Complaint Review: American Alarm

Purchased alarm system and was supposed to have 36 monthly payments deducted from my checking account. This did not happen. Received a past due invoice from Monitronics and called to have my account brought current by credit card. Was told to pay next invoice (never received) by check and they'd debit my checking account as was supposed to have been done when I had the system installed.

Never received and invoice. Next I know, I recieve a collection letter for the full three year contract from a collection company. At no time did anyone inform me of their intentions to dump my account into collections; either by phone (they have three separate numbers) or mail.

I tried to talk to the rude people at American customer service and was told they couldn't talk to me. Next I called Monitronics and explained the situation to them. They told me I had to deal with American.

I called the collection company and had them charge my credit card for the full amount of the 3-year contract. Which I've paid. They were supposed to fax a "paid in full" letter to my business; they did not.
Next I know, Monitronics is taking a monthly amount from my checking account.

No one knows (or will tell) what the other is doing in these companies. No one can give me any answers as to what is going on and I can not get through to Anderson Crenshaw and Assoc., the Dallas collection agency. I intend to file a report with the Minnesota State Dept of Commerce and the BBB. From now on, I will only do business with Minnesota businesses. They will at least talk to customers.

Michael
St Louis Park, Minnesota
U.S.A.