Author Topic: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company  (Read 6100 times)

VirginiaBob

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Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« on: October 17, 2014, 08:27:11 AM »
Haven't had cable in probably 4 years or so.  Cox cable called me up and for some reason I answered the phone.  Offered me introductory cable package for 9.99 for 12 mo. + 6 mo. of free HBO.  I told the rep that I had a bad experiences with bait and switch from Cox cable in the past, so I'm not interested.  So he said due to thier past mistakes, he was going to waive the 9.99 and give me free cable for six months + free HBO.  I was still reluctant since I was thinking I never would watch it anyways, but I must have had a moment of stupidity and agreed to it since free.  So they came and installed it.  A month later, I get a bill for 9.99+15.99 for next months service + pro-rated for the previous month (7.19+13.89) + taxes and fees and it was like $60. 

So I called cox cable and the rep that answered said that they don't even have a method to offer free cable/HBO even if they wanted to, but that she was aware that other reps make false promises to customers just to "get a sale".  I asked if the other rep would be fired, and she said she would report it, but it happens so often that it really doesn't have any repurcussions anymore.  She reversed the charges and I cancelled the cable, but what an enlightening experience.  What a shady group.  Never again.  Didn't lose any money, but hassle factor was high.


HoneyBadger

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2014, 08:44:49 AM »
I hate Cox Cable.  Their advertising is very telling - their pitches either run down the competition or shame people for being Luddites for not spending hundreds a month on their services. 

VirginiaBob

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2014, 08:53:15 AM »
Unfortunately, I'm still stuck with them for internet (monopoly here), but as punishment for lying to me, I downgraded it to the slower package on the same phone call.

orbix

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2014, 09:23:56 AM »
I don't think this adds you to the shame list, I think it makes Comcast more despicable... You were flat-out lied to about the rate- there's no shame in that.

Jack

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2014, 04:48:02 PM »
Comcast would have done the same thing and then come to your house and kick your dog.

... and refuse to acknowledge that their rep lied and refuse to honor the price until you filed a Better Business Bureau complaint.

Been there, done that (except for the dog-kicking part).

mydogismyheart

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2014, 06:36:03 PM »
Don't feel too bad, I had a fairly similar experience with Comcast recently.  I am officially debt free and doing much better financially since discovering Dave Ramsey and MMM.  So I finally decided that I wanted to get some basic cable back with DVR since I have a lot of shows I enjoy.  So I went online and found a great deal for cable + internet + DVR for 1 TV for $69.99/mo on a 2 year contract.  Plus it came with a $75 visa gift card.  So I went ahead and put in all the information and everything and was even able to set up an install date/time.  A few minutes later someone from Comcast called me to "finalize my transaction".

I very quickly realized she had no knowledge of what I had signed up for at all.  Not only that but she insisted she could not get me the same deal, and that I couldn't have that install date/time either, I had to wait 3 weeks.  She wanted to offer me a deal for $99/mo on no contract and no visa gift card.  I told her the reason I liked the idea of the contract was because then they couldn't jack up all the costs of the cable over 2 years, that it would stay the same. And if I did decide to cancel their cancellation fee is minimal.

Nope. Can't have any of that, nothing. It was going to be almost double by the time I got off the phone with her once she added in all the taxes and stuff.  I was not happy. I actually reported them and then started getting phone calls from them during the day while I was at work and couldn't answer my phone, and every time I would call the gal back she wouldn't answer either.  Then I got an email saying that they had attempted to resolve the issue but because I refused to respond they couldn't help me.

Cable companies are pure evil.

falcondisruptor

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2014, 06:50:32 PM »
What?  That's so crazy!  I've never paid a cable bill and I can't imagine someone trying to scam me like that!

Paul der Krake

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2014, 06:58:02 PM »
So I called cox cable and the rep that answered said that they don't even have a method to offer free cable/HBO even if they wanted to, but that she was aware that other reps make false promises to customers just to "get a sale".  I asked if the other rep would be fired, and she said she would report it, but it happens so often that it really doesn't have any repurcussions anymore.  She reversed the charges and I cancelled the cable, but what an enlightening experience.  What a shady group.  Never again.  Didn't lose any money, but hassle factor was high.
Twist: this person was also lying and reported your account to collections instead of reversing the charges.

kendallf

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #8 on: October 17, 2014, 07:28:51 PM »
Haha, this is timely!  I have Comcast, and when I turned on the service at our new house last year I was able, with difficulty, to sign up for the most basic Internet only package at $49.99/mo "for one year".  Well, of course, my year is up and without any notice, I see my next bill is for $67. 

I get online and review the "upgrade packages."  (That's the only way you can even review the pricing, is to hit the "Upgrade" button.. )   I notice they have a Performance Starter package that's  $49.99/mo.  I put it in the cart and hit "Next".  Up pops a notification, something like "It's important that we verify the details of your service change; you must now complete a chat with an account representative to finalize your transaction."

