XM Satellite Radio Fraudulent Billing Practices Washington District of Columbia

A year ago I tried to cancel my XM subscription because it was automatically renewed, without my permission, with terms I did not want. I was sweet-talked into renewing for another year at a 'promotional' rate. I agreed with the proviso that the subscription would not be automatically renewed at the end of the year.

As others on this site have reported, the company went ahead and automatically renewed my subscription without asking my permission or discussing the terms of the renewal. When I called to complain I was passed from one calling center to another, apparently located all over the globe.

When I told the story to the last one, he insisted that automatic renewal was the company policy and there was nothing I could do about it. I told him to cancel my subscription. Then he hung up on me. I did not call back because there was no way to find that agent. The company uses a frustrating series of automated menus that do not allow you to find anyone specific. I assumed my subscription had been canceled.

A couple of days later XM charged my credit card for 3 months of service at their maximum rate. I called to complain, and after the usual shuffling from one call center to another I was told that there was no record of my having called to cancel and it was my responsibility to call back after the phone was disconnected.

I told the person on the other end of the line that the agent should have called me, he had my phone number. I was told that there is no way for their agents to make outgoing calls and it is the sole responsibility of the customer to call back to make sure that the account is canceled.

I asked for a supervisor, who gave me the same line. It was all my fault. I should have known that it was my responsibility to call back and check to see if my account had been canceled. This supervisor canceled my account but would not refund the total amount charged because I had "used" their service.

Basically, I was being forced to pay for the days when I thought my account was canceled, but had not been because their agent, rather than honor my request, hung up the phone on me. The amount of money they refused to refund is not large. The problem is their OUTRAGEOUS attitude of scornfulness toward their customers. I was told that nothing could be done to refund all the money.

I was told I would have to call their corporate headquarters during the work week (a toll call, of course) to try to get satisfaction. This company is the biggest rip-off I have come across in a long time. They have the absolutely worst customer "service" I have ever experienced. It is not service.

It should be called "customer abuse." The agents are trained to be arrogant and rude and to not listen. I say that they have to be trained to be that way because every single one of them I have spoken to has the same demeaning arrogant attitude.

I actually liked some of their programming, but there is no way I would ever subscribe to their service again. Beware before you fall for any of their promotions. It is going to cost you. And just you try and stop the service. You will have to jump through lots of hoops in your quest for fairness.

Doctoreye
Somerset, New Jersey
U.S.A.