Giving Up Our Power

Wanting to make people aware of what DirecTV (and probably all companies that make you sign a contract & give them your credit card #) can and will do to you if you dispute their fees and cancel service before that contract runs out. I was made aware today that my entire bank account (savings and checking) was wiped out by DirecTV and I was left over $200 overdrawn. I thought that someone had stolen my account number and my money. They not only took the disputed amount, they added large bogus fees which allowed them to wipe me out. 

I was devastated and called my CU. Then called DirecTV and finally they agreed to recredit the bogus fees, but not the disputed amount. Plus I had to agree to renew the service (albeit at a basic rate which is still too much for me) before they would even recredit that much. I told them that was extortion, but of course they hide behind that contract. 

I believe that this is SO wrong; they do not care a bit that they did this to an unemployed senior on very low social security. Just please think very carefully before signing up with this company (or any such company) and giving them your account number. 

We give them entirely too much power over us.