Complain about a product or service

Protect America

Willie of Clinton, MD September 5, 2007

Willie of Clinton MD (09/05/07)
Purchased their alarm service with a 3 year contract. Attemped to cancel per their 60 day requirement and they claim to never have received the cancellation request and start another year to contact. They don't return phone calls.

Stan of San Jose, CA April 30, 2007

Stan King of San Jose CA (04/30/07)
My complaint is similar to the other complaints that you have posted on your web page. I called Protect America to cancel a 2 yr commitment. I called 4 business days after the contract end date of April 22, 2007. After a long wait I was told I could not cancel until April 2008 because they had renewed my contract for another year because I did not send them a written cancellation letter 60 days prior to the experation date. It is obvious that Protect America is only interested in profits and not people. Is there anything we can do as consumers to make Protect America change it's unfair policys? Regards, Stan King

Jak of Branson, MO April 23, 2007

Jak of Branson MO (04/23/07)

I signed a contract with Protect America on September 13, 2003 in Gilbert AZ. they were offering a free garage door opener, I needed one so I bit. We moved 13 months later to Las Vegas. I called to inform them I was moving and they informed me that I still had to pay the full 2 years on the alarm system and that I could cancel at the end of my 2 year contract. I called at the end of my contract and I was informed that I needed to submit a letter of cancellation 60 days prior. The customer service rep said she couldn't help it if I was too lazy to read my contract.

I asked for a copy of my contract and never received one. I called the following June 2006 to start the whole process again and was informed that I couldn't get out of the contract for another year because I was in the middle of another 2 year contract. Each time I called them I was never told the full story of what I had to do to get out my contract.

I've been paying 39.95 every month for a system I haven't used or benefited from since November 18 2004. I guess my garage door opener has ended up costing me 1,717.85 so far with another 199.75 to go. This company is a nightmare.

Cathleen of Litchfield, OH April 8, 2007

Cathleen of Litchfield OH (04/08/07)

We originally got one of the free home security systems with a 2 year contract. In the fine print it states you must call the company to cancel within a 24-hour period of the expiration of the contract in order to not lock yourself into another one year term of agreement.

The financial burden has gone beyond one year past he original contract. Neither speaking to a phone person nor a supervisor will allow us to get out of the original contract after we fulfilled our two year agreement. We are locked into it.

Donna of Santa Fe, NM March 27, 2007

Donna of Santa Fe NM (03/27/07)
In May 2004, a Protect America sales rep in New Mexico came to our neighborhood selling Protect America monitoring door-to-door. I signed a 2 yr agreement and asked about the renewal clause. The rep told me that Protect America would contact me to get my approval to renew. Also, he gave me a card (which I still have) showing that the rate would drop to 20.95 if I chose to renew after the 2 yr term. I sold the home in May 2006. Like so many others who signed with Protect America, when I called to cancel at the 2 yr anniversay, they informed me that I would have had to do so 60 days prior to the end of the agreement and that I am obligated to pay for 2 more years. Also, they increased my rate instead of lowering it!!!!

Protect America tells me that I have 3 options: 1) pay for 2 yrs at the increased rate; 2) get the new homeowner to take over contract; and, 3) transfer the service. I do not want to pay for 24 months for nothing. I will not coerce the homeowners into taking over the contract. I did, however, ask them to send a rep to a new location to talk about transferring. They (PA) told me that they have no rep in NM anymore but that they would mail me new equipment to install myself. I told them that I am not experienced or qualified to do that. Out of desperation (not because I think it's fair), I asked them if they have an early termination fee. Mr. Eric Landrum said NO--that I just have to keep paying for the next two years.

I have requested several times that they send me written information on what my options are and how to pursue them. They, of course, will not send me anything in writing. Now, they have turned my name over to a collection agency who calls me almost daily, including weekends. How do I shake loose from these people?

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