When we arrived in Nevada (approx 30 miles from Reno), I called an advertised number for Dish Network. The man that answered said he was located in Arizona and he could start service for my house, with DN.
He quoted a special rate that applied for the first year, if I agreed to pay for the service for at least 24 months. The price was for two working receiver units, which were supposed to control 3 TV sets. He then added the monthly tax and the total amounted to $36.13 per month for the first 12 months. That included a particular package they offered. The telephone salesman did not mention any other charges, other than a $30 charge for the installation, which I agreed to pay with my credit card up front.
Thus, the only valid contract between myself and Dish Network was the VERBAL one that was formed over the telephone between myself and that salesman. The amount I sent in each month was the specific amount I agreed to pay, during that telephone conversation.
First problem I had was that the second receiver (the one that was supposed to control two TV sets) did not work. It would not download any of the programs I paid for in the monthly subscription package that was included in the telephone conversation. Which made the second receiver worthless. Though I informed them of that problem, via Email to their customer service section, they would not respond to that complaint. The only response I could get was their constant demand that I pay over twice the amount each month, that I had agreed to pay, when the telephone verbal contract was formed.
I finally asked for a reduction in the amount of the monthly payment I was making, because only one receiver had ever worked. Again, they ignored that request and would only responded with allegations that I was past due for amounts that I had never agreed to pay for their service.
I sent emails explaining what the salesman promised, and why I was only paying that amount. They kept ignoring what I said and responded only with what "the contract says."
I informed them many times that the only contract was the VERBAL one I made over the phone with their salesman, and it contained only what the salesman and I agreed to. When I gave him my credit-card number -- to pay ONLY for the initial installation fee -- the contract was completed.
But, they ignored what I said and continued to demand I make up those "short" payments, in addition to late penalties and other fees. I refused, of course.
After almost six months with them, they cut off service and then sent me boxes which I was supposed to use to send them back "their" equipment. I replied via Email, that the ownership of the equipment wasn't discussed by the telephone salesman. I said it could be inferred that I has purchasing that equipment with my monthly fees.
Finally, after I kept telling them the only contract that governed my obligations to them, was the one formed over the telephone, they sent me a PDF copy of THEIR contract, which I was alleged to have signed.
That was the first time I had seen THAT printed contract, and asked when I was alleged to have signed it. They said I signed it when the installation tech guy installed their system. I told them that was not true; he NEVER presented any contract for me to sign.
They replied back that their printed contract PROVED I had signed it that day, because my signature was on it in four different places. I found the four places on the PDF contract they sent me, and then blew up each of those signatures.
Just what I expected: all four signatures were absolutely IDENTICAL to each other and they were clearly created by some form of digital software; each change in direction in the signature, was a STRAIGHT LINE, until the next change in direction, which was also a straight line. Clearly not my signature at all and also clear that the same, digitally created signature, was absolutely identical to the others, in all four places.
They then made a fraudulent application to my Amex Credit card acct, and tried to charge over $700 to it, claiming falsely that I had agreed to pay that and had authorized them to bill it to Amex. I stopped that right away and Amex rejected their claim.
After all that, I did some Googling of the Dish Network and found literally hundreds of complaints that were similar to mine. Many had agreed to the "automatic" payment option when they signed up online for email bills each month. That gave Dish the right to automatically get payment for any amounts they declared they were owed and some even had their bank accounts cleaned out by Dish, since they had given their bank debit card numbers. Of course, once that happened, they could not get the money back, even though it was much more than they had agreed to pay.
Fortunately, I only signed up for online Billing, to avoid the US mails. But, I did not check the "auto pay" option, which they later said was required if I wanted the "discounts" they allegedly offered.
I just sent an online check each month, which is why they tried to get more from my Amex card, even though I had authorized that card to be used ONLY the first initial $30 installation fee.
I found also that over 40 State Attorney Generals had filed a class action lawsuit against Dish, over 12 years ago, for all kinds of fraud and deception, much of it the kind described above. They finally settled for over $10 million, and also promising to clean up their act.
But, my experience says they are still as crooked as ever, especially since I now have proof that they forged my signature 4 different times on a contract that I never saw or agreed to.
to Satelliteguys jamesb93!
