Learn your options to get your voice heard and make DISH Network pay
So you have a complaint with the service provided and now you want to file a claim against DISH Network. Maybe they overcharged you, their salesperson misled you or failed to apply a promotion that got you to sign up for the service in the first place, or maybe their service just wasn’t what you expected.
You probably tried to reach out to their customer service line and spent hours on hold with computerized menus and if you were lucky a representative, but in the end a representative who probably couldn’t fix the problem.So now you want to know how to file a legal claim against DISH Network.
File a claim against DISH Network using small claims court
What is it? Your contract as a user usually contains language that prevents you from filing a claim against DISH Network in most courts with the exception of small claims court. This is a chance to bring your claim before a local judge up to a certain amount.
When to try it: You have have time and energy on your hands, and you want the chance to make your case against DISH Network in public.
What you need to do: Follow the steps laid out here in FairShake’s Guide to Sue DISH Network in Small Claims Court.
What to expect: If you follow all the steps precisely and have a strong claim against DISH Network, there’s a good chance you’ll get compensation.
File a claim against DISH Network with your credit card provider
What is it? You can file a claim against DISH Network if you used your credit card on your account. For example, you might have one credit card on file linked to your account and it was that credit card that the company overcharged. Whenever you use a credit card to pay for something you, the credit card company, and the other company agree to a set of rules and in the event of something like overcharging your account, credit card companies have a way for you to dispute the issue.
When to try it: If your claim against DISH Network is about a one time charge that was made using a credit card, and when you will be able to provide documented evidence that DISH Network charged you more than they were allowed to, or for a service they didn’t provide.
What you need to do: For almost every major credit card you could do the process entirely online. All you have to do is log into your account and find the section on how to dispute a charge. Usually they have you identify the specific charge in question, explain what happened, and if you have any evidence, provide it.
What to expect: The credit card company may temporarily remove the charge from your bill. They will then likely ask DISH Network for a response. You may also be asked for more information or evidence before they make a final decision.
File an FCC complaint against DISH Network
What is it? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a government agency that regulates much of DISH Network’s business. The FCC provides an informal channel for consumers to submit claims and complaints against DISH Network.
What happens to these claims depends on the internal procedures of the FCC. The FCC also provides a more formal complaint procedure, but there is a monetary charge for this.
When to try it: This is a way to file a complaint against DISH Network in a public area where other users will get to see it. It isn’t necessarily a way to pursue compensation but if you’re very frustrated with the service and you want the government and the general public to know about the issue, you can use this.
What you need to do: File an informal complaint against DISH Network on the FCC’s public website by following the instructions here.
What to expect: Your complaint will be posted online in a public database. It may be used in setting the FCC’s priorities for regulating companies like DISH Network. The company may be asked to respond to it. You will not necessarily receive an individual response.
File a complaint against DISH Network through the Better Business Bureau
What is it? The Better Business Bureau and its local chapters are private organizations that collect and publish complaints against a wide range of companies. They give ratings too. Much the same as filing a complaint against DISH network with the FCC, using the Better Business Bureau is another way to Lodge your complaint publicly where other potential customers might see it. The one exception with the Better Business Bureau is that DISH network has the opportunity to look over the complaints against them and potentially respond.
When to try it: The company may or may not be looking at their Better Business Bureau page so they may or may not respond but in any case at least you get your complaint out into the public.
What you need to do: Go to DISH Network’s BBB profile here and follow the instructions for submitting a complaint.
What to expect: Again, this depends entirely on whether the company is monitoring their page and responding. If they’re responding, they might ask for more information from you and pursue a resolution privately.
File a complaint against DISH Network through Independent Arbitration
What is it? Remember that thing about the small print of your DISH Network contract? Instead of going through the court system your contract does allow you to file through an independent arbitration process and that means you have a third-party arbitrator who reviews the situation and makes a binding decision.
This process will cost the company money so more often than not they will try to settle the claim as soon as you let them know that you’re pursuing arbitration. That’s what FairShake can help with!
When to try it: Any situation in which you believe DISH Network has misled you, violated their contract with you, or violated the law can be pursued through arbitration. Typically claims involve a specific request for how DISH Network can fix the situation, which may include financial compensation. FairShake will help you pursue claims up to $10,000.
What you need to do: Fill out our form below, to start your claim against . Or, for more information on the steps in pursuing an arbitration claim yourself, click here.
What to expect: For more details about arbitration, click here. Or start your claim below and let us help!
Get justice when a business lets you down:
FairShake’s Ultimate Guide to Consumer Complaints
Learn More
