from corporate contacting the person filing the complaint. The whole point of filing the complaint is that response from corporate who can normally resolve most issues. I don’t know if a complaint to a state’s AG will get a response from corporate or not but I know a BBB complaint will.

Oh, and I would tell them to eat it and not pay.

That is bad advice. Simply not paying the bill results in service being suspended and eventually the account cancelled and a hit on your credit. Simply not paying will likely make it even worse. 

@janichol1 

You seem not to care about facts. There is no "Superman" at all in this thread, not even a profile pic. Take your own advice and take your immature attitude elsewhere. If you want help or other discussion, then at least keep it mature.