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Charter customers have filed a class action lawsuit saying that the communications company misled its customers about the costs of its Spectrum cable television services.
The Charter class action lawsuit was filed by Randall Byrne, David Kleuskens, Jerry Henry, Jason Weber, and Susan Foster-Harper. These customers say that they are from Ohio and Kentucky, and all have Spectrum TV subscription with Charter.
Allegedly, the company deceptively increases the monthly rate, charges undisclosed fees, reduces the number of channels included in its packages, and makes it hard for customers to cancel their service subscriptions. The plaintiffs say that they were all offered a lower monthly rate that was then raised, contrary to what the company advertised.
The customers all present similar stories of how the company implanted a “bait and switch” scheme that led to them paying more than was advertised when they decided to purchase subscription.
In Henry’s case, he states that in May 2019, Charter promised him a flat promotional price of $150 per month for a cable package that included Spectrum TV Select. He says that the company promised him that the would be charged this rate for at leas ta year, but only five months later, increased fees. Henry says that by October 2019, the company had raised his monthly rate by increasing the Broadcast TV Surcharge by $1.51.
Then, in December 2019, the company alleged advertised a Spectrum TV “Seasonal Plan” that would allow him to pay less money per month to maintain service at his Ohio home while spending winter in Florida. The Charter bait and switch class action lawsuit asserts that, though the company advertised that he would be charged $9.99 per month for the plan, he was charged $23.40 per month after the company added an undisclosed $13.50 month “Seasonal Broadcast TV Surcharge” to his bill.
The Charter cable TV hidden fees class action lawsuit argues that Henry’s case is far from unique. Allegedly, the company makes a regular practice of advertising low rates but effectively charging customers much more by piling on undisclosed service fees.
The customers in the Charter cable class action lawsuit state that when customers have complained about this surcharge, they have been told a number of different, conflicting stories about the surcharge. They site one customer who says that the first time he called to ask about the Broadcast TV surcharge, Charter told him that it is a “tax” that Charter has no control over.
The second time he called, he says the was given a different explanation. Allegedly, he was told that Charter imposes the surcharge because the local government charged a fee to Charter to show some channels. The Charter representative allegedly told the customer that the surcharge was Charter’s way of passing off this government fee to consumers.
However, the customers in the Charter cable class action lawsuit assert that this is not the case. They say that the surcharge is really just part of what Charter charges, but is concealed so that the company can make the monthly rate appear lower.
According to the customers, the company misrepresents this fee in various ways throughout its advertisements and actively instructs its staff members to lie about the nature of the surcharge to customers.
The customers then go on to take issue with the discounts offered by Charter, saying that they are not real discounts. Allegedly, Charter advertises discounts by offering a certain percentage off of the monthly rate, but effectively makes this discount meaningless, because they strategically raise the base monthly rate, which also raises the discounted rate. This is done because then the discounted rate is still the advertised percentage of the full rate, but is higher than the dollar amount initially advertised.
The customers say that, when they complain about this fake discount, the company claims that the discounts have remained the same though the rates have risen.
Finally, the customers say that they purchased the Charter cable TV services specifically because they believed that the services would include certain channels. However, the company allegedly makes a practice of removing channels from the package, and then telling customers that they must pay extra for channels that were once included in their cable packages.
Have you ever encountered hidden fees in your cable or internet services? Share your experiences in the comments below.
The customers are represented by Hugh W. Cuthbertson and Steve Rickman of Zangari Cohn Cuthbertson Duhl & Grello PC, Michael W. Sobol and Daniel E. Seltz of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP, and by Daniel M. Hattis of Hattis & Lukacs.
The Charter Cable TV Bait-And-Switch Class Action Lawsuit is Randall Byrne, et al. v. Charter Communications Inc., et al., Case No. 3:20-cv-00712, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
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568 thoughts onCharter Cable TV Class Action Alleges “Bait and Switch” Tactics
I pay almost 400 dollars a month for Cable, Internet, and home phone. I’ve had this same acct with Time Warner and Now Spectrum for 20 years now. However I don’t get prices for package deals and whatnot but they will sometimes knock a little off here and there. Except this last year, I looked through my bills as my bill went from 290 to almost 400 now. And through their little bit here and there. They managed to increase my bill by 76 dollars a month. So I call. Tell the chick look, take off ALL the extra everything. I just want basic BASIC TV. She puts me on hold half an hour, comes back and tells me the good news she’s managed to drop my payments by 68 a month. I was just like really….. And now, having some work issues, got behind, thought when they shut off my stuff the acct was suspended. Nope, just got told I have about a week to come up with WELL OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS or they will entirely cancel my acct and charge me for all the equip I have in addition. And it will go on my credit, and when I go to turn it back on I will have to pay all sorts of bullsh!t fees.
