ADT is a total mess... anyone else got scammed like this?

Hey everyone,

I just want to warn anyone who’s thinking about using ADT for their security… Don’t do it. I run a small business, and I trusted them to keep my place secure. Instead, I got scammed, lied to, and treated like garbage. Here’s what happened:

They took $7,000 but claimed I never paid

Back in March 2024, I paid $7,136.40 using cashier’s checks for their system. The checks were processed on-site, and I was told everything was good. But then:

  • They took $754.95 from my personal debit card without permission.
  • A few weeks later, they said I hadn’t paid and claimed the cashier’s checks “bounced.” (How does a bank-issued check even bounce?)

Their team lies and blames you

It wasn’t until I emailed their CEO that they even pretended to care. I got an email by mistake (which they tried to delete later) calling me a thief and saying I refused to pay. After I threatened to sue, they magically “found” my payment.

  • No apology. Just excuses about me not writing my account number on the checks—even though I have pictures proving I did.

They broke the deal, not me

When I told them I wanted to cancel, they said:

  • I’m stuck in a 3-year contract and would need to pay a ton to get out.
  • They cut off my service, claiming I hadn’t paid for monitoring—though I paid a year in advance.

The security system failed when we needed it most

During the time our system was shut off, a glass break alert happened at our building. Normally, ADT would’ve called us right away. But because they canceled our account, we didn’t find out until someone showed up in person.

For a cannabis business in a high-risk area, this could’ve been a disaster. They completely failed at their one job.

Never trust ADT

ADT has no accountability and no shame. Here’s what they did:

  • Stole money from my personal account.
  • Accused me of stealing their equipment.
  • Put my business and employees in danger.
  • Refused to take responsibility for their mistakes.

I’m done. I’m getting ready to sue them, but I wanted to share this here to warn others. If you’ve had a similar experience, please share. Companies like this need to be held responsible.

Stay safe out there!

They’re hated across the security business, no surprise there.

Please keep us updated on how the lawsuit goes. Hearing stories like this makes me so angry!

They pulled something similar on my parents, trying to trick them into thinking they signed up for extra services because they’re older and forget stuff. Absolute scammers.

Switch to a local company. You’ll probably have to change the panel and communicator, but they’ll likely treat you better. You should be able to keep most of your equipment.

I work in an industry with even stricter security standards than yours (check my username), and no one I know would ever trust ADT. Their reputation for poor service and slow responses has put lives and businesses at risk.

If you can get out of your contract, go with a local company that has a nearby monitoring center. It might cost more, but it’ll be worth it.

They escalated a $7,000 issue to their CEO? That seems unlikely.

Rene said:
They escalated a $7,000 issue to their CEO? That seems unlikely.

No, I found the CEO’s email myself and added him to the chain.

Good luck with the lawsuit. I didn’t deal with issues as bad as yours, but I’ll never use ADT again. Hope you win!

I wish I saw posts like this before signing up with ADT. Just bought a house last year and now I’m stuck with them for a few years. It sucks.

This post sounds a bit like AI wrote it. Also, I used to work for ADT, and as far as I know, they didn’t take cashier’s checks for payment—only cards.

I’m sorry this happened to you, but are you sure it was actually ADT? Maybe it was a shady dealer company using their branding.

@Zinn
Haha, not AI—just wanted to include all the details. It was definitely a cashier’s check from my bank, and ADT was supposed to process it as an ACH. Unfortunately, since we’re in the cannabis industry, we can’t get a debit or credit card for the business.

I’m not sure if it was an official ADT dealer or not, but I contacted ADT directly, and the installers showed up in ADT vans.

@Steele
Thanks for explaining. Hope it works out for you in the end.