Shaw/Starhoice providers....BEWARE WHEN MAKING DEPOSITS

I bought my Star choice system, approx. 12 months ago from Ed Lindfoot, and believe he is fair and honest provider. I called Ed around the 27th of Feb/2011, as my 530 hd dvr was not recording....he was here the next day....he said he would have Jose....his sub of many years check it out. Jose called set appt. to check it out on the 5th of March....Jose determined the problem was the DVR recorder crashed???? Jose said I could have it repaired for 1800 pesos....no guarantee., however he would replace with 630 dvr for 7000 pesos, and would rewire coax(new in 2010) I said OK, and he asked for 3000 pesos deposit with 10 day delivery guaranteed.

It has now been 50 days, when I reached him after 30 days and asked for refund he said he would return my money...on Thursday....nearly 3 weeks ago. Apparently he has blocked my calls, as his cell does not go to voice mail. I have left countless messages on his home phone....just want my money back.

Just a FYI.....I am extremely disappointed, as my dealings with Ed and his subs have been great.

Jim w

Deleted by poster. PM me if you wish to discuss your problem.

I think you have said it all. Know your (any) vendor or service provider well before making deposits for anything from equipment to rental accomodations. Even then deposits are risky. I bought a new HDTV system from another local vendor at Lakeside whose business advertised itself as a home entertainment consultant designing and selling consumer electronics. We´re talking some fairly large bucks here and, while he did deliver, he went broke the following week, went out of business and I have not been able to find him since. I was damn lucky to get that equipment just before this guy went under. He warranted his equipment but God help me if something goes wrong. From now on, all of my consumer electronics purchases will be from large, reputable retail outlets.

PROFECO may be able to help those of you purchasing consumer goods but they do not get involved in rental disputes whether with hotels or landlords. We had a sleazy landlord in Chiapas try to rip off our $6,000 Peso rental deposit after the landlord rented the same apartment twice and told us to shove off. We finally prevailed by threatening to report him to both the U.S. and Mexican tax authorities (he also lived in California) and, fortunately for us, the creep was not paying taxes to either taxing authority while running a "hotel" on the sly. Once we threatened to report him, we got the money in a New York Second. It also helped that, unbeknownst to him, we were moving to the town where the "hotel" was located. Had we threatened him from Lakeside, we might have been up the creek.

We learned the following from that experience:

* PROFECO will not enter rental disputes.
* E-mail communications confirming the rental arrangement or consumer goods purchase deposit are not admissable in court. You´ll need a specific contractual arrangement in Spanish and on paper signed by all parties to the agreement, witnessed by a third party and spelling out the precise details of the deal.
* Just because you put cash into the seller´s/landlord´s bank account does not in any way validate your claim if the seller of goods or services renegs on the agreement.
* If a landlord receiving your deposit is living and doing business in a town other bthan where you actually loive and can institute court proceedings, kiss your money goodbye.
* If you make rental arrangemnts with a hotel/landlord through a rental service such as one listing vacation rentals, read the fine print and you will normally find they make no warranties whatsoever that the service provider will adhere to your agreement. In fact, no matter what they say, expect them to take their client´s side.

Thank you, I will pm tomorrow afternoon....I am so pissed , Jose, after 5 days caught him using neighbors cell phone...he promised to refund on Thursday....NADA...word must get out....no deposit

Talk soon amigo

...need to have a couple of guys named Victor from Chicago pay this A..hole a visit. Seriously, a friend of mine here in Joco had a similar prob with a contractor. After talking to a local Mexican mover & shaker, the guy had a late night visit from some folks that explained to him on no uncertain terms what would happen if the situation was not resolved pronto. It was. A few hundred pesos can get damm near anything handled here. Forget about lawyers, police, ministero publico, and the courts.

Welcome to the site Gale, Jim here, Debbie had a stroke....I know off topic

Jim W wrote:Welcome to the site Gale, Jim here, Debbie had a stroke....I know off topic

So sorry to hear that...I'll e-mail you.

Gail & christa

Thank you Gail....Deb is OK......Sadly we are fighting reimbursemrnt for medical...spent money for medical insurance.....totally pissed off by Alliance.....moving back to USA......B ought a home in Casa Grande....get better medical coverage........we are pretending to be illegal immigrants


Free medical....talk soon

jim n deb

...Kinda sucks that after being forced to pay into Medicare forever, we can't use it except in the U.S. Tell me you're kidding about moving to Casa Grande!???

