Press Release  AG Healey Obtains Court Order Against Safe Home Security for Misleading Customers and Charging for Services Never Provided

Boston — Attorney General Maura Healey announced today that her office filed a lawsuit and obtained a preliminary injunction from a Suffolk Superior Court judge against Safe Home Security Inc. and its CEO and owner over allegations that the company repeatedly broke the law by harassing consumers and charging for services it never provided.

The AG’s complaint, filed in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges Connecticut-based residential security provider Safe Home Security and CEO and owner David Roman automatically renewed customer contracts even when customers tried to cancel, charged for services that were never provided, charged unlawful late fees and interest, harassed consumers with repeated phone calls, and threatened to report derogatory and false information about customers to credit reporting agencies.

A preliminary injunction obtained by the AG’s Office on Dec. 11 prohibits the company from engaging in this misconduct while the lawsuit is pending. 

“We’ve heard from consumers across the state about how difficult it was to work with Safe Home Security – including many who were repeatedly harassed, threatened and illegally charged by the company,” AG Healey said. “Our office has taken action to protect our residents and put an end to these illegal business practices.”

The AG’s Office began investigating Safe Home Security after receiving more than 100 complaints from Massachusetts customers who claimed the company regularly disregarded requests to cancel service contracts and routinely made false and misleading statements to consumers who tried to cancel their contracts. Customers also complained that Safe Home Security demanded they pay a monthly monitoring charge even if their security system was damaged or inoperable and that Safe Home Security had ignored them when they tried to cancel their service.

According to the AG’s Office, the company engaged in abusive and harassing debt collection misconduct when customers refused to continue to pay, such as incessant phone calls, letters omitting legally-required notices of customers’ rights, and threats to report damaging information about customers’ credit.

The AG’s Office also alleges Safe Home Security violated the state’s Consumer Protection Act by automatically renewing customer contracts and continuing to bill and collect unauthorized charges after customers made timely cancellation requests or notified the company their security systems weren’t working.

In one case, a couple living in Granby tried to cancel their service in 2013 after discovering that their Safe Home Security alarm stopped working. The couple asked to cancel over the phone, then sent a letter, but the company continued to mail them monthly bills. According to the customers, even when they told Safe Home Security that their service wasn’t working properly, the company told them they were still locked into a contract and had to pay. Safe Home Security did not agree to cancel the couple’s contract until July 2019, after the AG’s Office intervened. 

AG Healey’s lawsuit seeks injunctive relief, including refunds for consumers and civil penalties.

The AG’s Consumer Protection Division enforces laws to protect consumers from fraud, deception, and other unfair business practices. If you think you have been a victim of Safe Home Security or have other tips, questions, or complaints, please call the AG’s consumer hotline at 617-727-8400 or file a complaint with the office.

This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Brendan Jarboe, with assistance from Division Chief Max Weinstein and Paralegal Keren Yi, all of the AG’s Consumer Protection Division, and Financial Investigator Colleen Frost of the AG’s Financial Investigations Division.

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