Complaint Review: Protection One - Internet

I'm very frustrated here, frustrated enough to delay my sleep to get this report written lest anyone out there be perusing the internet late this night and actually considering utilizing Protection One's services.

First, let me state, i consider myself a fair and reasonable person. I pay what I owe, even if I have buyer's remorse for a product or service; if I owe it - I pay it and go on about my business.

I moved from Texas in June 2007. At that point my wife called and cancelled our Protection One service. Approx six months ago, it's now Feb '09, I got a bill from Protection One. A little history is in order here... We began using Protection One when it was Westinghouse Securities back in 1995 and were paying $17.95 per month. We moved to a new house in 1999 and signed the 3 year deal. I traveled a lot and felt it was appropriate to have an alarm monitoring service. When we moved in 2007, I thought for years we had been going "month to month" beyond the contract, and I was ok with that, not knowing what was coming.

So it's late 2008, one year after we called to notify them we were moving and to cancel service and quit sending bills. I presumed they would sign up the new homeowners to a higher rate, etc. etc. Here I am thinking we are doing them a favor. ha. When I got the bill, approx $100 in late 2008 I called Protection One. I was informed it was a self renewable contract and I owed them since I hadn't sent them a cancelation in writing... Or I could turn on service in my new house until my "contract" expired in Feb 2009.

What am I missing?

I still travel quite a bit and didn't have time to research so I asked my wife to handle (she's far nicer than I) and frankly forgot about it.... till tonight. I open up an envelope from Protection One, and the bill is growing. Each month they are continuing to bill me, this for a house I vacated 18+ months ago, and has a new owner, who probably is signed up with them!

I called Protection One to get them to credit the bill and let's call this over. The gentlemen tells me that I first need to cancel. I said, "cancel me then please". He tells me cancellation is closed, he can send an email which they will get tomorrow, but it will remain active and I will be billed till I mail a letter to Kansas. I became incredulous, dumbfounded. R U kiddin me! I expected an apology and a slap of hands as we parted. Now he tells me I cannot get rid of them, but must mail a letter and then wait for their response? I asked him why and he told me security. hahahahahahaha.

They ask for your name, your address and your secret code. I gave him all of those so he could verify my identity. Let me get this straight, that is enough to turn the police away with a potential knife at your throat, but it's not enough to cancel the service. They act as if they don't know it's you, all the while still billing you until you comply. Lastly, as bewildered as I am by that, why weren't we told this in June 2007 when we called to cancel the service then and refer them a new homeowner?

This has to be breaking the law on so many levels. I logged on to type my first ever report on here (that's how bad I deem this, i'm not a vigilante type guy by nature) and see a stream of similar complaints online about this company - PROTECTION ONE - and it's renegade cancellation policies. Is there a class action lawsuit to link to? Has anyone sued successfully and won?

Look I know money is tight, and there is a credit crunch, but for companies, particularly companies that masquerade as reputable companies, to do this... it's just bush league. We both have credit scores >730 and it's now a matter of how much energy and credit can I afford to risk to fight this. One word comes to mind. Extortation. Buyer beware.

Paul

Brandon, Florida

U.S.A.