Call Kurtis: $437 Bill For 2 Days of Service?

Living in a rural part of Lodi, Corey Carver knew it would be tough finding internet and TV service in a bundled package but he says DIRECTV told him they could.

When he learned he couldn't actually get what he agreed to, he tried to cancel and that's when DIRECTV stiffed him with a $437 early cancellation fee.

"Their customer service is horrible," says Carver. "Their customer retention team wanted to argue with me and tell me that if I didn't like their terms I could speak with their lawyers."

It all started when Carver signed up for a $65 package that he says included DIRECTV and AT&T internet. Eleven days later the dish was installed but the installer didn't put in his internet. He called DIRECTV the following day.

"I sat on hold with them for more than two hours. I had no more time to waste on them on a Sunday," says Carver.

He called back on Monday only to learn the AT&T internet he thought he signed up for is not even available where he lives.

"I gave them the address, the phone number, the zip code to make sure this product was offered in this area." Carver also says he was offered a different internet provider for an additional $40 a month but said "no." He wanted to cancel the whole order.

Carver tells us, "I just want what I ordered. If I can't get what I ordered, I don't want it at all."

But Carver says he was told he's past his 24-hour deadline to cancel. What deadline? Carver looked his customer agreement up and down and didn't find it written anywhere. We asked DIRECTV why the contract doesn't say anything about the 24-hour cancellation rule. They didn't answer that, instead writing:

"Customers who cancel their DIRECTV order prior to installation will be not be charged a cancellation fee. For customers who choose to cancel after their installation is completed, DIRECTV will review the circumstance surrounding their cancellation to determine if the early cancellation fee should be waived. After reviewing Mr. Carver's account, we have concluded that he was given misinformation by a DIRECTV representative, therefore we are waiving any fee associated with his early cancellation. We have contacted Mr. Carver to explain the situation and have apologized for any inconvenience that this has caused him."
Vaughn Carter
DIRECTV, Public Relations Coordinator

Now Carver says he'll keep shopping around for a new internet and TV provider.