DirecTV / Tivo R10 Receiver

[lightfighter]

I recently wanted to replace my D10300 receiver that I have in my bedroom with a TIVO receiver. I have a Hughes Direct TV DVR in my living room with 40 hours and wanted something as good if not better in the bedroom. I use E-Bay a lot so felt pretty comfortable using E-Bay to buy a new TIVO receiver. I ended up buying a slightly used DirecTV / Tivo R10 Receiver with an 80 hour HD.

I've hit this forum a few times and saw that it was possible to marry cards, etc .. so when I got the receiver this past week, I plugged it in and although the channels didn't work (because I didn't have my access card in it) The HD worked and there was actually recorded programs o it so I new that the TIVO side worked fine. I called a Direct TV rep tonight to have the new TIVO receiver matched up with my card and she told me that the receiver was still active with the old owner (who sold me the receiver on e-bay.) She also told me that they would need to release the receiver for me to use it and that the past owner had a past due amount owed on the account and that I'd probably be better off sending the unit back?

Is there a way to get this receiver that I rightfully purchased with the card from the receiver that I own? If so what would be the best way to do it?

I looked for a while on the forum this evening trying to find an answer but couldn't so I'm sorry if this could have been answered by an old thread.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[ebonovic]

Nope.

You need to get in contact with the seller, and they have to release it.
There is really no way around it.

Unless you can find a CSR that is willing to cancel it for you (which would be a violation of their rules, as "honest" as your story is... they have no way to tell the difference between you legitimately purchasing it, or it being "stolen"