# Satellite TV Scam



## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

Interesting. What do you think?

http://www.kens5.com/news/consumer/...ce-switch-is-out-of-this-world-160595075.html


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## drded (Aug 23, 2006)

Bad link. got a message about link contains no data.

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Dave


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## makaiguy (Sep 24, 2007)

drded said:


> Bad link. got a message about link contains no data.
> 
> <Error>
> 
> ...


Worked fine for me just now. Try it again.


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

Rule #1. Don't buy anything from a door to door salesman.
Rule #2. See rule number 1.

Dish and Direct should crack down on these independents and not allow them to represent both providers. (if they really do)


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## Combat Medic (Jul 27, 2007)

Phil T said:


> Rule #1. Don't buy anything from a door to door salesman.
> Rule #2. See rule number 1.
> 
> Dish and Direct should crack down on these independents and not allow them to represent both providers. (if they really do)


Shouldn't there be a rule in there somewhere about not buying Dish?


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Holy Cow! It's a good thing both DIRECTV and Dish did the right thing here. Hopefully they're both also working with the local authorities. The equipment installed and tools used had to come from somewhere.

Mike


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## samrs (May 30, 2004)

This part here makes it a scam, and maybe some high pressure sales.

*They were telling people it was a joint program with Direct and Dish to help keep prices low. *

Other than that most techs have the ability to sit down with a prospective customer and go over equipment, programing and new customer savings.
Call an 800 number, have a dealer process the order(collect a referral credit$$) and then do the install(more$$). Some of us are restricted by our employer to one company.


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## Marlin Guy (Apr 8, 2009)

Old people are gullible.


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## LOCODUDE (Aug 8, 2007)

WOW....So sad, glad it worked out in the end though.....


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

"Marlin Guy" said:


> Old people are gullible.


Yes, now they know where she lives and what she has in her house, along with her neighbors. Never ever let anyone in your house that you didn't invite over.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"Mike Bertelson" said:


> Holy Cow! It's a good thing both DIRECTV and Dish did the right thing here. Hopefully they're both also working with the local authorities. The equipment installed and tools used had to come from somewhere.
> 
> Mike


Yeah, and at least from the article they did the right thing without having to get the press involved or a fight. Though I'm sure she had to get past a first level CSR.


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## chevyguy559 (Sep 19, 2008)

Just another reason why I don't even open the door for anyone selling anything door to door....except the neighbor kids selling stuff for fundraisers


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"chevyguy559" said:


> Just another reason why I don't even open the door for anyone selling anything door to door....except the neighbor kids selling stuff for fundraisers


Kids still do that? I usually just get hit up by the parents, or at the grocery store during cookie season.


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## joed32 (Jul 27, 2006)

Marlin Guy said:


> Old people are gullible.


Yep, young people are way too smart to do anything stupid.


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## directv newb (Jun 25, 2012)

Sometimes I wonder how the elderly people make it in todays society, they just don't have the distrust and "cyber smarts" that alot of us 50 years old and younger have today. PLEASE don't say I am putting down older folks, because I am not, I have huge empathy for them because of the incredible trickery that is used on people today thru the internet and other means. It seems like older folks are more apt to believe that these types of scammers are not out to get them, where my mind is always thinking "what is this person trying to scam me out of". And as the elderly get older and start to "slip" a little they become such easy prey, it is so cruel what humans will do to other humans for the all mighty dollar.


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## bwaldron (Oct 24, 2005)

directv newb said:


> Sometimes I wonder how the elderly people make it in todays society, they just don't have the distrust and "cyber smarts" that alot of us 50 years old and younger have today. PLEASE don't say I am putting down older folks, because I am not, I have huge empathy for them because of the incredible trickery that is used on people today thru the internet and other means.


You've a good heart, but spare your paternalistic empathy, and reconsider some of your assumptions. While there are obviously issues among some elderly folks (and individual stories stand out and make great press), many of them are far more skeptical/smart/scam-proof (some even in the "cyber" sense) than younger folks.


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## directv newb (Jun 25, 2012)

well, maybe your right, i don't mean to offend at all, I guess i just worry about my mom and dad as they get older and do have a sense of wanting to "protect" them from the evils that are out there, but my mom still calls me twice a day to check that i am ok, so i guess it goes both ways.


