Complaint Review: Defender/ADT

In June 2018 I decided to leave the home alone service I had because they were charging me, I believe, $40.00 a month. I responded to a brochure I received in the mail which said among other things that the monitoring fee would be $27.99. On July 28, 2018 the installer came and began charging me higher prices on every component of the system than written on the brochure. We went back and forth and I picked out certain items that agreed to pay the inflated prices for. When he got to the monitoring fee.

I flat out told that I would not pay the $52.99 + tax he was asking for! In fact I told him he could take all his equipment and leave if he would not honor the monitoring fee that was on the brochure. The purpose of me changing alarm companies was to lower the $40.00 monitoring fee I was currently paying. When he saw that would not budge, he agreed to honor the price on the brochure. I gave him my credit card to pay for the alarm equipment and installation charges.

When I finished, I asked him for a yard-sign. He went to his truck and came back and told me he was out of signs. He said he would come back at in a couple of days with the sign and the contract. I had an issue with the alarm so I contacted the installer. He said he would come and see about the alarm, bring my sign and the contract. He never showed. I tried contacting ADT. They said I they would send someone out to attend to the alarm but they never did.

A little over a month later I received a credit card bill that notated a $61.79 charge from ADT. It took me aback because I never authorized my credit card as a means of payment for monitoring services. I contacted ADT and explained to them that not only did I not agree to the amount that was charged but I most definitely did not agree to have monthly fees charged to my credit card. I asked them for a signed contract, which I never receive.

After calling multiple people from ADT over the next couple of months, and not having my issues addressed, I cancelled my credit card to prevent further fraudulent charges. A couple of months later I received a notice from ADT dated February 1,2019 stating I was past due on payment for monitoring services. I contacted them and again requested a copy of the contract. Finally, they sent me a copy a copy of this fraudulent contract. It was electronically signed.

Why if someone was there with you in your home would they want you to electronically sign a document? You would sign the document by hand. Even if they had a machine the signature would be in my handwriting, not an electronic stamp. They flat out lied and said I agreed to a $52.99 monthly fee. (Even so the fee they charged was higher than the $52.99). Under the “Emergency Contact” section it has my wife’s name spelled “Spanish”. My wife’s name is “Saniah”.

I think if I had an opportunity to review a contract, I would have noticed my wife’s name spelled erroneously. I called them and pointed these things out. They continued to try to enforce this fraudulent contract. I contacted a Legal Club Attorney,), who directed me to pen a letter outlining the afore mentioned event and demanding them to cease and desist their harassment.  I sent the letter to all 3 addresses I had been provided using certified mail.  I did a search on ADT and Defender, whom ADT contracted to install the alarm equipment.

These morally void folk have 378 negative comments, (one star ratings), on their Yelp page from customers that have been scammed. They’ve had a number of lawsuits judged against them. They have at least 2 web pages dedicated to their fraudulent activities. (Google- ADT-Defenders Lawsuit)                                       

The next time I received correspondence from ADT was on September 13, 2019.  It said they were terminating my contract and charging me $1185.87. I sent them a cop y of the letter I had sent in March 2019. Time went by and I figured they tried their best to run their scam and I called them on it so they would move on and try to catch the next sucker.  Not this unscrupulous company! In March 2021 I received a notice to pay from Mediation Recovery Center dated March 18, 2021, regarding this matter. On March 29, 2021 I them a letter addressing this matter along with the letter I provided ADT.

On June 28, 2021 I sent them the same letters certified mail. On October 13, 2021 I received a message from my credit monitoring service stating that a derogatory account had been added to my credit report. When I checked out I saw a company named P&B Capital had added this account to my credit report. These people never contacted me to enquire as to the validity of the charges. In the time since this matter was initiated I have paid off well over 10 account including 2 vehicles totaling over $50,000. Would I not pay $52.99 a month (or whatever charge they chose to come up with for the month) or $1185.57? Why don’t I pay? Simple, I AM NOT GOING TO LET THESE THIEVES PROFIT BY SCAMMING ME!!!