Consumer complaint received 2025-06-11 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: Atlanticus Services Corporation
State: MD

Complaint narrative:
I signed up with the security provider, XXXX, a few months back after a roaming salesperson approached me at my home. I had been in the market for a security system so, the timing was right. The salesperson told me that they were going door-to-door in our area and if we had agreed to post their sign in our yard, XXXX would provide the equipment for FREE and that I would only be responsible for the {$89.00} monitoring fee with them. I have paid this amount regularly with only a short lapse when my debit card expired XX/XX/XXXX. Once I received my new debit card, I immediately added it to my XXXX app so payments could continue. 

Fast forward a couple of months and I started receiving calls from a number I did not recognize almost daily or sometimes multiple times daily. I am not always in a position to answer the phone during the working day but, when I finally answered, I was told that I owed {$290.00} to a financing company called XXXX, whom opened a retail credit card, charged to {$4000.00} for the equipment I was told was free. I did not want another line of credit nor did I consent to financing. Had that been the deal, I would have outright refused the offer and located a different security company.

I have since tried contacting them to resolve this issue and to completely close whatever it was I was signed up. Each time Ive spoken with a representative, I was asked for either a ) my account number, which I do not have or b ) the last 4-digits of my Social Security Number. When I verify the last 4-digits of my Social Security Number, I am told that the number they have on file DOES NOT match. I spoke with a representative from XXXX  today, XX/XX/XXXX, and when I attempted to confirm the last 4-digits of my Social Security Number I was again told it DOES NOT match. The representative then asked me to scan or send a copy of my Social Security Card, which I outright denied. The representative then gave me a separate number to call to try and resolve or dispute. When I called that number, I was met with an automated prompt that asked, again, for either the last 4-digits of my Social Security Number OR my account number, which is completely unknown to me. At this point, XXXX  has also claimed to have placed a statement credit in the amount of {$190.00} however, they are still attempting to bill me that same amount PLUS additional late fees. As a result, my credit rating is taking a hit do a delinquent account that I can not access or was completely unknown to me. On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email notice that I had scheduled a payment of {$200.00}, which was also not authorized nor did I consent to autopay terms with XXXX. I expressly told them NO, that I did not consent to them utilizing my debit card for automatic payment, especially since I had no idea who they were or what was going on. My account was NOT debited in the amount of {$200.00} thankfully but apparently tacked on a bunch of late fees. Had it been true that they credited me {$190.00}, I would then, in theory have owed {$10.00} if this were an honest transaction - NOT {$300.00}, which is inclusive of the allegedly scheduled {$200.00} + late fees incurred. 

I utilize XXXX for additional monitoring and services and, after receiving a recent notice of delinquency alert from XXXX today, XX/XX/XXXX, I reviewed the notice and found that XXXX  had marked my account open and CLOSED multiple times as well as delinquent. 

I spoke with XXXX today, XX/XX/XXXX, and they were able to provide my XXXX  account number. XXXX, however, keeps giving me scripted responses and or is unable to help me because they cant find my account or verify it! I did not agree to financing nor did I ever provide a Social Security Number to anyone or anywhere for that matter with the exception of when I recently renewed my passport. To the best of my knowledge, I certainly did not provide my SSN to a wandering salesperson.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief