DISH Calling Unlisted # Even When Bill Paid Early!

[pagoo]

:eek2:

HELP?

1) I have a new unlisted phone number.

2) Been paying DISH for over 6 years via BillPay through bank.

3) After new number told to billing, began receiving recorded messages(pause before recording begins after answering phone) saying bill is due or service will be cut off, service is being cut off, etc... weeks and weeks for months of htis!

4) Am in ved 24/7 - disabled and on SSD - in other, I'm an "old bat" and really mad.

5) Have called DISH many times to tell them to STOP this as it is unfair and probably illegal (called the "no call" federal line, too) as I am poor and paying though nose for unlisted phone number.

6) Every time no matter ot whom I talk or to whom I've emailed, I keep getting these calls and my nerves are really frayed - I on SSD for anxiety, etc plus broken bones, etc.

7) CAN ANYONE TELL ME IF I CAN SUE DISH?

8) I really WANT Google TV in fall and cannot have cable because landlord will not allow it (illegally, but man is a "queso grande" here in Nevada), so NO Cable and no lawer would take case.

9) PLEASE, NEED SOME HELP HERE - NEED SATELLITE RECEIVER LIKE DISH AND WANT TO SUE DISH... SYS MUST BE COMPATIBLE W/GOOGLE TV. I HAVE MSNTV NOW, ALL I HAVE IS DIAL-UP, NO BRODABAND : NOt ALLOWED ON PROPERTY SAYS LANDLORD, who charged me an extra $15.00 per month on top of rent for many years. for the luxury of DISH on HIS property - he said DISH was now HIS PROPERTY - ME, the disabled poor who has lived here since 1987! I stopped paying that extortion a couple of months ago : (see NRS 711.255 in NV law.)

10) HELP! Need some assistance here.


~Pagoo (MAD OLD BAT)

~~

[coldsteel]

First of all, :welcome_s


Unfortunately, if you gave Dish the number then are late on the bill, then they have the right to attempt to collect. Sure, it may be an excessive amount of calls (I certainly think so, based on your description) but they can call you legally. All DNC does is prevent telemarketers from calling. You do business with Dish, so they have the right to call.

[jessshaun]

Actually, you have the right to tell any and all bill collectors to stop contacting you. I wouldn't recommend it, and think it would be a better idea to talk to them and explain what's going on, however.

[pagoo]

:confused:Dear Coldsteel -

NOT LATE ON BILLS - SET UP BANK ESPECIALLY TO PAY DISHNETWORK >EARLY< TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF CALL.

-kj

[pagoo]

Actually, you have the right to tell any and all bill collectors to stop contacting you. I wouldn't recommend it, and think it would be a better idea to talk to them and explain what's going on, however.
Have called and emailed them to STOP - done this many times (at least 9)

[GrumpyBear]

:confused:Dear Coldsteel -

NOT LATE ON BILLS - SET UP BANK ESPECIALLY TO PAY DISHNETWORK >EARLY< TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF CALL.

-kj

You may want to change the date of when you pay your bill, and also make sure when you changed accounts you didn't miss a payment and are actually 1 month behind. System is pretty automated, and they wont call to let you know you are behind or late, unless you are behind and late.

[pagoo]

First of all, :welcome_s


Unfortunately, if you gave Dish the number then are late on the bill, then they have the right to attempt to collect. Sure, it may be an excessive amount of calls (I certainly think so, based on your description) but they can call you legally. All DNC does is prevent telemarketers from calling. You do business with Dish, so they have the right to call.
--- and, Hi, Coldsteel to you, too.

BUT I have always had the bank Autopay the DISH bill and had unlisted number before changing it to another one.

No, I have paid ALL my bills on time and have NO credit problems ever and not now, either. I owe no one! Who can eally say that and not be lying?

All I want is peace and quiet and not buy anything from DISH except what I call them for. I've called them and emailed them about just this subject and I've been ignored and ignored - obviously.

[pagoo]

Dear Grumpy Bear -

Bill was originally due on 12th and I even went back to Auto BillPay in Bank and set pay date to the 6th so it was plenty early!

