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Bandon70's profile

Contributor

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11 Messages

Saturday, October 29th, 2022 6:07 PM

I was scammed.

Last week I noticed several calls on my Caller ID log that said DirecTV.  The number was 424-321-6000.  Finally I answered when this number called again, and it was a guy with a heavy Spanish accent named Mark.  He said he was from DirecTV in the Technical dept and they needed to conduct a test on my receiver to determine if I was receiving signals correctly.  He said the test would take 10-30 minutes, and he would call back.


When he called back some time later, he said that they needed to replace my receiver, and instead of the usual $480, I would get a promotional offer of $200, which DT would reimburse at $20 off my bill for two years.  He gave me a P.O. Box in Rochester, NY to mail a check for $199.95, and said my new receiver would arrive within 3 days.  

He called on Friday night to ask if my receiver had arrived,and I said no, to which he said it would definitely arrive on Monday.  I was to call him at 720-523-5915, ext. 110 and he would help me with installation.

The receiver arrived on Monday, but I wasn’t home; there were 4 calls registered on Caller ID from the 424 AC number.  Later in the afternoon, I unpacked the receiver with installation instructions, and hooked it up to the 3 cables, just as Mark called again.  I told him that I was about to follow the on-screen prompts to finish setting up, and he walked me through the steps.  He told me to return the old receiver in the same box using the USPS prepaid label, or I could drop it off at UPS or Fed-Ex, then mail my check to the P.O. Box.  I did all of that the next day, Tuesday

I received a call on Wednesday from Mark asking if I had I mailed the check, I said yes I mailed it on Tuesday, along with the receiver.  He asked if I had mailed the check to the address he gave me in NY and I said yes.  He asked if everything was working properly, and I said that the remote control seemed slow now, with my having to press keys more than once to get them to work.  Mark said DirecTV would send me a new one free of charge and I would get it in 6-10 days.

I started wondering why he would call to ask about my mailing the check, and also why DirecTV didn’t just bill me.  Yes, I am stupid and I fell for a scam.

I called my bank and stopped payment on my check to D Promotions, the name Mark has told me to address the check to.  That cost me $20, but better that than $200.  

I called Directv and the nice guy named Morris patiently listened to my tale without interruption.  He put me on hold, coming back periodically to tell me to be patient, as he was still checking.

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When he finally came back, Morris said that he and his supervisor had checked with their technical dept., and a test indeed had been run on my receiver, but not by DirecTV.  He said these scammers were able to do this by somehow getting into the system, but not to worry, my receiver was secure.  He said that DT would never charge me for a new receiver if the one I had needed to be upgraded, and certainly not require me to send a check.  The whole “promotion” deal of the regular price being $480 and my getting a discount was all made up by the scammer.  I told him that it bothered me that these crooks could get into my account and equipment like that.  He said they do not to want to lose customers over things like this, and would work to prevent it in the future.  He then asked if I would like to speak with his supervisor for peace of mind, and I said yes.

The supervisor, Roy, told me that he had been about to leave when Morris came running into his office, out of breath, telling him about my story, and was very concerned.  He reassured me that I need not worry about this being a future problem.  He said DirecTV never calls their customers like this Mark scammer did;  they would first send an email telling me about a problem, and notifying me that my equipment would be tested and replaced if needed.

Accepted Solution

Contributor

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11 Messages

2 years ago

I only have one receiver.  I have talked to three people at DT and all told me I have nothing to worry about.  They asked for my current receiver number, but I don’t have the numbers for the one I sent back to the scammer.  I did verify while on the phone with DT yesterday, that all of my channels and functions work fine.  I will double check on that $7 charge.

The DT guy I talked to yesterday even gave me his badge number.  

ACE - New Member

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5.2K Messages

2 years ago

Glad you weren’t scammed out of a lot of money. Of course, DIRECTV won’t randomly ask you to send checks to addresses. That’s a BIG red flag there. I am surprised you somehow did get a new ‘replacement’ receiver and that it was activated properly by the scammer. Do you recall what your old and new receiver models are? Also, do you have just one DIRECTV receiver for service or multiple? Have you verified that your old/‘malfunctioning’ receiver is deactivated from your account and that you aren’t paying an extra $7/month for it? If you are, call in (number in my greeting below) and have them deauthorize the receiver. They usually ask for the serial number but have the Receiver ID and access card handy just in case. All of this info is found at your leisure on your online account (sign in at directv.com)

ACE - Expert

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20.4K Messages

2 years ago

DTV can't run tests on a receiver as sat service is one way.

Contributor

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11 Messages

2 years ago

The tech guys I spoke to when I called DTV said that someone from the outside had run a 30 minute test on my receiver.  I hadn’t mentioned the length of time to him before they checked.

ACE - Expert

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20.4K Messages

2 years ago

 All CSRs can do is refresh you service authorizations.  The receivers have no way to talk to the sats/DTV.

Contributor

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11 Messages

2 years ago

I’m just saying what the DTV Tech Dept guy told me.  He said they detected that a 30 minute test had been done on my receiver on Monday, 10/24 at 3 pm.  

I still don’t understand how these scammers were able to get a receiver in a new DTV box with complete instructions, for activation and return.  In any event, they have exactly what they started with: a working receiver to send to the next dumb scamee.

ACE - Expert

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20.4K Messages

2 years ago

All they had to do is call DTV and have enough of your info to pretend to be you to have a replacement sent to you.

Contributor

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11 Messages

2 years ago

My account number and password are always asked for as soon as I call.  I changed thE PW when I talked to DTV.  When I forgot and gave the old one, I was told I gave the wrong one.


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