Jim,

Have you talked to Ed Lindfoot about this. I too heard good things about them and especially Jose. Now I'll warn anyone I can. I use a woman who shall remain nameless. So far my friends' experiences and mine are that all the Shaw providers are a little slippery.

You are having a streak of bad luck - hope it's over.

Well I suppose when you are providing a service that is "grey market" at best and/or illegal (depending on who you talk to) then slippery would fit the bill. Since we will be maintaining an address in Canada and keeping our Shaw account I plan on bringing a few boxes down with me. I believe I can have 5 on my account so perhaps I can work a deal with a few people when we return for good next year (I hope that doesn't look slippery....).

simpsca wrote:Jim,

Have you talked to Ed Lindfoot about this. I too heard good things about them and especially Jose. Now I'll warn anyone I can. I use a woman who shall remain nameless. So far my friends' experiences and mine are that all the Shaw providers are a little slippery.

You are having a streak of bad luck - hope it's over.

What are you trying to say, simpsca?

[

I just discoverd ING only covers insured to the age of 70...they will be dropped. I met/talked to Debbie's Dr.....He says 8 months is normal for reimbursement for international claims....meanwhile you are turned over for collection....do the math

CanuckBob wrote:Well I suppose when you are providing a service that is "grey market" at best and/or illegal (depending on who you talk to) then slippery would fit the bill. Since we will be maintaining an address in Canada and keeping our Shaw account I plan on bringing a few boxes down with me. I believe I can have 5 on my account so perhaps I can work a deal with a few people when we return for good next year (I hope that doesn't look slippery....).

Do five & you are gonna raise all kinds of red flags!! Shaw is on to what's going on. Do 4 max & be ready to talk about old crippled Aunt Hattii out in the casita who can't come to the phone.

Dawg,

I know of three Shaw providers lakeside. Friends used one in Ajijic (the most expensive one) - did not have reception most of the time. Service guy was sent several times - was told it was because there was too much paint on the cable on the roof ( most have thought my friends were idiots). So they switched to the woman I use and now have perfect reception - turns out the dish was not properly aligned.

We just heard from Jim about another service provider in Ajijic who took his deposit for a DVR and cannot be reached by phone.

And even my provider took my receiver (which I paid her for) off to check it after I bought a new one. I wanted to put the older box in another house but have not been able to get the box back. She offered me a credit of 1,000 pesos for the box and my Shaw dish with LNB saying that is the going rate. I reminded her I have the receipt where I paid her 5,000 pesos for same.

So if you can tell me of an honest reliable Shaw service provider I will be happy to share that information with all my friends.

I think CP Electronics in Guad handles Shaw.

Bob, I'd suggest you think twice about "stacking." You'll be putting your own account at risk.

Regardless of how you get your Shaw stuff, you'll still need a tech from time to time. Jose was good for a while. Apparently until he got greedy. Now we'll need someone else. Simpsca who does the lady you deal with use for on the roof stuff?

She uses a couple of guys - is Cruz in one - Spanish only. I have a phone number for him if anyone wants it. I don't know the other guy but he installed my friend's system for Francine.

I have friends in Guadalajara who use CP Electronics and they are good, just a whole lot more expensive than I pay and they have fewer channels.

Shaw, Like Dish, limit their service to Canada or the U.S., but they understand that users may have RV's & travel with a receiver & a dish outside of Canada or the U.S....so, they cut a little slack. They understand that any household with a large family may need 1-3 receivers, maybe 4...but 5??? It's like the I.R.S....the closer you play it to the limit, the more you are asking for an audit. And Shaw & Dish have the right to check your address & verify the location of the receivers. I used CP for my Shaw equipment when Dish realigned their Sat. last year. Although CP could provide me an account (also bootleged), I hooked up with a friend here, brought in another friend, and we now split the bill at a substantial savings...but it is not Kosher, & if Shaw ever wants to press the issue, we may be out in the cold. So keep it on the down low.

I won't tell you how it is that I have my own account in Alberta, billed directly to my VISA card. But it's MY account and I can make changes online, etc..

I use Cheryl Edwards. I probably overpaid but good service & no complaints. Too lazy to dig out the records.

David wrote:I think CP Electronics in Guad handles Shaw.

