Protect America Inc
Renewal Scam - Home Security System

Thinking of getting a home security system? Think Protect America is a good deal? Think again! Then RUN!

In 2006 I prepaid a 3 yr contract for a security system. The equipment failed several times in the first few weeks. The sensors are junk and don't stay on. When I complained they sent me replacement ones which also failed. The equipment is junk - pure and simple. I called again and when I asked to speak to a supervisor, she told me she didn't have one. After I raised a huge fuss, she said she would have a manager call me. He sent me more replacement connectors and, as you can guess, they fell off too.

I finally gave up and last summer I called to cancel my contract and the rep told me that the cancellation penalties would be more costly than if I just let the contract run it's course. Now it seems the contract did run its course and was expired in February. Tonight I received a call from a serv rep telling me I have a $69 balance and that my contract was NOT canceled. It was renewed! I never received any notification from them. At first the rep told me there wasn't a supervisor I could speak to (I see a disturbing pattern here). As a former call center employee I know that when there are reps on the phones any reputable company has supervisors on the floor.

So I went to their online chat site, the rep "Jaime" said there was a manager who would call me. The manager, "Bradley" called and was not very helpful. He just kept saying that their contract says they renew automatically (something I don't recall seeing on their contract.) I explained all the problems I had with their equipment, and told Bradley that I spoke with a rep last summer and she led me to believe my contract would just "run it's course". He said it was not enough; I was supposed to send a letter. The rep who suggested I just let the contract run it's course never mentioned that little point and made it sound as if my contract would be canceled after 2/9/09.

I feel as if I was ambushed and now besides the money wasted on something that never worked, they are trying to scam me out of another year paying for of non-existent service and broken equipment. The reps lie and tell callers there are no supervisors and only after raising a big stink will they get to speak to a manager. Unfortunately, the so called managers are not very skilled in customer relations either. All they do is repeat the same nonsense, try to intimidate customers, and enforce that questionable auto-renew without so much as a notice that your contract is ending. They count on the customer losing track at some point during the contract of a few years.

Not only would I not recommend this shady company to anyone - I would say RUN as fast as you can! You will get better use of your money if you pile it up in the middle of the street and set fire to it!

Company: Protect America Inc
Country: USA

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