In 2005, shortly after buying our first house. My wife and I agreed to get an alarm from a door to door salesman with Pinnacle Security. We signed a 3 year contract, that's when the problems started. First, I gave a credit card to process automatic payments. The first month, no withdrawal payment. I get my first of several months of late payments. After calling, they "kindly" dropped the late charge. Next month, same exact thing. Repeat process for literally 4 months. None of which were my fault, they had my cc info on file but "mysteriously" they kept forgetting to process and trying to sneak late charges on my account. In 2007, we sold our home and tried to transfer the alarm to the new owner, who happened to be a friend of mine. Both her and I called Pinnacle to transfer contract to her. I was verbally released from the contract on the phone with a rep. I asked for a written statement releasing me from the contract. 5 phone calls later, no letter. The new owner gave cc info for her new alarm system payments. Again, no payment was processed from her for 5 months. I was unaware of her issues with Pinnacle. After being out of my old house for 8 months, I get a letter from the attorneys of Pinnacle threatening collections for the remainder of my contract, which had now been renewed after the supposed transfer to the new owner. Couple of issues here: somehow they put her under a new contract, not to carry out the original contract but a new contract which is NOT what we were both told. Second I was hunted down and threatened to be sent to collections for over $1200. At this point, I was now dealing with CastleRock Security. I was given no options at all after several more phone calls with Security. Wanting to keep my friend, who bought my house out of the frustration that I had been dealing with for nearly 3 years I reluctantly agreed to "transfer" my ORIGINAL contract to my new home. I was told repeatedly by CastleRock/Pinnacle that this was to carry out the several months I had on my contract and not a new contract. All of these conversations at this point were in the presence of my wife as to not be lost in translation or he said she said. The alarm installer came to my house and installed the alarm. On site, he had a contract in his hand. I refused to sign it but did initial and check the section that asks "do you understand you are agreeing to a new contract?" I checked NO and wrote in next to the box, this is a transfer my original contract and inserted the contract agreement number. I did not sign or initial the contract. I was on the phone with a representative and in the presence of my wife and installer. The phone rep said I am under contract for another 5 months at which point I could give 30 days notice and be released completely. 4 months later, I get on the phone to ensure that I was going to cancel my contract correctly. The phone rep says "you are not eligible to cancel until January 15, 2011." Outraged, I was looking at my contract disagreeing adamantly that my contract expires next month. Again with my wife present, the rep says she is looking at our contract that we signed extending it to 2011. I asked for a copy of what she was looking at, she emailed it to me right then. Not only was I looking at an entirely different contract than what was in my hand, it had been filled in post installation and my signature obviously forged. Any sane person could look and see that this was not my signature. I was told that in order to do anything I would have to contact my Sheriff and file a criminal complaint. I don't have a ton of money to go through a lawsuit or to pursue any type of legal issue. Once again, I had to swallow crow and had to drop the issue and keep their service. I am officially done January 15, 2010. I have sent 3 methods of cancellation since November 5th. Letter, email and fax. I have followed their instructions to a T and am waiting on confirmation of cancellation. They said they will email and mail a confirmation. This time, my lawyer is directly involved and very aware of this companies shady practices.
I wish this company nothing but the worst. My hope is they all lose their jobs and this will come back to bite every executive, phone rep/installer and door to door salesman in the ass. Shame on all of you!