tags: Scams
Phone Spam from Satellite Direct UK
November 23rd, 2006, by Rich.
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I just got another call from Satellite Direct UK telling me that my Sky warranty needs renewing. Oddly enough, nothing has changed since their last call. We are still registered with the TPS so it’s unlawful for them to phone us and we still don’t have a Sky box, so it’s definitely not out of it’s warranty period, which they again suggested. Satellite Direct UK you are not morons: stop ignoring the TPS.
Update: Looks like we’re not the only recipients of their unwanted sales calls: Longrider (also called twice) points out a host of others.
Update: Satellite Direct UK’s business practices have subsequently been successfully challenged in the High Court by BSkyB.
Update 2008/03/10: Satellite Direct UK are investigated by BBC Watchdog (it’s available on iPlayer for 1 week after broadcast).
Update 2008/07/05: The director of Satellite Direct UK appears to have been charged with fraud and money laundering.
August 23rd, 2007 at 3:04 pm
I have had nothing but problems with this Company, I had a fault on my system, try phoning them was difficult and all I got was vague replies, If I managed to get through? even e-mailing the company with my fault, all I got was we will look at it tomorrow….I like many have been scammed by Satellite assured thinking that they were the Insurers for Sky Ughhh !! NEVER AGAIN !!!!!!
August 27th, 2007 at 8:20 am
After much searching found this
http://www.satassured.co.uk/
I sent a mail but no-reply.
Once they get your details they seem to just take the money at regular intervals without permission I am still trying to get £110 for my parents.I tried Fault@MDTV and they are a sub-contractor Have tried trading Standards and Watchdog.
September 6th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
if you hear the words “satellite assured”on your phone,hang up.i was stung in oct 06,they rung me regarding “my sky equipment”,being good natured as i am,i assumed that they were sky(the real one).they offered to let me pay quarterly.i thought “great!”.after consulting the boss( wife),she said that they had stung her (or tried to!).i cancelled the dd at the bank promptly.10 months later,i get a letter asying i owe them money.
it took me 12 phone calls to speak to somebody in collections,i left 2 messages and an email as well.
when i disputed this they said i have to pay 36 quid or get a visit from the big boys.
please,if you get a call from anyone selling sky,ASK if it is sky.phone sky and check if unsure.
i feel as if i have been mugged.
September 10th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I discovered a card payment ( £ 50 ) HAS BEEN taken from my account presumably for a renewal, but this has not been authorised by me, there has not been any receipt or ack to say they have received my payment nor further coverage confirmation for the next 12 months,I find this is not good practice.
I am an OAP,
Dennis PARRY
September 10th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
I took up a SATELLITE ASSURED warranty on the telephone (12 months for £65.00, paid by credit card). The certificate duly arrived (card debited) and when I had a problem, I called and after some difficulty, got through. The girl identified me by my “Plan No” straight away and arranged an engineer’s appointment for today (10th sept ‘07). When nobody had shown up by 3:50pm I tried to call and was left hanging on for 15 minutes (0845 600 0036). I then found this blog…. I have e.mailed them in the perhaps naive hope that they will get back to me. If I don’t get a response, as I paid by card I will ask that the amount is put in dispute (I believe that under Sec. 75 of the Consumer Credit Act that the card issuer is jointly liable with the “merchant / supplier” and if the goods or service is not provided I should be reimbursed and the card issuer will “investigate”. Seems sensible as, if their card facilites are taken away, that’s one revenue stream out. The next step will of course to tell the world and his dog about it. Who knows, Satellite Assured might phone up apologetically tomorrow and re-arrange (and carry out the repair) In which case, my faith restored, I will revisit this very blog to let you know…
September 11th, 2007 at 9:37 am
I had a call on 5th Sept from SKY telling me that my service agreement had run out.They needed my card no–
of which they knew part of as verification to my Bank.
On 10th Sept they deducted £6 for Satellite Cover.No paperwork arrived so I phoned SKY and their official
insurers Domestic and General who told me that I had been
conned/mislead. At the time they insisted that they were SKY and even said-to make it more plausible that they did’nt need the security number.This Tracy is a liar.
No amount of calling 0870 850 5628 brings an answer
September 13th, 2007 at 11:10 am
Ref. my comment above (225). My faith in human nature is restored: Satellite Assured’s Operations Manager called me and took ownership of the “problem”, resulting in the arrival yesterday of a very professional and competent engineer who attended to my satellite system.
I believe they are extremely busy and may need to review their telephone systems but otherwise they have certainly looked after me.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I am also on the TPS however this did not stop the company calling and representing themselves as SKY. Apparently the call had not been recorded, despite what is says on their call menu “There’s a surprise”!! The sales call offered me 18 months cover for the price of 12 £59-99, but when the paperwork finally arrived 2 months later… lo and behold I’d never heard of this company!! Needless to say I called, complained, got nowhere, told the policy could be cancelled and to write in for a refund which I duly did. Only to have a letter back saying I was too late for a refund and to refer to their terms and conditions which were stapled to the back. Ureka!!! the first time I ever saw these!!. So far I’ve been told that I will not get a refund/cancellation, and that at the time my agreement was set up it was with a company called Nationwide whom they since bought out (read “tough for you mate”).
I cannot believe in this day and age that companies like this can still operate. Under the circumstances the very least the company owe me is a full refund in compensation, there is no sales agent to contact apparently, no log or recording of what was said, nothing signed by myself, no Terms & Conditions received, and yet they claim to be a legitimate business.
September 13th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Just read Maria 166 and it’s exactly the same as my case -could you let me know what happened please?
September 19th, 2007 at 11:32 am
I took out cover with Sat Link Services (otherwise known as Satellite direct Uk) At no point in the sales conversation nor in my service agreement that arrived soon after did it state that a) They don’t actually have any engineers in this area b) For that reason when something goes wrong I have to find a third party engineer, pay him myself and they will only re-imburse me up to £70!!!!!!
I now have a bill for £110.00 for the repair of my satellite that they are refusing to re-imburse me in full for even though they have admitted that if I was within their catchment area I would not be liable for any of the cost of repair. I was told a manager woul call me back but surprise, surprise I have heard nothing and trying to talk to the woman at customer services was a complete waste of time as she seemed to think that if she kept repeating “yes madam send the bill in and we will re-imburse you up to £70..” that I would eventually just give in and go away!! As soon as this is sorted I will be cancelling my contract.