Sirius fraud

[Aage]

Originally Posted by Skater

I really don't understand why people call this fraud. The documents I get from them clearly say they will renew automatically, and they warn me in advance of doing it. Honestly, I never expected them to do anything different.

Originally Posted by Eric H

Usually it's because that print is very small and someone did not "opted-in". Instead they are required to "opt-out" by default, which is a common tactic (that most people see as sleazy) used by companies.
Also, comparing basic services to a entertainment is a bit like apples and oranges.

I'm with Skater on this one. I just don't get it. We have to read what we are doing when we give a company the credit card information, folks!

[purman]

Originally Posted by Aage

I'm with Skater on this one. I just don't get it. We have to read what we are doing when we give a company the credit card information, folks!

It's only fraud if they bill you after you cancel it, and that is what is happening. I have sirius and use it in our Sequoia because the radio SUCKS. they put the antenna in the rear side widow and it doesn't pick up anything. I complained and they said they would pass it on. My 1990 jeep Cherokee stock radio picks up all the stations my 2008 Sequoia picks up 2 maybe.

If I ever cancel I better get a refund for the months not used and never see a bill from them.

[mojo]

When I decided to subscribe after my free 6 months, I asked them to send me the invoice and I mailed them a check. There is no agreement for them to continue billing except by mail.

[Eric H]

It's certainly not fraud, but it's not the most open way to do business...tiny print that only someone with perfect eyesight can see buried in the very back page. And of course it's the person's responsibility who gives the card info. But the responsibility of the consumer and the business practices of the company are separate things.

[GunnerCoast]

xvuistui568

[Skater]

Originally Posted by purman

It's only fraud if they bill you after you cancel it, and that is what is happening.

This I completely agree with - that would be fraud. That said, I've never had a problem with canceling a radio (and I've canceled several) from the account, although they did keep asking if I wanted to reactivate one of them even though I told them I'd sold the car. That's different from canceling the entire account, though.

Originally Posted by Eric H

It's certainly not fraud, but it's not the most open way to do business...tiny print that only someone with perfect eyesight can see buried in the very back page.

The things I've seen in the last couple years have had it in fair-sized bold print right under the prices. Of course, as I said before, I fully expected them to renew it for me automatically unless I canceled the service. I'm just amazed people thought they'd do something different. Their entire business model is based on subscriptions.

[Aage]

Originally Posted by purman

It's only fraud if they bill you after you cancel it, and that is what is happening.

OK, that's just not good business. If it's on a card, usually all you have to do is call the credit card company and report their shifty (or sloppy) behaviour. My experience is that that is the end of it. The credit card company credits your account, and debits the seller.

Originally Posted by purman

I have sirius and use it in our Sequoia because the radio SUCKS. they put the antenna in the rear side widow and it doesn't pick up anything. I complained and they said they would pass it on.

This is a separate issue. Why not just get a proper antenna installed in your vehicle?

[Crusty]

I subscribed for a year or so and then finally decided to cancel since I didn't use it very often. I called them and cancelled my subscription. The lady I talked to wanted to give me 6 months of everything "free" as a "thank you gift" and enticement to resubscribe (looking back she was on the pushy side about it). I said OK to the "gift" though I never listened to it once during that period and it proved to be a mistake. At the end of the 6 months they started sending me bills again since they had auto-renewed the subscription which I cancelled 6 months before. After several threatening letters from them and several phone calls to customer service I was able to assert that my cancellation was still in effect, that it was impossible honestly to auto-renew a cancelled subscription and that their "free gift" was a scheme to begin billing me again. They say that they have recancelled my cancelled subscription, cleared my balance and will cease billing and threatening me, so we'll see.

The one lucky thing in my case is that the credit card I used to subscribe initially expired and they aren't able to bill my new credit card because they don't have the info.

[THEPILL]

It's fraud!

I have been with Sirius for over 4 years.

They give me a great rate...like 12 months for x amount of dollars. No contract. I give them my credit card to pay for the 12 month of service. After my time is done they do not have authorization to charge my account without my authorization. In all of the years I have been doing this, I have never received a contract. They have never just decided to go ahead and charge my card. They have in the past sent me a bill saying this is what I would owe if I continued. So with that practice of sending me a bill and not charging is how things are done. Only this time no bill and they fraudulently charged my credit card.

Everyone's situation is different.

Either way,..I'm done with the blood sucking crooks.

Shane

[jcanavera]

We are at the end of our free trial that came with our new car and I have pondered this also. Based on what I've been able to research, when you give them your credit card number, they will auto renew at the "current rates". From every mailing or email that they send me it is stated very clearly that they will auto renew unless you call them and cancel. The last email I received that I received last week had that line bolded and underlined.

The problem that the public reports is that stopping the auto charges on the credit card is where things go awry. Apparently charges go on sometimes and then the problem is the time it takes to get refunds.

Apparently the game to play is to take the 5 or 6 month promotional rate, call near the end of the term and cancel and in most cases they will renew again with another promotional rate. Problem is those promotional rates are 5 to 6 months and I think the game gets a little old. You can get paper billing but they put a $2 fee on that bill. Quite honestly if I decide to get the service I'll go with paper billing......I just have to think about the subscribe/cancel game you have to play to get the rate down to some reasonable amount. I'm just not sure I want to play that game.

Jack