This is NOT about my bill being late - my paper balance says "$0.00" balance due. Somehow there is a gremlin that no one will fix in the acctg. dept or someone is getting an exra bit of money to make the AutoCall, because that's what it is - automatically rolling though all the clients of DISH to make them pay early, or maybe they need money in a hurry. Their stock has gone down practically daily... Check Bloomberg TV.

Perhaps someone doesn't like the idea of Google TV hookup with DISH - maybe Murdoch(sp?) or my current MSNTV (Microsoft set-top box) which I've had since 1996. People are dissing Google TV saying no one will like it - well there are a few hundred of us oldies who've hung on since those mid-90's and would grab Google TV in a bink as MSNTV is not upgrading anything. We didn't have mal for over a day. The Google TV idea is great. Maybe DISH is overwhelmed perhaps and just lets their autocallers keep calling.

Anyway, it's is obvious no one here has been in this situation nor have they complained to the government or sued a company for this. I'll merely drop complain into FCC and FTC inbox tomorrow and also call the NV Consumer Affairs Dept. Sen. Harry Reid has laways helped in this stuff but I hate to bother im - they've enough on their plates. / Please don't begin a political discussion I'm going to sleep.

Anyway - I'm disabled and bedridden and hate involvement in this type of blog/discussion situation, ever. But thanks, everyone.

-pagoo

[markrubi]

Since you do business with Dish they can call you even though your are on the Do Not Call List.

[James Long]

Since you do business with Dish they can call you even though your are on the Do Not Call List.Yep.

The federal and state "do not call" lists have exceptions for companies you do business with. So DISH isn't violating those laws.

If the OP was actually in debt to DISH looking at the fair debt collection acts would be good ... but telling a service provider not to call you may end up with you in collections and no more services provided. Of course with the OP paying on time "your bill is late" calls shouldn't come.

Perhaps there was a missed month or something that led to DISH thinking there was more owed than the customer? It doesn't make sense to ask for payment if the bills are being paid on time.

[Dave]

Or perhaps Dish's computer system is just out of whack. But sometimes you may have to complain to the BBC in Colorado where Dish is located, and Nevada where you live. Also call or E-mail the state attorney generals office for help. Dish can be very hard headed about some things. I for one believe your story. Some on here will not and say, Oh he's behind or Dish wouldn't do this unless he was behind or always late. If you had the right phone system you could block out dish from calling you. Some of the answers on here are going to be in Dish's favor, because there are Dish fan boys in this forum. I for one have not run across this problem with Dish. Could luck on getting it straightened out.

[paulman182]

I wonder if your number has been changed to one that once belonged to a customer who owes them money, and they think they are calling that customer?

[l8er]

Since you do business with Dish they can call you even though your are on the Do Not Call List. BUT - if you ask them to place you on "their" do not call list, under the current regulations they are required to do that and stop calling you. This applies to anyone (or group) that thinks they are exempt from the do not call ban.

[GrumpyBear]

Or perhaps Dish's computer system is just out of whack. But sometimes you may have to complain to the BBC in Colorado where Dish is located, and Nevada where you live. Also call or E-mail the state attorney generals office for help. Dish can be very hard headed about some things. I for one believe your story. Some on here will not and say, Oh he's behind or Dish wouldn't do this unless he was behind or always late. If you had the right phone system you could block out dish from calling you. Some of the answers on here are going to be in Dish's favor, because there are Dish fan boys in this forum. I for one have not run across this problem with Dish. Could luck on getting it straightened out.

Has nothing to do with being a Fanboy or not. Yes Dish's computer system could be out of whack. IF the system was out of whack a lot more people would be getting these kind of phone call's. Automated call's like this are generated by several different systems, and there are several checks built into the system. There are actually RULES in place that, a company has to adhere to when building a automated collection scheme.
I have no 1st hand knowledge of how Dish does it. I do have 1st hand knowledge on how Sprint and American Express handles this.
A Glitch in the system would be effecting 10's of 1000's of users, maybe more.

