Dropping In

So it's come to this... I used to take pride in the fact that I posted on this blog, and the blog before it, every single day. Even when staying with family in the hospital in another state, I was able to make regular blog posts. Today, while contacting our state's Attorney General as well as the BBB and FCC about the abusive business practice of Wild Blue (Direct TV) Satellite Internet, we added the total bill for the past five months of torture. To date we have spent nearly $1,000 for 45 days of reliable service. 15 days past the refund stage, Wild Blue decided we had exceeded out bandwidth and never returned reliable service, even with two service package increases (one unauthorized) and then they billed us an extra $340ish for the remainder of the contract THEY broke by not providing service.

OK I know I have said all of this before. I know I am a big whine bag cry baby, but I usually spend about $400 a year on internet service. I have now spent $1,000 in the past 5 months and got 45 days of service. The BBB and other consumer watchdogs are filled with thousands of complaints that list the same issues I had. Yet Wild Blue continues to do business and take advantage of rural America that is desperate for Internet service.

So no change. Wild Blue did agree to the BBB to refund $150. Pretty freakin big of them. We quickly alerted the BBB we were not satisfied. Did you know you can not stop payment on bills submitted to a credit card? So, when I called Discover to tell them I no longer want Wild Blue (Direct TV Satellite Internet) paid from my account, I was told by Discover, "Too fucking bad! We pay all claims and then handle them as a dispute." AND if I canceled my card they would continue to bill me as Discover would be the one holding the bag.

Now here is something we all should do, because THIS situation is not right. We need some type of consumer protection. This is a separate issue and not really related to the bad internet thing... although it never would have caught my attention without underhanded and unscrupulous business practices of Wild Blue (Direct TV Satellite)and the way they use your credit card company to enable them to swindle poor defenseless bloggers.

Consumer Protection! It is wrong, fundamentally wrong that YOU do not have the authority to deny payment for services never rendered or that were unacceptable in quality. You have that level of protection with a check, and you have that protection with cash. But in today's modern society our money is an electronic enigma that is represented as account numbers rather than crisp green bills covering a king sized bed that allows you to roll around naked and wallow in your riches... eh... or.. hold in your hand.. while dressed... in a business suit and looking sternly at rest of the world who probably didn't work as hard as you did to get what you have. You know?

SOooooo if I watch Home Shopping Network and end up buying this amazing diet tool that ensures rapid weight loss and receive in the mail a small baby teaspoon... I should have the right to deny payment my four easy payments of $39.99. If I hear a radio ad that foretells the new travel craze of the millennium and 6 weeks later I get a pair of in-soles for my flip flops, it is my GOD GIVEN RIGHT to deny payment, even if it was "no payment no interest" for a full year. Those misleading bastids!

My point is, regardless if you made a good decision or bad decision, YOU should have the right to refuse payment on a contract you feel was broken or was not carried out in good faith. The current system seems to say you have no rights. You can dispute a claim, but if they are a better disputer than you are (and they have professional disputers) you are screwed.

So in closing I would like to remind you that Wild Blue (Direct TV Satellite) company is not to be trusted, they promise a service they never intend to fulfill and they use current credit card policy to swindle thousands of people out of money. The Credit Card Companies simply look at a contract and say "Well... you signed it." regardless of the fact that the other party was the one who operated in bad faith and never provided goods or services, which leave us, the consumer, without protection. In essence: Don't do business with Wild Blue (Direct TV Satellite) Company and contact local legislators about giving you, the consumer, the right to suspend credit card payment to a scum sucking asshat business that is hell bent on raping you like a redneck inmate at Shawshank.

Hey I hardly called them any bad or undeserved names! Pretty good for me, huh?