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Sound-off
GANGSTER CORPORATIONS
I am an occasional reporter on iReports but I believe that is going to change now because I have found a new purpose for this forum. Sounding off about the deep rooted corruption that is normal everyday life in America when dealing with large corporations.
I recently got a bill for my Direct TV. I had signed up for a two year package with the first year discounted. So when my bill went up two months ago I wasn't surprised. That was part of the deal. Then it went up again in October another $32.99. And then I discovered why their statements and billing schedule is so convoluted. It is how they slide in such scams as the NFL Sunday Ticket to customers who don't want it. But it doesn't matter if you don't want it you get it anyway and you can't cancel it. They will just tell you too bad we are going to charge you 6 payments of $32.99 for 6 months.
While talking to a Customer Service Representative the person pretended to go through the notes of the representative who had originally called and set up the service. This person was told 3 times by two people in a conference call between the representative and 3 people in the household that no one likes football and no one wants football. According to the Customer Service Representative on the phone there are notes about such statements supposedly in the file. Imagine our surprise when there was no note about NFL Sunday Ticket in the file.
I am guessing that the person who signed me up gets paid a commission for the more services they can put onto an account.
When I asked to speak to a supervisor I was put on hold for 14 minutes and 20 seconds before I eventually hung up because it was obvious I wasn't going to get to talk to a supervisor.
I did some research and it is unfortunate that I didn't do this research when I originally signed up. The NFL Sunday Ticket scam is obviously a popular one with Direct TV. I found numerous complaints with eerily similar details. People telling their original contact representative with the Direct TV they hated football and didn't want anything to do with it and then the payment schedule suddenly starting without their knowledge. I copied the URLs for these reviews. Here a few of them.
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/direct-tv-c31087.html
http://directv-reviews.measuredup.com/2040
http://direct-tv.pissedconsumer.com/
http://dtvconverterboxes.blogspot.com/2009/08/direct-tv-directv-satellite-tv-review.html
During my investigation I found the email address of the CEO. Or at least I thought I had. Try looking for the email address of an American CEO and see what you find. Then you will know why companies exist solely for the purpose of managing a CEOs online persona. It's as if the intent is to obscure the facts as much as possible. Needless to say that was a fruitless effort but I am still trying. I found a piece done for Undercover Boss on CBS. Apparently Mike White is the CEO. I didn't find this until I found the Undercover Boss link.
This is what is wrong with America these days and why we are failing as a country. People moan and complain about Congress and the President and they are part of the problem to be sure but who is the real power behind government in America? It is the corporations who own American Government. They own American Government so much they can scam billions out of millions of people and nothing is ever done about it.
I suspect that one reason, other than the Economy, that President Obama is facing a real challenge against the likes of Mitt Romney is because he has done absolutely nothing to investigate and prosecute the obvious fraud and criminal activity of Wall Street, Banks, and American Corporations.
They say that 70% of the American Economy is consumerism. I would be willing to bet that 10% of that is fraud. Our elected representatives get millions in their campaign funds to run for election and re-election and in return they turn a blind eye to the average voter getting ripped off on an everyday basis across this country.
Anyone who reads this report I urge you to go to the FTC and file a complaint against any company that is committing fraud against you and using economic terrorism tactics such as debiting your bank account or charge cards unfairly or threatening to destroy your credit if you don't pay. We are never going to get rid of these criminals if we do not all stick together and start making our government work for us, the people, and stop working solely for the interests of the corporations.
I don't hold out much hope for this country. When you have reached the stage where banks can launder 100s of billions in Mexican Drug money and not be prosecuted. When the Supreme Court says corporations are people when it comes to being able to buy politicians but not when it comes to committing crimes against the public. When millions are stolen every single day from consumer bank accounts and credit cards and the best the government has to offer is a fake Consumer Protection Agency who hasn't, as far as I know, punished a single corporation yet. Then you know you are already not on a slippery slope you are well into the downward plunge.
Anyone who wants to try and put a stop to this rise of Fascism, Corporate Owned Government, in this country then pass this story on everywhere you can. Start using the Consumer Protection Agency complaint forms. It takes just a couple minutes. Maybe if a corporations name appears a few hundred times your government will take notice. Maybe.