[finniganps]

I wonder if your number has been changed to one that once belonged to a customer who owes them money, and they think they are calling that customer?
I think that is very likely......when I got a new cell phone number I received calls for 4 months from people (bill collectors, attorneys) even though I identified myself in the voicemail as NOT being this person....they kept leaving messages until I answered and told them they had the wrong number. You may want to just answer the phone and find out if they are trying to reach you or someone else. If you don't get a live person...as soon as you pick up and hear the recording hang up...and try not to let it get you so upset. It's like solicitors, they call I say not interested and hang up (assuming I pick up at all).

[GrumpyBear]

I think that is very likely......when I got a new cell phone number I received calls for 4 months from people (bill collectors, attorneys) even though I identified myself in the voicemail as NOT being this person....they kept leaving messages until I answered and told them they had the wrong number. You may want to just answer the phone and find out if they are trying to reach you or someone else. If you don't get a live person...as soon as you pick up and hear the recording hang up...and try not to let it get you so upset. It's like solicitors, they call I say not interested and hang up (assuming I pick up at all).

that would be a unlucky break, to get a new number of a old Dish customer, but would make more sense. More to this, than meets the posting eye.

[paulman182]

I must admit to being slow to pay some hospital bills and my caller ID and answering machine don't get at all worked up when the collectors call...

[Jim5506]

My bank's Bill Pay says to allow 10 days for the payment to be completed (which is ridiculous), so You might set it to pay 10 or 11 days before the bill is due.

I only use Bill Pay for one entity.

I find it much easier to use either a manually scheduled EFT monthly or automatic drafts by the business themselves, then if they mess it up it's their fault, just keep a eye on them.

[jsk]

E-mail ceo@dishnetwork.com and explain the situation.

[jclewter79]

I wonder if your number has been changed to one that once belonged to a customer who owes them money, and they think they are calling that customer?

This is possible. At one time I had E* calling me trying get me to come back if they gave me a free HDDVR. Only this was that I was a current customer and had the same phone number since i had become a customer. Very odd but the computer had mixed up some infomation. I believe the OP.

[cj9788]

You asked if you can sue so check out the link below.

http://www.usattorneylegalservices.com/free-legal-aid-Nevada.html

Free Legal Aid NEVADA

Nevada residents are eligible for free legal aid services based on household income and number of people living in the client's household.

[jgoggan]

I'd call Dish -- give them your phone number (NOT your account number) and ask them to tell you your balance. See if they find someone else's account.

Another option -- if they only find your account -- instead of having your BANK auto-pay Dish, have DISH do AutoPay FROM your bank. It sounds like, currently, you are NOT using Dish autopay -- but are instead just having the bank auto-pay your bill. Turn it around so that Dish AutoPay is enabled -- and then they have no argument for saying that you paid late or have an outstanding balance.

- John...

[DoyleS]

You have indicated that this has been going on for awhile. I would recommend the following.
1. Check your Bill Pay system and see when you bill was paid for each of the last 6 months.
2. Call Dish and have them tell you when they received payment for each of the last 6 months.
This should tell you whether they are receiving payment on time or not. Once you have this information, you are equipped to send a note to CEO@Dishnetwork.com and present your case.

[BobS]

Actually, you have the right to tell any and all bill collectors to stop contacting you. I wouldn't recommend it, and think it would be a better idea to talk to them and explain what's going on, however.

3rd Party collectors, yes. The original creditor is not bound by that provision of the FDCPA although there are other limitations the debtor can impose.

[thomas_d92]

I also receive a call a week from Dish that my bill is past due. The only problem with that is that I have Directv and have not had Dish for over 5 years.

[coldsteel]

I also receive a call a week from Dish that my bill is past due. The only problem with that is that I have Directv and have not had Dish for over 5 years.

Have you called and checked that you don't have an outstanding balance? Or have you changed phone numbers in the interim?

[thomas_d92]

I just got a new number when I switched to Clearwire voice from Vonage . They ask for a different person then me . It is always a recorded message, if there is ever a live person on the line I would tell them the person they are trying to contact does not have the number any longer.

[janeslogin]

:confused:Dear Coldsteel -

NOT LATE ON BILLS - SET UP BANK ESPECIALLY TO PAY DISHNETWORK >EARLY< TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF CALL.

-kj

I once rented an apartment and they always sent me a rude demand via USPS whenever the rent was paid early. Could it be some bookkeeping software package just cannot handle an early payment?