Protect America, Devious, unethical, dishonest. Protect America, Ripoff Round Rock Texas

On October, 2002 two months after my 56 year old hunband passed away, I was contacted by Protect America asking me to allow them to send a representative to my house to show me their alarm system. I was getting ready to go to Florida to spend a couple of months with my children and thought an alarm system might be a good idea. He talked me into allowing him to install the system that day, and much to my regret, I did no research on the company. I paid the monotoring fee of approximately $34 a month for 2 years. This was a cheap system that was simply velcroed to the doors. I'm not sure it was ever even monitored the way they said it was. I do not remember signing any contract with them at all and have not been able to find a copy. I thought it was a two year plan, but when I called to cancel after the initial 2 years, I was told it was 3 years. After paying the fee for 3 years I called to cancel and was told I had not called in the time alloted to cancel and had been automatically renewed for another year. I told them at the time I was never told about an auto renew and wasn't even sure I had ever signed a contract. I also told them I would not send them another cent and closed the checking account they had been auto withdrawing from. I was told to send them a letter cancelling my account. I not only mailed them a letter, I faxed them one as well. Within about 2 to 3 months, someone called and told me they had back dated my contract by two months and cancelled it for me. At this time I thought everything had been taken care of. Now 6 months later I am being harassed by a company called Anderson, Crenshaw & Associates telling me they are collecting for Protect America and that I owe them $535.20 and must continue to honor my contract. I have found numerous letters concerning Protect America on complaint.com and ripoff.com. Everyone has been treated as dishonestly as I have and some even worse. I don't know where this will all end. I may have to contact an attorney which I cannot afford to do, but I refuse to pay this scheming, dishonest company any further money. I do not even have their cheap equipment any longer. If anyone ever contacts you from Protect America, Inc., run the other way as fast as possible. If I had been thinking more clearly at the time and investigated the company further, I would never have gotten involved with them.

Sharon
Lima, Ohio
U.S.A.