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## bwaldron (Oct 24, 2005)

directv newb said:


> so i guess it goes both ways.


It does go both ways!


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

It really is not valid to generalize "older people" based solely on age. My mother has fallen victim to a variety of scams over some years, however she was suffering varying levels of dementia (now with advanced alzheimers), and her judgement (or lack thereof) was not a result of age, but rather of an age related disease.

I know many a senior citizen (more senior than me, and I'm old enough to be on medicare) who is sharp as a tack and would never fall for a scam. And I know some overly trusting and gullible younger people.

Bottom line is, yes there are many a scammer out there, who will take advantage of whomever they can, regardless of age. And there are many a victim of all ages.


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> Old people are gullible.


 Gee thanks! :lol:


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## usnret (Jan 16, 2009)

I, when I spot a "salesperson" sometimes grab the Mossburg before I answer the door. Don't know why but the "salesperson" usually say that they have the wrong address, or some such. I too have been on Medicare for quite a few years and still like to build my own computers.


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## Xsabresx (Oct 8, 2007)

Marlin Guy said:


> Old people are gullible.


Not necessarily.

I am in San Antonio and I think one of those dudes came to my door last weekend. He had a shirt on that had a Directv logo on the sleeve and a Dish logo on the chest. I dont even remember the way he presented it to me, but I came away with the impression that he was a dealer basically switching Directv people to Dish and Dish people to Directv. Basically whichever one you had you could save money going to the other.

I didnt really see him as a scammer. To me he was just an idiot because he said "I can 100% guarantee that Dish isnt losing AMC"


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## dielray (Aug 5, 2009)

I have to wonder how exactly they presented it, and if the lady exaggerated any. It is not out of the realms of possibility for the installers to claim it's a joint program. It is also not impossible for the lady to have understood what was going on. Maybe she just didn't like dish, and calling her local news was the only way she could get Dish to let her out of her contract. The lack of both sides is what makes me wonder. In my experience, one sided stories tend to be slightly exaggerated.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

For those of you that lambaste older people for being easy scam targets - how many "young" people lost everything to Bernie Madoff?

It has nothing to do with age - it has everything to do with not thinking things through.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

wilbur_the_goose said:


> For those of you that lambaste older people for being easy scam targets - how many "young" people lost everything to Bernie Madoff?
> 
> It has nothing to do with age - it has everything to do with not thinking things through.


And how much money has been made from the Nigerian 419 scams? When I first saw one, I thought it was so ridiculous, how could someone fall for it. I didn't realize until recently that was by design.


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## n3vino (Oct 2, 2011)

Xsabresx said:


> I am in San Antonio and I think one of those dudes came to my door last weekend. He had a shirt on that had a Directv logo on the sleeve and a Dish logo on the chest. I dont even remember the way he presented it to me, but I came away with the impression that he was a dealer basically switching Directv people to Dish and Dish people to Directv. Basically whichever one you had you could save money going to the other.


I'm in S.A. too. It appears that these guys do selling and installing for both companies. Did it even occur to this lady to ask how the savings would work, or how the savings would take effect? Didn't she notice they were replacing D* receivers with Dish receivers? Or did they somehow give her the impression she was getting both services, and a discount to boot?

I agree with you that they were most likely switching from D* to dish and from dish to D*, and as new customers, they get the promo prices. Door to door salesmen and those salesmen at department stores, are fast talkers and deal in half truths. I don't do business on the spot. If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is.

I remember one guy came to my door saying that they were updating security alarm systems. He came across as just getting the systems in my neighborhood updated. I then asked him what was advantagous for them to update my equipment. He then said that we would have to sign up with them to monitor the system. The SOB was selling security services. I wonder at what point they tell people that they have to sign under the dotted line, and what they tell them that they are signing.

I've also dealt with mortgage schisters too. They were very surprised that I didn't go for it on the spot. Then after they left, I checked the numbers and they were pretty much not what they said. There were several big red flags. They don't have offices in S.A., and the loan amount, after 13 years, was going to be bigger than what my original loan had been. The so called loan officers work out of their car, and come to your house, and put you through a presentation. I later worked with my own mortgage company and what a huge difference. The loan amount was for just a little more than the balance. But that's another story.

BTW, I'm at the age where I qualify for Medicare.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

Marlin Guy said:


> Old people are gullible.


