Complain about a product or service

Protect America

Dan of Hilton Head, SC September 20, 2009

I signed a three year contract and had a Protect America Alarm system installed. I am in the military and they told me that if I received military orders to move I would not have to continue the three year contract. They lied and continued charge my credit card after I moved at the two year point. Wait there is way more. Then 90 days before the end of my three years I called to ensure they cancelled my account as I had not even been using it. They told me the cancellation had to be in writing but get this the rep could not give me the address to write to instead he said someone would call--no one did. I called two weeks later and again was told that it had to be in writing but they didn't know the address and someone would call. Two weeks later I called and was given an e-mail address. I immediately e-mailed them and thought I was done with this unfair company but my card continued to be charged. When I called they told me that my e-mail was received 51 days before the contract ended and it need to be sixty. Now I understand why they train their reps not to give out the address!!!

I explained that I had not been using the service for over a year and most recently I had been waiting for over a month for them to give me an address. They didn't care and just kept referencing the contract. The kept saying I wish I could help you and I am sorry our rep couldn't give you the address but it is your responsibility according to the contract. At first I found someone who said they could fix this but then my credit card continued to be charged. I called and they said that person doesn't work here anymore and he shouldn't have told you that because it is in the contract. Then I reported fraudulent activity on my credit card and got a knew one so they couldn't charge my card anymore. They continue to bill me and are now threatening to turn my account over to credit agencies. I can't believe it! I paid for three years even though I only used the service for two and then they continue to charge my card an additional six months while I tried faithfully to resolve this until I cancelled the card. That was not enough for them; now they are trying to exhort money from me for an additional six months. I have never experienced anything like this. DO NOT USE PROTECT AMERICA.

Fabio of Houston, TX September 12, 2009

Paid for 3 years in advance, as I was new to the US with no credit history. Received a wireless alarm system with a motion detector and 2 sensors for the front and back doors.

After around 2 years with PA, I decided to move to a new residence and transfer the service. The old place was old, with no wires at all, but the new place had everything new from the control system to the key pad. All possible entries wired, including all windows. PA told me it was incompatible with their system (a GE alarm system for God's sake!!!), and that I had to choose to either continue to use the wireless system or pay around 400.00 for a new system.

As the house was fully wired, I decided that a wireless system with only three elements was not good enough, and declined PA "offer". Started a contract on July/2008 with Comcast Home Security. When I started service with them I was told the equipment could be returned, and that I would receive back the remaining months. But when I asked PA about it, they said the equipment could not be returned, and that the only way was to transfer it to someone else. Completely different than what I was told over the phone.

I took the hit and cancelled the service. Over the phone, when I refused the "offer", I told the lady I wanted to cancel the service, and she said I did not have to worry about anything, as the pre-paid contract would expire automatically after the 3 years.

To my surprise, today I have received a bill from PA on my new address, asking for the payments of August and September/2009 (the 3-year contract ended in July/2009). I called them immediately, and was told not only that my contract was still active, but also that it was automatically renewed for one more year because I did not send a 60-day cancellation notice prior to the end of the contract.

When I told PA about my conversation with the lady around June/2008, I was basically told that it does not matter what a PA representative says... What really matters is what is in the contract. In fact they denied having received the request to cancel the contract! They just kept repeating "it is in the contract", "it is in the contract", "it is in the contract", just like a broken record.

The only way "offered" is to buy my way out of the contract, which meant paying around 400.00. But wait... Why would I pay 400.00 for a service I have stopped using in June/2008? And remember that I was pre-paid for three years! So, I used the service for two years, they received the money for three, and still they want the money for the automatically renewed contract! How convenient!

I asked them to check the last time my phone called their monitoring station, and they said this information is confidential! Can you imagine a security company not receiving a single call from an alarm system for more than a year and just letting it go as if nothing was happening? For those of you not aware of it, alarm systems call the monitoring station every day or at least weekly to make a test.

After a lot of fighting via email and telephone, the buy-out price declined from 400.00 to 280.00, then to 226.00, and then to 150.00. To get rid of the headache I am having, I offered 75.00 to compromise. They did not accept it, and said they are still waiting for a cancellation letter! I have a case opened with BBB, but I am not sure they really care about it. Their rating there is C, and one of the main complaints is exactly about contract cancellation. Could it be because they have something written in the contract and induce their clients to error?

Share of Palmdale, CA September 7, 2009

I see I'm not the only one that is disgusted with this company! At first I ordered two units for my KY property - one for the cabin with doors-windows monitors with no motion sensor, and one with 2 doors and a motion sensor. I cancelled this order within 3 hours.

