Equipment return

AFAIK DTV sends a return kit not a label if you are 10 miles from a participating UPS/FedEx store to take to the post office.  Unless DTVhelp sends you DM/PM this is a customer to customer forum with little contact with DTV.

Also the prepaid return kit is to send back by USPS, not UPS, so make sure you did return with the correct shipper. That one letter difference has caused a few return issues over the years.

The return label came with the equipment and it was USPS.

when I returned my old stuff, I was directed to print out a QR code, and dropped off at UPS.

Seems you can get a different story from many places.

I got a receipt for each box I sent... I trust no one. ;-)

There isn't a single return process as they have updated over the years.

New way: You take returnable boxes with your account number to a participating FedEx or The UPS Store location. Absolutely get receipt showing they took possesion.

Old way: DirecTV ships (by FedEx) a prepaid return kit (not just label) which you return by USPS (not UPS). The old process should be requested if you are over 10 miles away from a participating shipper of the new process.

Having a label only (such as printed) is not unheard of, but the option has not been consistently available. Strange they would use that recently for UPS since they have an agreement (since AT&T acquired DirecTV) for bulk return.

If a return label came with equipment, that should be for a warranty replacement (or possibly upgrade if was customer swap) as opposed to just deactivating a box (or canceling account). That would be sent back by USPS.

Those would be the facts on the options, not simply a "story". 

Unless there is missing info, sounds like OP left a review on a 3rd party site (trustpilot) and came to a customer populated forum requesting a reversal of charges. The better route would be to first call customer support to discuss the account. The prepaid return labels for USPS have tracking numbers, so can be verified against any shipping boxes claimed not received. If over the phone doesn't resolve, and USPS verifies all shipping boxes delivered, then a BBB complaint is the next step.

You are right, it's not a story, it's a mess of inconsistency.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Usually printing out a return label goes to a recycling center, not to DTV.