Monitronics - Spot Security Completely dirty players, false accusations Dallas, Bellevue, Portland, Washington

If you are considering getting a security system from Spot Security, or monitoring by Monitronics, RUN.

In July 2008 I got a call from Spot Security saying I had 'won' a free security system for my home. As I had recently had a break-in, I thought this might be a good idea. The system was 'free' as long as I signed up for a 3-year contract with Monitronics at $39.95/mo. This wasn't a problem at the time so I got the system installed. It worked OK.

Fast forward one year later, July 2009. I had been making electronic payments to Monitronics on time, every month for a year. Never missed one. But I had been unemployed since February 2009 and had good experience with other creditors, utilities, etc. who had helped me with payment arrangements, deferred payments, etc.

So I called Montronics, told them I was in financial straits, and asked them if they would consider deferring 3 months payments until I found a job and got back on my feet. They told me to call Spot Security. I told them my story and they said they'd get back to me.

A week later I got a call from an angry man at Lockhart Morris Montgomery. He claimed to be an attorney. He accused me of being in 'breach of contract' and I was to pay the balance of the contract IMMEDIATELY or I would be liable for THOUSANDS IN LEGAL FEES. He continued to call and bully me several times a day for the next couple of weeks. I got really upset, but called on a volunteer legal aid lawyer who told me that 'bullying is the only power they have.' and that the next time I got a call, to demand that they send me a letter or bill with their specific complaint and the amounts owed. Next time they called I told them my attorney said to send me the info. They said they needed to send it directly to him: I said 'send it to me and i'll pass it on.' After that the calls ceased (there have been one or two in the last 6 months, but I haven't answered) and the only paperwork I got was a note stating that I was now responsible for monitoring my own security system (!!!!!!).

But the account is in collections and my credit rating is shot. THEY breached the contract, not me, but I'm taking the hit for it. All I want is for them to bugger off and retract the bad credit report. What a nightmare. Stay away from Spot Security and Monitronics -- they have no ethics, no morals, no decency at all.