Billing Theft - Fraud Investigation Claim Opened

[bradn863]

On 3-6-17 I paid my internet bill, which is $96.48, with my Debit Card online, like i have for the past 12 months. I receieve paper statements in the mail monthly. On 3-17-17 my card was charged in the amount of $187.96 which I DID NOT AUTHORIZE.  I called customer service to see about resolving the issue and had a terrible time speaking with them. Upon asking what the charge was for, I was told that I was enrolled in the auto-pay feature, which is COMPLETELY FALSE. When i set up my account 1 year ago I had to call and opt out of auto-pay, which is an extra $5 on my bill for receiving paper statements. I elected this option and phone records will verify. For the past 12 months I have been paying my bill online manually with no issues. After informing the representative that I was not enrolled in auto-pay, she asked would I like to opt out and began to explain the $5 charge on the statement for receiving paper statements. I told her that I already had that conversation a year ago and she could check my previous bills to see that I was clearly not enrolled. She still continued as if i was opting out for the first time. I asked what needed to be done to stop the payment since I DID NOT authorize it. She told me that there was nothing she could do. Let me add, the card that was used to set-up my account is not even the same financial institution that the charge was issued to. I have only had the card that was charged this $187.96 for a few months. There is no way that HughesNet could have had this card enrolled in auto-pay unless an employee manually entered my information into the auto-pay program without my consent. THIS IS THEFT!!!!! I told the representative this and she began to tell me that my phone was breaking up and I needed to find better reception. After making NO MOVEMENT at all she said that reception was better and immediately continued to tell me that the transaction could not be reversed. I reiterated that they had STOLEN money from my account and asked to speak to a supervisor. I was put on hold, and afterwards, the same person came back on the line and said that her supervisor said the same thing as her. I asked to speak with him/her and was told that their answer would not be any different. I asked again to speak to a supervisor and was told that NO ONE could help me. This made me extremely angry and I asked to be transferred to corporate, which didn't happen either. I was already aggravated with Hughes for the poor quality of service which I receive, and now I'm completely disgusted with how i am being treated. I want the entire $ 187.96 removed from my account as it is an incorrect reflection of the  balance for what is due on my account.  

[bradn863]

Ok, maybe nobody wants to deal with the post that says "fraud" in the title, but somebody needs to. I see responses to other issues that were posted yesterday but only views on mine. It's not a weekend so the excuse for no one seeing it is out the window. I need action taken on this immediately. This fraudulent charge has put me in a negative standing with the financial institution from which the account is held. Overdraft fees are accumulating and NOTHING is being done by HughesNet. I have called customer service and gotten no where becasue apparently no one is in charge there. If this issue is not resolved and either 1) the money is put back into my banking account, or 2) My account be credited for the entire amount of $187.96.....I will pursue legal action for the amount stolen, the overdraft charges, and $500 per day that HughesNet does not resolve this issue due to the fact that my mortgage, utilitiy bills, auto loans and personal needs are unable to be met because the account that HughesNet took the money from IS NOT the account on file when I signed up for my account, and the account is frozen due to the Fraud Investigation Claim that is open on it.

[Gwalk900]

I too have Invoice Billing but pay my bill online as one time payments from my checking account.

When doing so I found the need to be very careful as there is a check box that opts you in to auto-billing if not unchecked:

Hopefully one of the forum Mods will soon respond.

[Liz]

Hello bradn863,

Welcome to the community and thank you for posting. What Gwalk described sounds like what happened in your case. I can certainly credit your account back from the trouble. 

If you decide to pay online again, please double-check that option that Gwalk circled in his screenshot to make sure you're not saving that card for future payments; this way we can avoid a similar situation in the future.

Edit: 
I've credited your account for the amount requested; this is documented in case #103212021.

[bradn863]

Hi Liz, i dont remember seeing that option over the past 11 months. I have paid my bill the same way each time, they only difference is that i have a different card/bank now than in previous payments. My next question is how will the account be credited? My issue is the negative balance with my bank plus a $36 overdraft fee for the transaction. I just want to make sure that I understand what is happening. Am i getting the money back to my bank card? I surely hope so because I need to get the overdraft fee removed. Please let me know. 

[Liz]

Hi bradn863,

Please check your private messages, I sent you a PM regarding your concerns. You can check your PMs by clicking the envelope icon near the top right corner of the community page.

[Rebeccadoan]

I was told by customer service this morning that since we have a credit card on file Hugesnet has the right to automatically withdrawl the funds! which is FRAUD!!!!!

[C0RR0SIVE]

Rebeccadoan,

Please create a new thread, also, legal threats, and threats of contacting the B.B.B. don't work so great here.

As for fraud, no, it's not, it is stated in the contract that Hughesnet can use any card stored on file for payments.  Whether you ever read the contract or not (sorry, but most people just don't read such things, thinking it's all mumbo jumbo) is another story.

[Gwalk900]

Rebeccodoan,

In respect to method of payment, the HughesNet Subscriber agreement states in part:

1.4 METHOD OF PAYMENT.

Except where additional methods of payment are specifically required or permitted under applicable law or regulation, or where Hughes explicitly and in advance permits another method of payment, you agree that you will provide a major credit or charge card (i.e., MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover) that Hughes may charge for all Service fees or other amounts payable under this Agreement (including Early Termination Fees and Unreturned Equipment Fees). You hereby authorize automatic credit or charge card billing by Hughes for all such charges. You further agree that the charges described above will be billed to the credit or charge card that you have provided when you applied for the Service.

The complete Subscriber Agreement can be read here:

http://legal.hughesnet.com/SubAgree-01-01-15.cfm

[Tommyo]

I just caught Hughes in collecting unauthorized charges for a since-cancelled residential service.  Hughes refused to refund but is supposed to apply a credit to my epic fail business enterprise service.  Hughes is a bad actor - their salesmen are clowns. Tech will refere me to billing and vice-versa.  Hughes is a joke.

[Rebeccadoan]

I was told but customer service this morning that if you have a cc on file they have a right to automatically withdrawl the funds it is in the terms and conditions....which is fraud!!!

[mrhead]

I have a similar issue. Canceled service and they charged me not only the 100 dollar cancelation fee but also the month for which we didnt even use. Now they won't let me remove my credit card so I have to cancel that card because Hughesnet is known as a fraudulent company and will charge your card for unauthorized charges. I have filed a Federal Trade Comission complaint as well and I recomend everone due so. It only takes 5 minutes and unlike Hughesnet with our service with Excede we can actually access the web pages. With Hughes it would clock in on thier speedtest meter that we had service but it would always time out and never work. Hughes net is absolutle the worst company I have ever dealt with. I am not even certain why or how they can still be in business.

[Havehouse]

I am going to do this also. They have been charging TWO of our cards for months and months now. Same bill being paid twice for service that was not as described even remotely.

[maratsade]

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@Havehouse wrote:

I am going to do this also. They have been charging TWO of our cards for months and months now. Same bill being paid twice for service that was not as described even remotely.

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Have you tried contacting the Hughes corporate staff that populate this community?  It would save you a lot of time which you would otherwise waste with frivolous complaints. 

[Liz]

Hello all,

I have since resolved the original poster's billing concerns so I will be locking this thread. If you have concerns of your own, please start your own thread with as much detail (save for personal information) so we can best focus our efforts.

Your cooperation, patience, and understanding are much appreciated.

[maratsade]

" Hughesnet is known as a fraudulent company"

This is a serious claim; what is your hard evidence to support it?