Call Kurtis: Alarm Company Caused My Credit To Take A Dive

A Stockton mom was sent to collections even though she says she cancelled her alarm contract in writing twice.

When her credit score took a big dive, she called Kurtis.

We told you about this earlier this year. She was looking to buy a home but this collection mess was holding her back. So what happened after we got involved?

"Everything was set, we were ready, it was just the surprise of the credit score," said Brandy De Alba.

A drop of more than 100 points on her credit score kept Brandy from buying a house.

Alarm company CastleRock Security sent her to collections for service she insists she canceled in writing.

"All of a sudden, I'm being punished for something I did not do," said Brandy.

Our investigation uncovered she's not the only one with this complaint.

A state's attorney in Cook County, Illinois filed a lawsuit claiming CastleRock "failed to honor the valid cancellations of automatic renewal contracts by customers and continued to charge customers for alarm monitoring services."

We contacted CastleRock Security, which had no comment on the lawsuit but promised to pull her out of collections.

But would this fix Brandy's 100-point credit score drop?

"I kept checking my credit score," said Brandy.

Within 30 days, her negative mark was cleared.

Her credit score jumped back to the upper 700s.

The Better Business Bureau's Gary Almond says whenever you cancel something in writing, send it certified mail so you have proof. Brandy didn't have a copy of her cancelation to the alarm company.

"Always keep your evidence of what you sent. Copy it, photocopy the postmark," said Almond.

Brandy has now bought this house as an investment property to help put her kids through college.

"In the end, I just felt a little triumphant. I beat them, I beat the man, I beat the business, the system. It was great to feel that," said Brandy.

We contacted Cook County officials about that lawsuit this week and they tell us it is still pending.