Consumer complaint received 2024-11-15
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report — Credit inquiries on your report that you don't recognize
Company: Atlanticus Services Corporation (TX)

On XX/XX/2024, at approx. XXXX XXXX, a door-to-door salesman knocked on my front door selling XXXX XXXX XXXX. She provided no credentials that she actually worked for XXXX, nor that she was allowed to solicit door-to-door. After listening to the pitch for 5 minutes, the salesman ( XXXX XXXX ) let herself into the house without asking permission. At the time I was busy preparing to pick up my XXXX  child from school and take care of my XXXX child. My wife was, at the time, in XXXX on a XXXX trip. I thought it was inappropriate that the salesman let herself into my house, but I did not tell her to leave, as home security was something I had genuinely been thinking of. 

I had a XXXX doorbell at my front door, but I am not subscribed to have the feed stored. Thinking back, the salesman may have entered my house so that our conversation could not have been recorded. Once inside, the salesman continued her pitch. I repeatedly told her it would not be in the budget and that we could not afford the product. She then offered an extended, risk-free trial period on the product and services that would last 30 days. I asked what the cost would be of the product and services for the 30 days and she responded it would be just under {$1.00}. I then asked if, by agreeing to this extended trial period I would have any issues with any standard trial periods and she told me there would be no issues. I agreed to have the installation occur on the basis that we would have a 30 day, risk-free trial period. She said she would need a debit card to put on my account to pay the {$1.00} for the installation. I gave her the card number. 

She told me she would need to begin the account creation process and asked to take my picture with her XXXX. She said this was a part of the account creation process. Afterward she asked for my SSN which she also said was part of the account creation process. It was quickly becoming time for me to leave my house to pick up my child from school. She asked if she could join us and I agreed. In the car she asked if she could use my phone to complete the account creation process. I told her that would be fine as long as it was solely to finish creating an account. She took my phone and did, what I assumed, was what needed to happen to finish the account creation. She asked what my email address, phone number and street address were. Beyond this I was asked no more questions regarding account creation. 

When we arrived back home after I had picked up my child from school, she told me they would send somebody quickly to perform the security system installation. She told me the total cost of the installation and equipment would be approx {$3500.00}. I asked if there was anything I needed to sign before the installation had taken place and she told me I would only need to sign once the installer had arrived. I also asked XXXX who I should reach out to if I have any concerns or questions. She told me she would be my point-of-contact with XXXX and would answer any questions or concerns I had going forward. She gave me her phone number. I thanked her for her time and she left my house. 

Later that evening, an installer from XXXX arrived and performed the installation of all equipment in the XXXX XXXX XXXX which includes : XXXX external cameras ( over garage and in backyard ), smart thermostat, front door lock, smoke and CO monitor, door sensors, four window stickers, smart garage door opener, doorbell camera, and a yard sign. After the installation was completed, I was asked to sign the Schedule of Equipment and Services document, which I was told was just a verification that all products were installed at the time of the scheduled installation. I signed this document on the installers XXXX. The installer left my residence. 

After discussing the security system with my wife, we agreed that we no longer wanted it and would request an uninstall. On Monday, XX/XX/year> ( 12 days after the installation ) I tried sending a text message to XXXX asking to schedule an uninstall. When I received no response, I tried calling, which also got me no response. I then decided I would schedule the uninstall thru XXXX customer support. 

I called XXXX customer support and a rep answered and ultimately told me I could not cancel the contract unless I paid the total value of the products. I was told that their documentation on file said I had signed an agreement to a 3-day trial period. I had never signed this, nor been asked to sign this by the sales representative, nor any other XXXX representative. While speaking with the phone rep, I looked for an email of the documents that had my forged signatures. I saw an email from the same date as the installation with my forged signatures on the SYSTEM EQUIPMENT PURCHASE AND SERVICES AGREEMENT, XXXX CONSENT, and NOTICE OF CANCELLATION. I was never told that an email with any documents would be coming to me during my conversation with the door-to-door salesman, so I didnt think to check that email for anything at the time. Most importantly, I was never asked to sign these documents, nor was I asked if I verbally agreed to anything outlined in them. I asked to be put in contact with a manager or supervisor and my call was transferred to XXXX ( unsure of spelling ). XXXX reiterated that I would not be able to cancel the contract even though I had not signed the documents. I asked if XXXX had been in contact with the door-to-door salesman XXXX and they said they had not. I asked if they would try then and there. XXXX put me on hold for several minutes and came back to say he tried but that she did not answer. The call dropped abruptly and when I tried to call back they couldnt hear my voice. XXXX sent me an email recapping what we had talked about. 

After that call, I sent a hard copy of my intent to cancel, explaining how I should not have to pay for this equipment because : 1 ) I was within the 30-day trial period promised by the sales representative, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX and 2 ) I did not sign the contract documents ; they were fraudulently signed by someone other than myself agreeing to terms and conditions that I did not agree with. The letter was delivered on XX/XX/year>. The only correspondence I have seen from XXXX since my phone call on XX/XX/XXXX, has been a form email, received on XX/XX/XXXX, reiterating that I do not qualify for cancellation of the contract. 

Around this same time, I received a credit card in the mail issued by Fortiva Bank. I didn't recognize the bank and did some more research and found that XXXX had opened an account and a line of credit in my name without my authorization. I also saw that my credit score had dropped XXXX points. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Fortiva Bank to open a dispute for the account being fraudulently opened in my name. I sent in pertinent documents, but have not heard about a resolution from them. I did receive confirmation that the dispute had been started.