Monitronics Bait and Switch. Will not allow customers to cancel accounts Menlo Park, CA and Dallas,  Texas

Monitronics seems like a scam to me.

I have lost my patience in trying to cancel an account on a home we used to own.  We do not have a contract with Monitronics now - and never will.

Our account was originally  with Superior Detection System ( 800/633-2677) for four years (without a single billing problem I may add) and in Dec 2014 or so they sent a letter stating this Monitronics Firm firm took over this account.  Since we had the home for sale, my wife called to cancel the account ( her name was on the account.) as we had already moved out  But she did not recall the “code” on the account..  She called again with the code, was told that we could not cancel the account by phone.  After tI began rying to cancel by phone hard to do since they  do not answer the phone on weekends when I tried to call ) , she was told now she must write a letter.  So she found the address to write a letter, and did.   Well a month later we got another statement, and  paid it.  But the next month we got another bill  plus a late fee of $ 3.00.  I called, again , because you do not take calls on weekends, I had to wait and remember to call you from the office .  I called MYSELF PERSONALLY in early Feb 2015 and I was AGAIN  told that I needed to write a cancellation letter, and I relayed my wife did so.  They said they have no letter. 

So I got pretty ticked and started to think that this is scam and swanky Menlo Park business address or no, that you just do not make it easy to cancel an account.  My SDS contract stated a call, followed by a letter, for the 30 day notice was enough.  But your staff insisted they need a letter.  So I wrote another one, this time I time and date stamped it.  I mailed it on Feb 11^th.  I then received another bill, with ANOTHER  late fee of $ 3.00, and so I called on Feb 26 and confirmed that, alas, your firm now stated MONITRONICS HAS RECEIVED my letter on Feb 26^th, but the statement expressed to have payment not om my call dates, but  that I was to pay for monitoring from March 9 thru March 28^th for $ 13.87.

On April 13 I have called this unprofessional company three times.  Waited on hold for about ten minutes each time, and talked to three people on my dispute.  The first guy offered to write off my account for $ 20 payment.  I said I wanted to talk to a supervisor as this was not right.  When transferring me I was cut off.    Called again, on hold, asked to be transferred to a supervisor --- got cut off again.   Called again , waited for 15 minutes on hold on 800/447-9239  and this time I told her (Alisa….now I am taking names and notes)  not to transfer to me but wanted the supervisor to call me back since your phone system is malfunctioning.  She refused to have the supervisor call me, but said she will stay on the line until the supervisor answered.   Alisa said that she will ensure I did not get cut off.  But I did get cut off, just as I had warned her, ANYWAY.

Based on the evidence I see, this firm is unethical and striving to commit billing fraud.

 So I want a resolution and this account scam charge written off as I believe I have the facts and I am not going to be blackmailed into paying a charge for services that I did not need, want, or agree to.    What does it take to get these people to terminate an account and transfer a simple call.     I take it that only formal action will get management to look into since their call center staff cannot, apparently, transfer a simple phone call.

Angry in Tennessee