Complain about a product or service

Monitronics Home Alarms

Maria of Marietta, GA August 11, 2009

I would not recommend this company. The only time our burglar alarm went off was when we were on vacation 1000 miles away. We got a call from cust service saying the alarm went off and we told them we werent at home. They said they would call the police and hung up. Needless to say, we were on pins and needles and waited for their call and it never came. This happened on a saturday and when we tried to reach monitronics to find out the status, all we got was a recorded message saying their business hours were Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm or something like that. Absurd! All we could do was wait.

We never heard from them again as a follow up and when finally we did call them on Monday they told us that polics had been sent and did not see any break in. We were anxious the whole time. When I came back and called to cancel the service, they asked me to send in a written letter. they would not cancel over the phone and not even email! And the worst part is that they keep increasing our rates by 1 every year.

Lance of Lakewood, CO July 21, 2009

It is truly amazing - how one company can mess with so many people's lives. I was amazed that complaints against this company go on for 14 pages. I have tried to cancel this monitoring system numerous times before - everytime hearing the same "you are signed up through 2009" So I finally followed all their rules about sending the letter, calling, talking to some "account manager" - who said that he could give me the same service for 9.99 - that they have been charging me 42.98 for years - if I would just continue the service - when I questioned him about why I could have it for such a great price - his comment - I kid you not - was "we belive in helping those in times of need." I lost it.

Even after that I was still getting charged 42.98 on my credit card and called them to dispute the charge, they were wonderful. Because I had documented when I called and when I sent the letter in, they are going after this pathetic company for this months charge and put a block on any future charges. They also suggested that I contact an attorney about harrassment charges. Now that is Helping pople out in times of need. Thanks for reading my rant - I hope there will be enough of us that quit this company that they go out of business - if wishes were fishes.

Eric of Humble, TX July 19, 2009

This company is a farce and should be sht down bythe great state of Texas. They do not monitor your alarm. They send a code to your alarm to eliminate the delay to get out of the door. They refuse to assist, then they remind you that you still have 4 years on your contract. I will contact Greg Abbott, the Attorney General of the State of Texas and let him deal with these criminals.

Tonja of White Plains, MD July 7, 2009

I am so discussed with this company. I have made several calls and tried to several times to cancel my account. The alarm company has not provided me with a monitoring service for the past 7 months. I was so surprise to find so many other people shared the same problem with Monitronics. People all over the world are having the same problem with this company. This company is stealing people's money and not providing the service and then constantly harassing people about paying.

They have constantly called my family members that I used for emergency purposes only. Something needs to be done to stop this company from continuing doing what they are doing to consumers. It is not fair for a company to not provide their consumers with a way out of a contract. Phone companies even allow the consumers to pay a cancellation fee to get out of a contract. This company does not allowing anyone to cancel their contract and they have a very bad harassing problem.

Lisa of Marietta, GA July 4, 2009

When a neighbor called me at work last week to tell me that the police were at my house, I called Monitronics to get information about the signal and find out why no one had called me. I have pets and had there been a break in, I would have come home or had a family member go to my house. I was told that they called my house and when I didn't answer, the police were dispatched. The first person I spoke with said they called my office and I didn't answer. There was no message and my secondary person was not called.

When I called a supervisor, I was told that they were calling me at the same time I called in so hung up?! Really?? The next person I talked to said they were busy with other calls and didn't get a chance to call me. (This was an hour and a half after the police were dispatched.) An epidemic of crime? When I called to speak to someone else, I was told that it could take up to FIVE hours for a call to be made to my secondary numbers after the police are dispatched. FIVE HOURS? So my animals can wander the streets and the second line of burglars can empty my house after the police leave? From the previous post, it seems that this is a common practice now.

Michael of Modesto, CA July 2, 2009

On May 4, 2009 our home was burglarized and ransacked. The theives even tore the alarm system (Monitronics) off the wall thereby disconnected our phone line. Monitronics did not notify us - we had to hear from the Modesto Police Dept of the breakin. We contacted Monitronics who said they tried to call us, but our phone was disconnected (which was due to damage to the alarm system by the perpetrators). However, they do have our cell phone numbers and we were never notified. We told them we wish to cancel our service since we will be moving, and they said we have a contract until 2011 and will not release us! This is an outrage since we will not be living in the home and their service will not be used.

Diana of Austin, TX July 1, 2009

I talked to the woman who says she's in Dallas for the second time about not reacting to my alarm system by calling or sending the police. She claimed they were monitoring the system but that it was not working correctly and she wasn't getting the alarm signal. Yesterday was the first time she suggested that I test the system although it had not been working for a while. Why did she not call if the system was not working. Why have they never made contact with me to test the system.

My husband died recently and I noticed that they were removing money from my checking account, but never contacting me about their service. Everytime I've called I'm put on hold for several minutes and then get the same person on the phone and I seriously doubt that I would get the same person every time I call if this were a real call center.

She claimed I have a contract that my husband and I both signed in 2005 and that it is good for 5 years, so that if I cancel I'll owe her over 200 even though she says that the system does not work and hasn't worked for she does not know how long. So I will need to pay them even though they did not monitor the system and did not notify me that it was not working.

I have no record of any contract at all although she says she'll send me a copy through the mail. I do remember the man who sold us the system because he had been selling systems for ADT. He then went back to these customers and convinced them he was going to give the same service for a lot less money.

My husband died in January and I am very uncomfortable not being monitored. There have been attempted break ins during "Austin City Limits concert" weekend when my husband had to call the police. I'm elderly and need the comfort of knowing monitoring of my home is being done and someone will call the police if something happens. I will not pay for a service for which I get nothing. This service is a huge scam run by a very few people which prey upon consumers, especially the elderly.

Michael of Eagle, ID June 30, 2009

I moved last year. After 6 years of service I notified Monotronics that I would no longer need their service. They said that I needed to notify them in writing, which I did and have a copy of the letter. They continued to bill and when I called they said they would take care of it. They did not, and turned me over to collections for 37.

Nicole of Middleburg, FL June 30, 2009

On March 26 I contacted Monitronics by phone to cancel my service, I had recently been downsized so I needed to cut expenses, I was told that I needed to mail my request. I did as instructed and recieved a telephone confirmation a few day later. A couple of day after that I received a call asking why I had cancelled my service, I explained my situation to them again.

Since that time I have received (as well as my mother and father, they were on my emergency contact list) numerous calls from the company saying that I owed them money for the past months (I cancelled the EFT when I sent the orginal letter)...basically, the company told me that I had not cancelled my service and that I owed them the past months payments.

When I ask to speak with a supervisor I was transfered to an operator at the incoming call center, she didn't have a clue as to what was going on. An told me that I needed to mail a letter saying that I wished to cancel my service. I am in the process now of writing to the BBB and the State Attorney General, I have also considered filing legal motions for harassment against this company.

Karen of Bakersfield, CA June 24, 2009

At the first of this year, my financial situation had changed, therefore I could no longer afford to continue the alarm service. I did not contact Monitronics, but instead stopped the automatic monthly payment. I have received numerous phone calls at work. I explained that I could not afford the service any longer, but I got no where. I requested to speak to the supervisor and was put on hold forever (and the whole time I was at work, mind you)and eventually I hung up. I just received another call and after explaining my situation again, the person asked if I had notified Monitroncs about it. He said the monthly charges would continue and that I could be reported to a collection agency. I then said to consider this my notification and he said he couldn't do that. The threats continued about a collection agency. I knew I was getting nowhere, and told him to never call my work again and hung up - while he was still babbling on the other end. What is up with these people?

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