I called a week or so later and said that I would reinstate the order under the following conditions: 1) that they only send the unit for the cabin with the doors-windows sensors, 2) that they mail it overnight at no extra charge to me (actually I didn't need it for 2 days), and 3) that it arrive specifically on that Friday . I emphasized that if it didn't come on that day, I didn't want it!

Well, there I was all day waiting for the delivery - missing all kinds of opportunities away from the property - and there was NO DELIVERY. When I called the company, they said that there was no record of an order, only the (original) cancelled order. They said "maybe it will come Sat., but if not, call and order on Mon. Now I'm stuck 4 additional days.

I had already wasted my money and time on the trip, so decided to order it AGAIN Mon. and receive and install it on Tues. That's what I did and it was delivered on Tues. When I called to get help installing it (It is NOT easy trying to figure it out on your own!), after breaking my nails, being stressed out to no end, and almost having a stroke trying to do what they claim was so easy, we discovered the following things: 1) They sent the WRONG unit, 2) They sent a unit that didn't even work, and 3) There was no connection! I told the salesperson that I had no phone service there and would need the wireless. She assured me that there was cell service there. Well, she was wrong!

If I had known that there was no service, I would have never ordered it or wasted my time and money driving to KY from CA! Even if there was service, what good would a wrong unit that didn't even work do me?? I would have had to spend even more days there. I informed someone at the company that I would be returning the unit from CA since I didn't want to waste any more time in KY waiting for a return box to be mailed to me. They said they would mail it to my CA address (which never came). I also told them that I did not want to be charged A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G - not shipping, no service, nothing.

That was just the beginning of the problems! For months afterwards I was constantly called by the service people "to help me install the system". What a joke! I kept telling them that I was still waiting to receive the return box to return this junker. I asked if they ever read the file to see what transpired or not.

After several requests, they finally mailed me the return box and I immediately went to UPS (an hour round trip drive) to get rid of it. Then they charged my credit card 44.95 for four months. I kept reversing the charges and my credit card company complied, but it was a hassle doing this every month over and over again. Each time I would do that, their credit people would all me at 4:00 a.m. PST asking for their money. THEY JUST DID IT AGAIN THIS MORNING! (I told them what they could do with their phone!)

Last week I called to cancel the order for the fourth time and they said that it was never cancelled. AGAIN, I asked why no one in the company ever marked in the file what was discussed, and why the next person never read the file to see what had transpired. I kept telling them that I WILL NOT pay for a service for a machine that I returned to them.

THEN they claimed that they never received it. I told them that I had the receipt from UPS and that I have NO confidence that anyone at that company knows how to do ANYTHING right at all, so it doesn't surprise me that when they received my returned unit, that someone misplaced it or didn't credit it to the right account. It is on them. I am through with them!

At this point, all I can think of to do is to warn other unsuspecting customers to steer clear of these morons! I told them that if I ever hear from them again - charged on my credit card again or another 4 am phone call, I would sue them. Well, they did both right afterwards and now I'm ready to sue! It cost me approximately 1,000.00 to drive from Los Angeles to KY to receive and install the equipment. It cost a huge amount of my time to try to resolve the unending issue with this company.

JIm of Temecula , CA August 25, 2009

We use to have ADT and switched to Protect America, biggest mistake of my life! The alarm didn't work almost from day one. After repeated phone calls to try and get the alarm to work, put on hold forever and hung up on and stating we have to pay for a service call, I gave up. They continued to charge my credit card so I tried to cancel my service. Like everyone else they said it had to be done in writing. So I sent them a fax explaining for non service of contract. Then they said I had to cancel my contract 2 months prior to the expiration date. I canceled the monthly payment with my credit card company. Now I get a letter from a collection agency saying I owe over 500, to pay up or there will be a judgment against me. First off it's been less than 10 months at 20 a month. The agency said it's for the equipment. What equipment, it's not even their equipment. I refuse to pay them any more money. I'm being threatened with a judgment, for what? For equipment that's not even theirs? For monitoring an alarm that hasn't worked for over 4 year? Unbelivable!

Nancy of Mt Vernon, MO August 22, 2009

Problems began with installation. Installation instructions with the equipment were not the same as the telephone tech support staff - and different staff members gave different instructions! The next problem is false alarms. We have had so many that the police department is now citing us for each false alarm. PA is totally unsympathetic with this problem and continues to give incorrect tech support assistance. There again is another problem; each time a call is made to PA we are directed to hang up and call another number within the organization.

