Protection 1 Security Solutions

Yesterday, we received a letter from Protection 1, advising that our monthly payments would increase by $ 2.76. Small increment, but I have no idea who this company is. I called them and they say they provide home security monitoring. I ask if they go by another name, and she mentions 4 or 5 company names, all of which I’m unfamiliar. She gives me the phone number for cancellations. I call and speak with a woman who tells me that we used to have an account through a company called Vision. In 2015, Vision was acquired by ASG who then merged with Protection 1. Even though my husband cancelled the services through Vision in 2014, they started billing us in June 2015 under the new company names. They never sent us a mailer/​e-​mail/​phone call about the company changes. Nor did they contact us about our system being offline. So they were charging us for what?!? Needless to say, I contacted my bank’s fraud department as well as the BBB. I’m also sharing with you fine people to hopefully ensure that this doesn’t happen to another consumer.
Update June 2016: My bank has fully reimbursed me (and then some) for all fees associated with Protection 1 Security Solutions. I have also filed a complaint with the BBB. I’m certainly not the first to complain about them. They really need to change their business practices.

For all of you thinking of using Protection 1 for your security problems I can only tell you one thing – DON’T! I would give them a zero rating if I could on this site.
For 16 years their service was fine and I prepaid for 3 months of monitoring in a timely manner, never missing a payment. The problem arose when I needed to cancel their service since my house was being demolished for new construction. To make a very long story short: I had prepaid for 3 months of service and notified them that I wouldn’t be using their system for quite some time. Not only did they not return my money, but they billed me $ 78.68 more!!! I’ve been fighting with them since 2012 and now they have given this «debt» to a collections agency. Not only that but they have an automated machine which constantly harasses me at home and on my cell. Dealing with them has been a nightmare even though I was a loyal customer for 16 years.
Again, I warn you — Don’t use them! There is a reason for all the bad reviews!

Protection one is great! Really good customer service and the system just works. I see some negative reviews out there but am surprised as this is a world class organization from my perspective.

Most reviews are written based on a single or short term interaction with a business. This review is based on 9 years of experience. A «Valued Customer» since 2004, I previously had nothing but good things to say until 2010. Upon moving to a new home and transferring service, I paid 3 years in advance. Soon thereafter the system started to malfunction and go off in the middle of the night. Many phone calls to support, ladders up in two different areas of the house to pull batteries (to make the audio quit) and several technicians visiting our house still did not resolve the issue. The company decided they needed to replace the equipment box. They assured me that it would not be of any cost to me. After replacing the unit, the middle of the night alarms ceased. But the backup failures continued (every week if not every day) for the remainder of our service. I would have to call support to set off the alarm (which meant taking everyone — kids and dogs out of the house) to allow the alarm to sound for at least 60 seconds before turning it off and having them reset the system. What an absolute nightmare! I was stuck with a system that would not function (I was told it was due to the poor cell service AT&T provides in our neighborhood — oh yes. not my problem) and that they certainly could replace it AGAIN with newer hardware that should get better cell reception… IF I renewed my contract for another 2 years. I was willing to do this, if they could guarantee me a working system. I asked for the contract to state that after the installation of the new (free) equipment upgrade, if it did not, indeed, resolve the problem, they would allow me to cancel my 2 year contract with no problem or fees. They were not willing to do this. So, I decide to cancel (it gets better). Then I am advised I have a $ 99 outstanding bill for the new equipment (two and a half years ago). HOURS spent on the phone resolving that. Then I get a bill for service through the end of my contract month. I called to resolve this, as I was PREPAID and I was advised that I would just need to submit something in writing 30 days in advance. I sent an email and asked the person I was speaking to on the phone to send me an email to assure he had received the cancelation letter. He sent me a blank email, but gave me his employee number which I documented with his email (I had a feeling…)
Sure enough, 2 months later I start receiving phone calls that my account had been sent to collections for $ 22 for the second half of the month in which I cancelled service.
9 years of service (3 of it prepaid!!) and hours and hours of my life spent trying to resolve PROTECTION ONE issues and no one could write off an obvious MISTAKE made by their billing department. I just spoke to 5 different people trying to get it resolved. I was bounced around from person to person (the billing supervisor was in a meeting according to one person, and on break according to another). They just kept asking me to forward the email from 2 months ago so a supervisor could «consider crediting the $ 22». I forwarded the email while on the phone and waited for a response from the customer service agent I was currently speaking to. This is just a synopsis of the years of my life lost trying to protect my property with a company that has hands down the worst customer service I have ever (EVER!) experienced.
DO NOT USE PROTECTION ONE

Protection1 Security Alarm company for businesses is a money sucking scam. I opened a business a few years ago. protection one security hardware was already installed from a previous tenet. I read the online reviews which were fairly bad but thought these are just disgruntled customers. So I took a chance and contracted them for a 2 year service. LOL, my mistake. Remember if you read BAD reviews its for a reason.
They sign you up for a two year contract that never ends because they autorenew. Then if you try and cancel the contract because you are moving out of the country or what ever they make you pay the remaining balance. ** This is key at to there success because they threaten to send you to collections. If you read the contract you sign at the end of a two year contract they have an auto renew policy and a very tight cancellation policy. You must cancel in writing just 2 weeks before end of contract. No sooner no later or you get billed for two more years and cant get out of it. If you stop paying they send it to collections. YOUR problem is that unless you move, shut down your business, or do anything that requires you to leave your business you must leave during that two week period at the end of your contract or you either have to PAY the remaining balance or it AUTORENEWS. There is no way out other than to cancel in that 2 week time frame. My friends. this is a scam!!! My advice… PAY for your own system. have it installed or install it yourself. trust me. in the long run this will save you money. If you have a Protection 1 alarm already in your home or business and havent activated service then cut it out and throw it away. There is nothing they can do to you plus you just saved another customer from being scammed. Your doing everyone a public service. ;)

Suffered burglary Protection 1 did not bother to respond
In October 2009 I purchased Protection 1’s home monitoring security device and service and I paid over two year’s worth of services. However, their system does not work. In fall of 2011 I suffered a burglary with thousands of dollars in losses. Protection 1 did not respond and was never alerted about the break-​in. They did not know about it until I called them after the fact. Their system does not work and can very easily be tricked to make burglarizing your home a child’s play. Their customer service rep told me «Sorry, we had a power outage». Their protection service is non-​existent and they took zero accountability for their lack of equipment failure. They are not much different from the thieves, who plundered my home while under the «watch» of Protection 1. If you protect your home don’t waste money with Protection 1, go with a professional service.