http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/12/a-lawsuit-filed-this-week-by-washington-state-against-directv-could-have-a-secondary-purpose-it-could-serve-as-a-textbook-fo.html
"The suit filed by Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna alleges so
many forms of misbehavior that he thinks DirecTV, the nations largest
satellite TV provider, has "built deception into their business
model." In an interview with msnbc.com, he also said that the firm has
"left few deceptive tactics unused.""
"When we go after a company, it's because we have them dead to
rights," McKenna said. "Most companies just want to settle. ... If
DirecTV wants to take on the states, that's their choice."
Here are a few of the other allegations from the complaint:
* DirecTV requires a 24-month commitment but offers only 12-months
worth of discounts. Terms for the offer are spelled out in newspaper
ads in 5.5 point-sized fonts, barely readable to the naked eye.
* The sales scripts used by telemarketers include nothing about
the terms and conditions on the discount plan.
* To receive the $29 monthly price, consumers must use an
automatic payment method. Failure to do so adds $5 to the monthly
bill.
* Customers who refuse a credit check or have bad credit face
"hundreds of dollars" in extra fees.
* In order to get the promotional rate, some customers are
required to file rebate forms. The rebate, which is applied as a
deduction to monthly bills and spread out over many months, can be
voided if a customer is late with a payment, bumping them up to a
higher price. Also, some consumers complain that their rebates have
been unfairly denied. And because rebates can take time to process,
some customers say they were forced to pay a higher price during their
first months of service.
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Look out for this if you have Direct TV! :-
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