Tags: Scams
Phone Spam from Satellite Direct UK
November 23rd, 2006, by Rich.
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.
February 5th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I did some work for this company a few years ago selling these plans when they only had one office.
They give a list of excuses to the people answering the phone when the agreements had not been fulfilled and people called to complain.
I remember people having to wait several weeks for their system to be repaired, especially if they were in Cornwall as they did not have an engineer in that area.
They would also sell cover plans to people who had cable!! Then if the box went wrong blame it on the customer with no refund.
I got a letter today and could not believe that they were still in business. I thought that if enough complaints were made to Sky they would lose their “Authorised Sky Agent” status.
An “Authorised Sky Agent” (or ASA) is given an ID number and authorised to sell cover for the sky equipment on behalf of Sky. Their ASA should be on their correspondence.
The reason it is better to go with Sky is because they will refund your viewing package until your equipment is repaired.
I do not know where they get their database for cold calling from but I do know it was secret and I don’t think it was a legal source.
Glad I only worked there a week.
February 5th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
Hi Rich,
Thanks for your response. I probably wished that I had researched my employer before starting work for them.
However this is my first job for many years due to ill health and basically I did not have many options.
Personally I don’t believe in extended warranties and I have never purchased one. That does make my job rather difficult. Howevever some people do need the reassurance that they are covered for any eventuallity. I have a friend
like that, and he always buys extended warranties on every electrical item he buys.
When I am working, I have no intention of trying to scare anyone into buying a warranty when they cannot afford it. I certainly will not be misselling to anybody. I try to treat people with respect at all times. As soon as someone says they are not interested, I apologise for disturbing them and then I remove them from the data base. I hope that means they will not get called again, but I don’t know that for certain. I might not be the ideal salesman, but I do have morals.
Whatever Satellite Direct might do, and there is no doubt that, at best, its’ practises are somewhat dubious, However, Sky are no saints. I spoke to two elderly gents today, who were basically screwed by sky. Their system failed and both were billed over £150 (callout plus parts and labour). Yet several others refused point blank to consider purchasing a warranty, saying they pay enough to Sky and if they won’t fix it for free, they would cancel their subscription. I am sure you already know, Sky will eventually always wave any charge. Which kind of means that neither Domestic & General nor Satellite Directs warranties are really necessary.
Another reason for people for refuse to even consider purchasing any extended warranty is just the cost of the sky packages. They have gone up so much over the years, that everyone is struggling to be able to afford it. £43 pcm for sports and movies, what a joke!! Again, the feedback from people was that they were paying too much already and they thought they were already covered.
I have yet to actually hear or read any reports regarding the efficency of either Domestic & General or Satellite Direct, so cannot comment on either company. However, (as I have done for the last few years), if you phone Sky and threaten to cancel, you will always be offered a good deal.I have had movies and sports for £21 pcm for 3 months (normal price £43.50) Therefore, I have saved enough to purchase warranty with either company for FREE! Perhaps, Rich, that it was you should be recommending. It works.
I have done the same for same for 3 friends who have a full package with NTL and have saved them at least £30 pcm for a year. They obviously don’t advertise this. But if you threaten to leave, any company should do its’ best to try to keep you as a customer. We all need to save money
All the best
Alan
February 11th, 2007 at 9:20 am
Letter received at my mothers address advising warranty expired on Sky TV . Firsty my mother does not have
satellite in any form and the letter was address to my late father, who passed away last year .
This obviously was distressing to the family and is totally appalling; and it is more than likely this has and will happen to other families.
February 12th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Got a phone call from satellite direct saying i had to renew my insurance for the sky box. I asked him how because i had never heard of the company. He told me i had payed a one off supscription in August i asked them for a account number and he told me he never had a computer screen infront of him. So he told me that he would ring me back in five minutes with his supervisor.He phoned me on this number 08702 432 952 this company is bogus don’t trust them or ring them.
February 19th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
I am the same as Elise the first contact was a charge of £95:99
on my bank statement i have telephoned them and they have taken over the company i was with Nationwide Digital Satellite Warranty Services the thing was they took pament before it was due it was taken on 17/01/07 but it was’nt due till 18/03/07 I am now in the process of recovering my money I have an address if anyone is interested
Imperium House Ford Lane Ford West Sussex BM18 0DF
February 21st, 2007 at 1:08 am
Right i have news for you all, this company is a piece of shit, sadly to say i worked for them, a loooong time ago, and yes it is the managers fault, in all fairness most of the mugs doing the actual phoning don’t know anything about the customers systems but they are told that the “data” won’t be very good or will be good.
I don’t know exactly where they get their data from but usually it is 50/50 whether the person they are calling actually has sky or not.
These “warranties” literally are not worth the paper they are written on, if it breaks just call sky tell them you will cancel if they do not fix it and they will come and do that for you.
February 21st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
My Sky box was insured and got the same sales call from Satellite UK - saying I needed to renew my insurance - they took my bank details and it was only weeks later that I realised they were not my original insurers. I phoned Satellite to cancel and wrote to them saying that they should train their sales staff to to justify their ’sales’ through a good explanation of the benfits of the service rather than the questionable approach adopted. Since that time I have had numerous calls asking why I have cancelled - I need to renew etc etc.
February 21st, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Got my 3rd call from them today (sat. direct). Every call I get is met with a firm but polite refusal, and I get slightly sarcastic pressure comments to make me feel I am a fool for not taking the warranty. They imply through their behaviour that my Sky box is extremely unstable and likely to go pop at any time. I tell them that I don’t believe that a piece of electronic hardware is very likely to fail in it’s first year or two but I get the same old sales pressures. It’s a bit like Kirby vacuum cleaner type banter. Reported to TPS, and they do come across as being linked to Sky. Clever patter, but not clever enough. :D
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I too have just received a phone call from these people saying……Your Sky warranty has run out……
I have to admit that I did not know it was a scam and I will now cancel my direct debit - thank you for alerting to me to the problem.
February 22nd, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Was contacted by them today.
I wish I can seen your website first!