Dan of Arvada, CO August 17, 2009

After reading all this, I see I am not alone. We signed up for a 2 year contract with equipment with Protect America in 6/06. I called in July 08 to cancel and was told I had a 3 year contract (I thought it was 2), and I needed to wait until 7/09 to cancel or I would have to pay termination fees. I called to cancel AGAIN, and was told my end contract date is now 6/2010 because they did not receive written notification 6 weeks prior to my expiration date. No one in my previous calls mentioned anything about written notfications 6 weeks ahead! DO NOT USE PROTECT AMERICA!!! Their job is to scam people out of their money and not provide even half way decent customer service or equipment. STAY AWAY at all costs from this company!

Susan of Wake Forest, NC August 4, 2009

I was contacted at my home by a phone solicitation at 10pm on 6/5,2008 by sales person, Nathan Thompson to whom left the company shortly after this fiasco took place. They persuaded me to buy their product and I agreed under the conditions they could overnight the equipment so I could see if the equipment actually performed up to standards which were guaranteed. I was told the equipment was an easy self installation that could be be completed over the phone by a technician.

The first tech I spoke with could not help me install. The equipment would not work. After many attempts with various techs, they decided I needed a different type of equipment to which I had to pay extra. When the new equipment could not be installed to work, I insisted on having a tech come out to my house. When he evaluated the system and my home, he determined this was a complicated installation and I would actually need additional equipment and this would cost me even more money. This went on for a month or more.

After the final failure, I demanded my money back when I returned the equipment in perfect shape. They refused to refund the total cost and charged me a balance of 164.00. They called it a late return fee and restocking fee. This is a bait and switch and the phone solicitators got a commission on how many so called sales to suckers they completed. In closing I did everything by the book to successfully install the equipment. When I realized this was a scam I refused to continue with the unprofessional preditory practices and demanded my money back. I have contacted the BBB and The Attorney Gen erals Office.

Cathy of Moore, OK July 25, 2009

I thought I was making a good decision when I went with Protect America - but have received cheap equipment and lousy service - my system never worked properly. I waited out my 2 years - which is what I was told my contract was - and when I noticed my card was still being charged I called and was then told that I could not cancel - unless I submitted it in writing - and within the week that was my anniversary of the contract. They also told me that this was a 3 year contract. I know that I was told it was a 2 year contract - don't know how it got upgraded to 3 years. I don't remember ever being told this - because I would not have gone with a company like that. I am still paying -for a service that never worked in my home. I don't even know when my anniversary date is.

Miguel of Coral Springs, FL July 24, 2009

I was looking for an alram company to monitor my home since I leave very early for work and have a wife and twin girls at home. So I contacted Protect America and the sales person informed me that their system could monitor my home via DSL line. My wife and I have cell phones and with giving birth to twins we cut back on a few things and the home phone was one of them.

Well needless to say the sales person stated that he would send out the equipment that would work via DSL line, which to this day 9 months later I have not received and every time I contact them they tell me that I was misinformed and that I have to buy over 300 worth of their equipment first before they can send out the piece I need to monitor my home via DSL line. SO now my home is not monitored by Protect America, but yet they insist on charging me 26.70 a month for monitoring fee's. They have sent me collection letters for not paying for a service that I am not receiving. When I call them they get very nasty with me and tell my I signed a contract and therefore I have to pay. My response is I will pay when I receive the services. Then they insult me by saying "why don't you pay and have a land line put in your home like everyone else?"

I explain my current situation and that my wife gave birth to twins and has to stay home to care for them and currently I am the only one employed not to mention I am overwhelmed with medical bills and they don't care !! I asked then several times to let me out of the contract based on hardship and their response was you signed a contract you pay, we have refered your case to collection and we will destroy your credit. In these difficult times a reputable company knowing that they are not monitoring your home and therefore not providing you with the services that you signed for would have some compassion and release you from this agreement.

NOT PROTECT AMERICA, THEIR NAME NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO " SCREW AMERICA" because that's what they do !!!! signed a very dissapointed consumer !!! Someone needs to make an example of these people !!!

Dana of Deatsville, AL July 22, 2009

I decided to utilize Protect America's (PA) monitoring service since I'm active duty military and have to travel and must leave my family behind. We signed the agreement with PA in Nov of 2006 with the assurance that if I received orders to move, I could cancel my service....WRONG! I received orders to move early and sold my house in June of this year. After three weeks of run-around trying to cancel, the "cancellation specialist" threatened to ruin my credit if I didn't pay through the end of my contract! Shameful! As if I don't have enough to worry about with uprooting my family, moving them to another state, and I have to deploy shortly after our move; these idiots are threatening me!

I wish I had checked them out through the Better Business Bureau, which showed over 1,000 complaints in just the last 36 months. I also filed a complaint through the Federal Trade Commission branch that only deals with companies that use bad business practices against military members. Every other company I've had contracts with always made concessions for us since we have no control over when we get moved.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.