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SALT LAKE CITY -- Utahns who experienced problems with DIRECTV may be eligible to receive restitution from a new settlement.
The Utah Attorney General Office and the Utah Department of Commerce announced Wednesday that an agreement was reached between the satellite TV provider and 49 states and the District of Columbia to resolve allegations of deceptive advertising and other unlawful business practices. The agreement requires the company to pay restitution to customers, change how it does business and to pay $13.25 million to the states. DIRECTV did not admit any wrongdoing.
To qualify for restitution, consumers' complaints must involve unresolved problems addressed in the agreement that occurred after Jan. 1, 2007, and reported to the attorney general's office, Consumer Protection Division or the Better Business Bureau before or 150 days after the effective date of the agreement. Examples include:
- Failing to clearly disclose prices, promotional prices and commitment terms.
- Signing up consumers for contract terms without clearly disclosing terms.
- Extending consumers' contracts without their consent.
- Failing to disclose that rebates were bill credits that consumers had to sign up for on DIRECTV's website.
Consumers may file a complaint directly with DIRECTV, consumer protection or the attorney general's office by June 9, 2011. Complaints may also be filed online HERE or by email to uag@utah.gov.
