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New York Attorney General Letitia James announced legal action this week against satellite radio giant SiriusXM. An investigation found the company deliberately frustrating the cancellation process to retain unwanted subscribers.
Hundreds of consumer complaints prompted the probe into SiriusXM’s practices. According to the AG’s office, agents are trained to stall cancellations through tedious multistep questioning and relentless upsell refusals. Some customers reported call times over 30 minutes before finally ending their membership.
The lawsuit alleges such tactics constitute fraud and deception under state consumer laws. By prolonging the cancellation process, SiriusXM traps subscribers who no longer use or want the service but face difficulties exiting agreements.
“Having to endure a lengthy and frustrating process to cancel a subscription is a stressful burden no one looks forward to, and when companies make it hard to cancel subscriptions, it’s illegal,”
As an auto-renewing service with over 2 million New York subscribers, SiriusXM faces penalties and restitution if found violating fair practices. The suit seeks to rectify irksome cancellation policies many feel target frustration and surrender over straightforward resolution.
Headquartered in New York, SiriusXM’s size brings public responsibilities. By clamping down on subscriber manipulation, state officials aim to uphold convenient consumer freedoms important to fair markets.
