Beware of SatCov Direct Debits

gingerchick

I've also just had £6.00 taken out of my account recently!
On my statement it says it's an 'initial payment'
No communication from them at all, neither me or hubby have spoken to them on the phone.

I did have an account with them over a year ago, but after realising what they were, cancelled and hadn't heard anything since
And now this.
I am straight down to the bank tomorrow and report to Consumer Direct.

z1baz

satcov are a real nasty bunch of scammers that try their luck at any chance they get,its been going on for years n they still get away with it.
just noticed a dd for £6 on my online statement,called the bank n got it stopped have requested that they do not ever act on dd requests on my account as any dd`s set up by me will be by signed instruction and that any non-signed dd instructions are to be treated as fraud,whether they do i dont know !! but the new name n number for contacting satcov scum are 0870 2240442 and david reynolds is the chap to talk to,if they`r not to busy cheating other innocent bank account holders out of their hard earned cash that is !!!!

shallow_al

I work in a call centre for a major UK bank. One of the most common calls that we receive is customers wishing to recall direct debits (on the day the DD leaves or the day after) or set up 'indemnity claims' (when the DD left further back then the previous day).

By far the most common complaint we have is about SatCov; every advisor knows about them. Since Feb 2009 they have been: a) taking 10-times the correct monthly payment (£65 instead of £6.50), b)taking extra payments (typically £50) and, more recently, c)setting up DD's on customers' accounts without authorisation.

They are almost impossible to get hold of. Customers report the tel. no. being unobtainable but get no reply to letters/emails. In one case a customer did receive a reply to an email stating that SatCov's email system was not working and to call the phone number instead, which then was of course not answered.

SatCov seem to suggest to customers that they are linked to Sky, a fact which Sky refute (as can be seen from other web forums). Only today a customer told me he had been in contact with Sky and that they told him that they ONLY deal with Domestic & General (I have not yet checked whether or not this is correct).

SatCov, as of last week, are also now setting up DD's under the name "Play" with a reference number afterwards that appears to be a phone number - 08716 641400. This is the same ref/phone no. that appeared after "SatCov" DD's on customers' statements. The registered address, name & contact number in our Direct Debit directory is the same for 'Play' DD's as for 'SatCov' DD's, further evidence that the company is the same. Due to my work with the bank I am clearly not allowed to provide any of those details.

Hope this helps clear up a few things. Of course, when I'm on the phones I'm not allowed to slate SatCov to customers at all.....

shallow_al

A further note that may be of help/interest:

1) You could take ages trying to get your hand earned cash back direct from SatCov or by filling in forms. Instead, call your bank using their phone service & we can process the claim and get the ball rolling in minutes.

2) Sometimes companies reinstate DD's on accounts when the DD has been cancelled. They do this by setting up a new DD mandate using a slightly difference reference no. Bear in mind they still have your sort code & account number. We now advise customers to contact the company and tell them not to (ha ha... waste of time with SatCov!). But... we do have a system that ALMOST always works whereby we can prevent further DD's by a company being set up on an account. Ask for this when you call. Best not say what we call it, don't want to identify my bank!

3) Bear in mind that 'indemnity claims' set up by banks are conditional refunds: we refund you, then approach the company to get the funds off them. If they refuse & claim they are entitled to the money, we (the bank) then have to take our money back from your account. Please don't have a go at us about this; after, it isn't actually our fault!

4) Umm.. good luck. I'll be dealing with more of these complaints tomorrow... and Wednesday..and Thursday..and (you get the picture).

ingsann

i had £6 out of my account on 23rd june 2009. i havent had sky for over a year and a half so why would i need cover. i didnt set up the dd. i am now getting a charge of £38 as my other dd which comes out the same day was not paid because of them. i have spoke to them and they said i will get my money back in 28 days, still havent got it back. tryed to ring them on the 0871 number and get a message saying tempary susspended. i have cancelled the dd. how do i get the money back and can i get them to pay the charge as it was their fault?

gizdosh1

This is the second time that SATCOV have taken money out of my mum's account without permission. Last year I had to email loads of times to get it back, and she told me yesterday that they are up to it again!! She is a pensioner on income support and accounts for every penny of her pension...she cannot afford to have money taken out willy-nilly. Her bank said it was not their fault. How do I get the money back from her? Last year I kept emailing them and finally they gave it back, do I do this again this year?? How can they be stopped????

trisontana

The firm have now gone bust:-

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2009/08/sky-viewers-left-in-the-lurch.html#comments

SouthCoast

Update:

<H2>Trading Standards finalise action against Ford based company

Date: 16-Oct-2009
Press Release Number: PR3276
Press Release

Court action has been taken by West Sussex Trading Standards against a company operating in Ford after thousands of complaints from disgruntled customers.

Trading Standards took the action against Satellite Direct UK Ltd, Sat Cover Ltd, One4Group and company directors David Reynolds and Kelly Drew for numerous breaches of consumer protection legislation. Despite consultation about their legal obligations, the complaints about the companies based in Ford Lane, Ford, continued and therefore court action had to be taken.

</H2>
http://www.westsussex.gov.uk/ccm/content/your-council/news-room/press-releases/2009/2009-10/trading-standards-finalise-action-against-ford-based-company.en;jsessionid=atLuSrozuu25

goonasuk

At last!