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.
March 1st, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Hello Hayley, you’ll notice that my articles are not about a scam, they’re about me receiving repeated unwanted communication from Satellite Direct, but since you ask here’s the scam. A scam reinforced by:
March 1st, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Sat. Direct are still at it. Received 3 telephone calls yesterday evening and two today. There seems to be a load of 0870 numbers they use. They don’t seem to take no for an answer. I am TPS registered so going to make formal complaint. I never buy insuance for this sort of equipment. I can’t remember when I bought the Sky receiver its so long ago and still going strong. If it goes duff today I am still well inpocket.
March 5th, 2007 at 9:27 am
The Data Partnership; DPS; Satellite Direct; Data Partnership Solutions, this company appears in many different guises but the’re all one of the same. The man at the top is none other than the elusive Mr. Dave Reynolds.
I worked in Bognor for this modern day ‘Del Boy’ so I can sympathise with all of you out there.
This type of business really has to scrape the barrel to think of ways to mislead everyone with ‘free’ flights; ‘free’ holiday vouchers etc.
The Tele-Sales staff don’t exactly know what is going on. You see, they’re there to earn their £5.00 hourly wage; some working ten hours a day. They follow a strict worded script.
I left this company as I realised that what customers were being told by management wasn’t the same as what we were told. Talk about doing the dirty work for ‘Del Boy’ Reynolds !
Well, I expect that ‘Rodney’ and ‘Grandad’ are still down there in Bognor Regis conning everyone with FREE goodies….
If it sounds too good to be true - then in this case IT IS.
March 5th, 2007 at 11:07 am
“Bugger Bognor” *
March 5th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
I was contacted sometime last year by telephone by Satellite Direct UK regarding the fact that my Sky boxes warranty was due to run out and to keep the cover going I needed to set up either monthly instalments or a one-off payment. Being caught on the hop and panicking at the thought of not having cover for my box, which is the second box at the time in my house, I agreed to pay by credit card. Deed done…sat back to relax in the knowledge that my box was covered. It was only when I got my credit card statement through last week that I noticed a debit of £59.99 and the name SATELLITE DIRECT UK 08702 245 777 beside it, that I got suspicious.
I phoned them and said that I had not been sent a renewal notice.
They replied that it is in the small print on the agreement that, unless stated in writing that you dont wish to renew, then the amount will automatically be taken from your credit card. Well firstly I never received anything in writing from them to read, which means no account number or reference number to quote.
I have since discovered after getting a 3rd sky box installed at the weekend and checking our Sky Cover paperwork that for £6 a month we are infact covered for up to three sky boxes, dish and cabling for the system. So I never even needed to have the other warranty in the first place.
I have emailed a letter to the head office, stating that I want the warranty cancelled and unless I get my money refunded I will going to trading standards.
Never ever again will I agree to anything without first checking out on the net about the company.
March 8th, 2007 at 11:10 am
they have just mailed us to renew a non existant warranty for a none existant satellite dish. Why are they not conforming to mps principals?
March 8th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
I have read all these comment and wonder if I have been duped. I find I am paying a company Satellite Assured £26.25P and I don’t know who they are, I also pay Sky Digital and anothr company with the Sky number and feel I am paying twice for something. This Company Satillite Assured I think phoned out of the blue and am having to check my bank statements. I shall get in touch with Sky but sounds like they may have given them my number or something, as I thought they were Sky but have a feeling I shall have to check this Company out. Has anyone heard of this Satellite Assured at all, would be interested to know. I think they first told me that my digiboxes were not covered or at least one was.
March 8th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
thanks to everyone of you that has enlightened me, reading all the letters i can relate to a few and with address i hope that i can cancel/refund and i totaly agree that they should not be diguised as sky which when i found my insurance for sky it still had 3 months months to go i was gobsmacked that i took there word and im still waiting for the documents J.
March 9th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
they hav jst changed there name again for the fith time to sat link they are rubbish at what they do and liars
March 9th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
I got email the day after emailing them asking for refund, stating that full refund would be paid back into my account within 4 - 10 working days. I will check it to see if its happened. Also going to contact my credit card company to see if I can get anything from them if my refund doesn’t show up.