Here's the transcript:

user KENDALL has entered room
analyst Maheshwar has entered room
Maheshwar: Hello KENDALL_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support. My name is Maheshwar. Please give me one moment to review your information.
Maheshwar: Thank you for contacting Comcast! It's my pleasure to process your order and answer any questions you may have. How are you today?
KENDALL_: I'm fine, let's get this done.
Maheshwar: Sure, I will help with this.
Maheshwar: For the integrity and security of the account may I have your last 4 of SSN for verification purpose?
KENDALL_: XXXX
Maheshwar: Kendall, I can see that you want to downgrade the account with Performance Starter package, correct?
KENDALL_: correct.
Maheshwar: Let me inform that currently you're using Performance package in which speed is up to 25 mbps however if you will downgrade the package then speed will be up to only 6 MBPS.
KENDALL_: Yada yada. Please get this done, you're wasting your time and mine trying to get me to upgrade.
Maheshwar: I really apologize because we're from online sales team and we don't have authorization to downgrade the package.
KENDALL_: Find someone who does, please.
Maheshwar: You need to call our support team at 1-800-XFINITY to get help regarding this downgrade. Might be they can help you with this.
KENDALL_: I'm not calling anyone. If anything, I'll get really annoyed and cancel and switch. Can you get this done online?

<Chat Ended>

LOL.. Unfortunately, my threat is fairly empty, as my only other option is DSL which would mean buying another modem and paying connection charges.  I will probably reluctantly get on the phone and argue my way through the "Downgrade" process. 

Sigh.

Travis

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2014, 05:31:15 AM »
Kendalf, I'm anticipating the exact same scenario in a couple months when I cancel my cable but try to keep just the internet connection.  In my apartment my options are Comcast, CenturyLink DSL, or a satellite-based cable service.

Runge

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2014, 08:47:12 AM »
Hah, I have a somewhat anti-mustachian story, but it's not quite what you'd expect...

I moved about 6 months ago. I only have comcast internet and since comcast was at the old house and new house (since I was literally moving 0.9 mi down the street), I just kept them and did a transfer service request.

I finally closed on the house and moved in. Noticed my internet was already working. SWEET! I can put on some awesome jams while I paint and move in.

About a month later my internet goes out completely. So I call up the wonderful comcast peeps to see what's up. Lady tells me that the service at the house has been canceled because the previous owner has closed their account. I tell her that it shouldn't have been under their name in the first place because I put in a transfer  service request over a month and a half ago. She informed me that they have no record of ANY transfer service request.... However, since she was actually being super awesomely helpful (first time I've ever had someone who seemed to love their comcast call center job), she set me up with a new account at $40/mo for the 25 Mbps down internet. normally it would be $80 after the intro price, so I expected the discount, but then she also said that she'd set it up for the next 12 months instead of the standard 6. In addition I'd still get the $200 gift card for transferring service. Sweet.

While she was getting stuff set up, I was checking the internet and such, and before I was off the phone with her, it was turned back on. Double score. I thanked her for being extremely helpful and hung up the phone to go back to my awesome jams and dinner.

1 month goes by, and I noticed I haven't gotten a bill for my internet. It's still working, so that's good. I start to get worried that my bill got lost, so I logged into my online account, and my bill says $0. Odd...I should have been billed by now. So I become even more worried that something's wrong and since I really don't like owing people money, I called them up...

"Sir there is no active account at your address."
"Well, I currently have internet...crap I shouldn't have called you, right?"
"*chuckle* no sir, you probably shouldn't have. I'll get you set up with a new account real quick."

So basically, the first time I called them, the account activation never went through, but the internet activation did. I got a free month of internet at 25 Mbps out of it. But since I didn't realize what was going on fast enough...I'm now paying for internet again. *sigh*

At least they didn't try to really scam me into cable or something. One of the ladies did ask if I wanted it, and when I said no thank you, she went on to tell me how she couldn't live without cable. So we had an awesome discussion about how cable really takes all of your useful time in the world, sets it on fire and subsequently flushes it down a toilet filled with kerosene, destroying your house. So that was awesome.

But anyway, sadly I'm still paying comcast for their internet services...

mm1970

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #11 on: October 19, 2014, 03:09:05 PM »
I have a friend who is working with a cable company trying to cancel after they moved.

Months of phone calls...from the cable company...threatening to turn off their cable because they haven't paid. 

Now they've been taken to collections.

Oh, did I mention that THEIR HOUSE BURNED DOWN A YEAR AGO, AND THAT'S WHY THEY MOVED???

CDP45

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2014, 11:17:04 PM »
F Comcast. Don't ever give your SSN to them. They will make up charges out and you wil have to argue with incompetent morons for hours to no success , and they'll still send you to collections. Thanks Obama for approving the mega-monopoly merger.

Travis

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Re: Add me the shame list - I was duped by cable company
« Reply #13 on: October 20, 2014, 10:57:28 AM »
F Comcast. Don't ever give your SSN to them. They will make up charges out and you wil have to argue with incompetent morons for hours to no success , and they'll still send you to collections. Thanks Obama for approving the mega-monopoly merger.

Comcast was acting like a monopoly long before the Obama administration, and Congress and the DOJ/courts approve major corporate takeovers and mergers, not the president.