Bob, I'd suggest you think twice about "stacking." You'll be putting your own account at risk.

Regardless of how you get your Shaw stuff, you'll still need a tech from time to time. Jose was good for a while. Apparently until he got greedy. Now we'll need someone else. Simpsca who does the lady you deal with use for on the roof stuff?

Thanks, David, for that information on CP Electronics. I have had some unpleasant dealings with the Ed/Jose team from whom I purchased all of my satellite equipment both in Ajijic and San Cristóbal where I have an auxilliary receiver. I still think Ed is a great guy and unquestionably honorable but he is at Lakeside only during the winter and if I encounter technical problems with my equipment in the summer months, I need someone to turn to besides Jose with whom I no longer wish to do business.

Now, I want to discuss "stacking" - a subject about which I have strong personal feelings. We pay about $82 USD a month for Shaw on our own personal account which includes that auxilliary receiver and that is the legitimate price for an individual account. I had a local restaurant owner in my neighborhood approach me to sell me the same service at a fraction of the cost as a participant in a "stack" and I turned down that offer without hesitation. "Stacking" is theft by anyone´s definition whether they have rationalized that thievery or not and I´m no purist by any means. Rather, I am of the opinion that ripping off satellite service providers endangers service to all of us who play by reasonable rules.

Now, I understand the need to bend the law at times. In our town in Chiapas, an ancient and famous burg with many affluent as well as dirt poor inhabitants, the only way one can buy DVDs is to buy pirated DVDs so one either buys pirated DVDs or no DVDs at all. However, at Lakeside, satellite services legitimately paid for by the consumer are available. I guess the "moral" decision is yours, dear reader.

San Cristóbal de Las Casas is surrounded by what, in South America, would be referred to as "favelas" - steep hillside slums filled with political/religious/economic refugees who are absolutely dependent on their bicycles to achieve the mobility to earn a marginal living in the central city. Therefore, their bicycles take on far more importance - the importance of simple survival - than bicycles have among elderly overachievers in Palm Beach. "Let the punishment fit the crime", therefore, takes on new meaning in that context. Some local kid in the "favela" of Las Hormigas just outside of San Cristóbal, a terribly poor slum filled with people living hand-to-mouth, was stealing bicycles and community "elders" had a meeting with him and warned him that he was to refrain from any more bicycle theft, an activity they considered intolerable in a community where access to bicycles was akin to survival. Well, the kid kept stealing bicycles so a citizens committee lynched him without mercy by immolation. I´m not justifying that terrible act; just pointing out that the pettiness of thievery is in the eye of the beholder but it´s still theivery.

Does Dawg actually buy pirated DVDs in Chiapas where legitimate DVD movies are unavailable? Well, "Ah do declare," as we used say up in Alabama, " Of cose, that would be improper conduct don´t yáll agree? Ah´ll git back to you directly on that subject."

Receiving any Shaw signal in Mexico under a fake Canadian address is probably illegal so your already in for a penny Dawg.

It seems that we all practice a bit of larceny when we feel justified by our own circumstances.
We just aren't very tolerant of other people's vices. It's the human condition, don't ya know? Lizzy

Receiving the signal is not illegal, it's simply in violation of Shaw's Terms of Service if your account is not registered to your Canadian address. BTW, my Canadian address is real.

CanuckBob wrote:Receiving any Shaw signal in Mexico under a fake Canadian address is probably illegal so your already in for a penny Dawg.

Yoiu hurt me CB. What makes you think that Dawg does no live in Canada as well as Mexico? I mean, even if I don´t live in Canada, I´ve always wanted to live in The Frozen Tundra but it´s just as Brother Dave Gardner used tio say before he died of liver failure from drinking too much Early Times in 1965; "Folks only live up nawth ´cause they has jobs up there."

I was in Canada once back in 1966. In Vancouver to be more precise. It was a Sunday and I drove up from Seattle where I was working on assignment from my home in Los Angeles. Now, I know things have changed since then but in those days, there were blue laws in BC and I'm a sumbitch if I could not buy a drink in Vancouver on a Sunday so I got the hell out of there. Hell, I moved from Alabama to California just to get away from blue laws and, incidentally, to meet Nanette Funicello in Santa Monica but that is another story of unfulfilled desires. I would have settled for Troy Donahue but he wasn´t available either having just moved in with Tony Perkins. Bad timing.