At least we have to try.
I recently got a bill for my Direct TV. I had signed up for a two year package with the first year discounted. So when my bill went up two months ago I wasn't surprised. That was part of the deal. Then it went up again in October another $32.99. And then I discovered why their statements and billing schedule is so convoluted. It is how they slide in such scams as the NFL Sunday Ticket to customers who don't want it. But it doesn't matter if you don't want it you get it anyway and you can't cancel it. They will just tell you too bad we are going to charge you 6 payments of $32.99 for 6 months.
While talking to a Customer Service Representative the person pretended to go through the notes of the representative who had originally called and set up the service. This person was told 3 times by two people in a conference call between the representative and 3 people in the household that no one likes football and no one wants football. According to the Customer Service Representative on the phone there are notes about such statements supposedly in the file. Imagine our surprise when there was no note about NFL Sunday Ticket in the file.
I am guessing that the person who signed me up gets paid a commission for the more services they can put onto an account.
When I asked to speak to a supervisor I was put on hold for 14 minutes and 20 seconds before I eventually hung up because it was obvious I wasn't going to get to talk to a supervisor.
I did some research and it is unfortunate that I didn't do this research when I originally signed up. The NFL Sunday Ticket scam is obviously a popular one with Direct TV. I found numerous complaints with eerily similar details. People telling their original contact representative with the Direct TV they hated football and didn't want anything to do with it and then the payment schedule suddenly starting without their knowledge. I copied the URLs for these reviews. Here a few of them.
http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/direct-tv-c31087.html
http://directv-reviews.measuredup.com/2040
http://direct-tv.pissedconsumer.com/
http://dtvconverterboxes.blogspot.com/2009/08/direct-tv-directv-satellite-tv-review.html
During my investigation I found the email address of the CEO. Or at least I thought I had. Try looking for the email address of an American CEO and see what you find. Then you will know why companies exist solely for the purpose of managing a CEOs online persona. It's as if the intent is to obscure the facts as much as possible. Needless to say that was a fruitless effort but I am still trying. I found a piece done for Undercover Boss on CBS. Apparently Mike White is the CEO. I didn't find this until I found the Undercover Boss link.
This is what is wrong with America these days and why we are failing as a country. People moan and complain about Congress and the President and they are part of the problem to be sure but who is the real power behind government in America? It is the corporations who own American Government. They own American Government so much they can scam billions out of millions of people and nothing is ever done about it.
I suspect that one reason, other than the Economy, that President Obama is facing a real challenge against the likes of Mitt Romney is because he has done absolutely nothing to investigate and prosecute the obvious fraud and criminal activity of Wall Street, Banks, and American Corporations.
They say that 70% of the American Economy is consumerism. I would be willing to bet that 10% of that is fraud. Our elected representatives get millions in their campaign funds to run for election and re-election and in return they turn a blind eye to the average voter getting ripped off on an everyday basis across this country.
Anyone who reads this report I urge you to go to the FTC and file a complaint against any company that is committing fraud against you and using economic terrorism tactics such as debiting your bank account or charge cards unfairly or threatening to destroy your credit if you don't pay. We are never going to get rid of these criminals if we do not all stick together and start making our government work for us, the people, and stop working solely for the interests of the corporations.
I don't hold out much hope for this country. When you have reached the stage where banks can launder 100s of billions in Mexican Drug money and not be prosecuted. When the Supreme Court says corporations are people when it comes to being able to buy politicians but not when it comes to committing crimes against the public. When millions are stolen every single day from consumer bank accounts and credit cards and the best the government has to offer is a fake Consumer Protection Agency who hasn't, as far as I know, punished a single corporation yet. Then you know you are already not on a slippery slope you are well into the downward plunge.
Anyone who wants to try and put a stop to this rise of Fascism, Corporate Owned Government, in this country then pass this story on everywhere you can. Start using the Consumer Protection Agency complaint forms. It takes just a couple minutes. Maybe if a corporations name appears a few hundred times your government will take notice. Maybe.
At least we have to try.
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