One of spectrum agents came to my house and told me that there is a program going on that I would have free wifi till 6 months after the pandemic was over so 3 months rolls by I have no bill then 2 months ago they send me a $140 bill. So I call and talk to a representative and she tells me I have to resign up for The ACP program and she refused to credit my account for the false advertising to get me to sign up. So I signed up and today I got another bill for $127 I talk to someone again and she told me I was kicked off the ACP and I have to talk to someone at the ACP. This is wrong I never wanted wifi cause its cost to much I get food stamps and am on government housing as well as a Obama phone so I know there full of it and if I don’t pay they shut me off. They don’t even have the correct spelling of my last name even tho I have told them repeat times how to spell it. Help please
Add me. Just received a bill with an added Broadcast t.v. Surcharge of $21.00. One year ago, I was lied to about a 2 year price guarantee (will remain same price for 2 years absolutely)………not! Bait and switch…….shame on you!
Please add me to the lawsuit! My agreed upon contract of the price “never going up” has been going up every few months. When I questioned it they responded with it going up due to “broadcast tv surcharge”, to which I can get broadcast tv free with an antenna. They claim broadcast companies are charging them and the cost gets passed to the customer which somehow makes our agreed contract at the time of signing null? Yes, Please ADD ME TO THE LAWSUIT! Thank you!
Tv Essentials. Never heard of it. Never wanted it. Charged since last May 2021. Spectrum only offering 60 day refund. Ripoff. Never used this!
Charter is now Spectrum. When we moved we stated we wanted the exact same package at out new place, once it was installed we discovered we were missing channels that we’d had just weeks before at our old house. Also when they installed out cable and internet cables, we were told that the lines were their old lines from over 20 years ago and they all needed to be replaced, but in order to do so we would need to pay for the instillation even though they stated it was their old lines. We were given the option to pay $150 to rewire the whole 8 unit apartment building or $50 just for out apartment. We chose the cheaper option. Other tenants in the building said they’ve never encountered this when they moved in and had services set up, so I’m a bit baffled on that. Our bill was supposed to go up after the first year, which we expected. After the first year was up, it went from $100 to $136. It’s now 6 years later and our bill hasn’t stopped climbing. We now pay $195 a month for the exact same bundle package we’ve had since 2016 and the 6 years before that at our old place, and I suspect it will be $200 before the year is out. The extended basic cable package that we have is mainly reruns and duplicate channels. They’re constantly mailing offers to current customers that they’re not eligible for. And now our bill has starting coming just 4 days before it’s due, which isn’t adequate notification time, and I suspect it’s intentional as it will trap people into being later and paying more fees.
I was given a package full of spanish channels which would be great if I spoke spanish. In order for me to get a package which is appropriate for me I would have to spend more money. My internet is very slow and get slower late at night. When I mentioned it to the representative, he began to tell me the area I live in was purchase by them and they have to use the equipment they inherited. I might believe that if this wasn’t a new property. My internet was out for two days, and I received a credit of $3.00. When I mentioned the slow internet late at night I was told because there were to many people using the internet. Mind you I am talking about from midnight up. I am over them. So, yes PLEASE ADD ME TOO.
DEFINITELY TERMINATING MY SPECTRUM INTERNET SERVICE!! I just looked at my bank statement and saw a $79 payment was made to SPECTRUM auto pay. I started at $45 a month. They Probably been upping it every month without me noticing…. UNTIL NOW!!! My family has been a spectrum customer for over 20 years. my cell phone has Hotspot ill just have to get extra data to run my TV off of it.
I had $420 taken from my account. I’m not Happy
I had over 400 dollars taken from my acct via autopay and this leaves me with barely any food or money to buy food.
I HAVE BEN PAYING FOR 400MBPS AND ONLY GETTING 30 MBPS THIS WAS TOLED I WAS CAPPED AT 30 WITH TW SENCE 2016THIS I WOULD CONSIDER THEFT OF SERVICE
I WAS OLD TO SWITCH TO SPECTRUM AND I WOULD GET WHAT I WAS PAYING FOR HO I WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED A NEW COSTUMER
I have had Spectrum as well since the transition from Time Warner. I too has been promised channels but then didn’t receive them when I called to inquire about why I didn’t then I was told I could get the channels I was promised but I would have to pay more. I too was also charged for a cable box without knowing. The new thing they have going now is the charge you for a full month even if you stop their service. On October 28, 2021 I activated service with them and the next day I received a bill for over $100+, I hadn’t had the service but a day.
I just wanted to add to the post. After, checking the bill I am being charge for a receiver I do not have. So, I placed a call to customer service and was instructed that for all their services they require a receiver which is $8.99 a month. My question to the customer service rep, Ted the supervisor and Shane his supervisor was why is it required to have a receiver when the same channels could be streamed through a smart tv. She then informed me that per their terms and conditions there has to be a receiver. I could not downgrade to streaming service because I have not been without their service for 30 days. The only way I could use the streaming service is if I had only internet and that would be $74.99 plus any other fees they wanted to attach. But I still could not get the streaming service unless I was without service for 30 days and there would not be a guarantee that there would be a promotion going on to get the service at a cheaper price. If I had an apple tv then I would not need a receiver from them and could stream them.
PLEASE ADD ME TO THE SUIT (North Carolina)