FTC sues DirecTV, alleges hidden fees and deceptive ads
Source: AP-Excite
By JENNIFER C. KERR
WASHINGTON (AP) The government is taking the nation's biggest satellite TV provider to court, accusing DirecTV of misleading millions of consumers about the cost of its programming.
The Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday that its complaint charges DirecTV Inc. with deceptively advertising a discounted 12-month programming package. Consumers weren't clearly told that the package requires a two-year contract, the commission said.
The advertising, the FTC said, did not make clear that the cost of the package would increase by up to $45 more per month in the second year and that hefty early cancellation fees up to $480 would apply. The allegations of deceptive advertising date back to 2007 and cover more recent marketing campaigns, such as one in late 2014 that offered the company's subscription service on a limited basis for "only $19.99" a month.
"We require businesses to be truthful and to give consumers the information they need to make informed choices about goods and services," said Jessica Rich, head of the agency's consumer protection bureau. "Companies can't hide important information from consumers to trick them into buying goods and services and that's what we allege DirecTV did."
FULL story at link.
FILE - In this May 6, 2010 file photo, a DirecTV satellite dish is attached to a roof at a home in Palo Alto, Calif. The government is taking the nation's biggest satellite TV provider to court, accusing DirecTV of misleading millions of consumers about the cost of its programming. The Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday that its complaint charges DirecTV Inc. with deceptively advertising a discounted 12-month programming package. Consumers weren't clearly told that the package requires a two-year contract, the commission said. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150311/us--ftc_sues_directv-0ab4260ed1.html
Stuart G
(38,445 posts)False ads?
hard to read contracts?
etc.
etc.
Say it ain't so...Shoeless Joe...
project_bluebook
(411 posts)comcast, ATT. Verizon, ect....
Can I use this as leverage to discount my monthly rate? I called them this week regarding the increase.
I was aware of the two year deal, tho.
Elmer S. E. Dump
(5,751 posts)get my wife to try prostitution, and give up my morning latte just to pay for a basic package. Sometimes I think consumers are just wage slaves.
ybbor
(1,555 posts)Cause that will drop you to the next lower package and save you $9 a month. My wife just likes her too much. Oh wait that is not sarcastic! The adoption part is.
If I wasn't such an effing sports junkie we would have ditched it long ago. Turns out it is still cheaper than going to the bar to watch "my" teams.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)If it sounds too good to be true, it is. There's ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, a catch.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,319 posts)the incentive was not a low basic price, but some free premium channels for three months. My installer was nice enough to warn me that if I did not call and cancel those channels in three months, I would automatically begin to be billed the full price for them. I admit I did not read the whole contract, but I would not have known about having to cancel them myself had my installer not told me.
bearssoapbox
(1,408 posts)Seems that now you need a magnifying glass and an hour to read and figure out fine print/double talk in the ads.
Seems like they all do it now to some degree or another.
Haven't had sat. or cable since then.
My wife watches tv but I don't. Haven't since May 2013. Don't miss it.
HoosierCowboy
(561 posts)I've been getting two to three mailings from them a week, for almost a decade. At 40 cents a pop, there is no way they could make that up if I signed on, unless of course, they gouge people.