Maybe, but it beats being young, arrogant, and stupid. :sure:


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

"n3vino" said:


> I remember one guy came to my door saying that they were updating security alarm systems.


Guys like that also stake out the neighborhoods to see who has alarm systems. If you don't then they come back and break into your house while you're gone.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

MysteryMan said:


> Maybe, but it beats being young, arrogant, and stupid. :sure:


Well, you beat me to it again. Don't know how old Mr. Marlin is, but that was an unnecessary comment he made.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

TheRatPatrol said:


> Guys like that also stake out the neighborhoods to see who has alarm systems. If you don't then they come back and break into your house while you're gone.


Gotta have a permit to solicit in our town and it's enforced. Just takes a phone call to the police station and a cop appears pretty quickly.

Rich


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

Rich said:


> Gotta have a permit to solicit in our town and it's enforced. Just takes a phone call to the police station and a cop appears pretty quickly.
> 
> Rich


Oh I agree with you, but that doesn't stop them, well unless the cops show up.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

TheRatPatrol said:


> Oh I agree with you, but that doesn't stop them, well unless the cops show up.


Our cops do show up almost immediately. One thing we have plenty of here in the 23rd (gotta laugh every time I think of this..:lol best place to live in the country is cops.

Rich


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## caseyf5 (Mar 22, 2009)

Marlin Guy said:


> Old people are gullible.


Hello Marlin Guy,

Are they the only ones? The scammers are willing to pick on anyone they can. Take the financial industry. They took us for trillions of dollars. Are you an old person? What about the other 300 million. Are they only old persons or are there some other age groups included?


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

I tend to agree with the others. I bet this is a local company switching people from one provider to the other. I would still call it a scam though just by the way they represent themselves. 

The lady mentioned in the video that they were there until after 9 doing the install (not so unusual actually). She also mentions that they threw the old dish in the trash which is very feasable. 

I think the lady just wasn't completely aware of what was happening and got taken by a slick talking salesman. 

BTW, lets get off the young and old thing. Everyone is gullable in one way or another.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I watched the news piece and like all of you, that's all I know. All I know is that someone approached this person, that someone claimed to represent DISH and DIRECTV. They offered to save this person money. 

As a new customer, this person probably would have saved money. 

I'm sorry this person didn't like that the old dish was tossed and the tech stayed until the job was done but that is standard operating procedure. 

There really isn't enough evidence to say if this person was being swindled, or if they just didn't understand what was being offered. Instead of being fair, it seems like the news program just chose to create a sensationalistic piece that (possibly unfairly) characterizes third party installers as scammers. 

Maybe this person was a scammer but other than the allegation that this person claimed there was a joint venture, I see nothing to suggest that.


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## mnassour (Apr 23, 2002)

It sounds like an installer just trying to create some commissions by creating some churn.


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## Chris Blount (Jun 22, 2001)

mnassour said:


> It sounds like an installer just trying to create some commissions by creating some churn.


 That's what I was thinking as well but I guess we will never know how things actually went down during the sale.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

Anybody else having trouble getting the video to this piece to play?

I've tried it on two different computers now, and all I get is a slow spinning pinwheel icon as though the video is loading to which it never does.


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## MysteryMan (May 17, 2010)

HoTat2 said:


> Anybody else having trouble getting the video to this piece to play?
> 
> I've tried it on two different computers now, and all I get is a slow spinning pinwheel icon as though the video is loading to which it never does.


Just checked, it's playing on my PC.


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

MysteryMan said:


> Just checked, it's playing on my PC.


Just checked others and can't get any videos to play from this site for some reason.

Hummm ... :scratch:


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## HoTat2 (Nov 16, 2005)

OK .. saw a copy of the video anyway on Yahoo News.

Shameful thing, but good to see both DIRECTV and Dish (in the printed story anyhow), make good switching her back.


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## randyk47 (Aug 21, 2006)

I live in San Antonio where the scam took place but I can't say it's been a big issue here and there's been nothing other than this one report that I'm aware of. I'm guessing some over zealous guys thought they found a way to make some money and hoped that most folks wouldn't catch on. You'd hope, and it kind of sounds like, Dish stepped in and told them to stop if they indeed were legitimate Dish installers in the first place. Not that I'd be sucked into this scam but luckily I live in a gated community and it keeps the door-to-door folks out for the most part.....I've had maybe two or three in nine years.


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