When you pay $30 per month for a security system, you sort of expect to get a working security system. At least, most people would. Not in Comcastlandia, the strange world ruled by the corporate policies of Comcast. A Houston family started alarm service in 2007, and then learned from experience that their alarm system wasn’t working. And hadn’t in the entire seven years that they had been paying for service. [More]
alarm systems
Police Don’t Respond To Car Dealership Break-In Because Of $45 Permit Fee
By 3.5.14
If you spend the money to put in an alarm system on your home or business, make sure you check with your local police and fire departments to make sure there isn’t some sort of fee and/or permit required. Otherwise, you could be like the Kansas City car dealer who watched a break-in attempt live on his phone while police ignored the alarm. [More]
Nobody Wins When You Play ETF Chicken With ADT
By 8.23.12
UPDATE: Matthew won. When Matthew signed up for home alarm system service from ADT, he was promised that he would have no problem moving his service to a new home when he moved. So he signed a two-year contract. No problem! Until at his new home, he had to deal with a new salesman. One who insisted that he would need all new equipment (of course) at the new place even though what he had at his old place is almost new. Months later, he’s playing chicken with ADT. If he stops paying his bill, he’ll be hit with an early termination fee and have to pay for the equipment. If ADT lets him install his existing equipment and actually use the service he’s paying for, the salesman will look weak or something. Nobody can win this game. [More]
Why Is My Alarm System’s Instructional DVD A Mormon Easter Movie?
By 7.30.12
Howard’s shiny new home security system came with an instructional DVD. Being one of those weird people who apparently reads the directions for his new purchases, he popped it in the DVD player to check it out. That’s when he found the disc menu for a different kind of edifying film entirely. It was an inspirational film about Easter distributed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. [More]
Don't Let A Salesperson Tell You What The Contract Says: Read It
By 6.30.11
Joy comes to us with a cautionary tale. Don’t let pushy salespeople talk you into signing a contract that you haven’t read. Rushing you through signing a contract is a sign of possible trouble ahead. She learned this when she had the ADT alarm system already installed in her house switched on. The salesperson rushed her through a lengthy contract, telling her what each part supposedly said and claiming that she could totally cancel within thirty days without having to pay any kind of early termination fee. Spoiler alert: this was not actually true. [More]
Police Reports Contradict ADT Rep's Warnings Of Local Break-Ins
By 12.30.10
Sarah says that last night an ADT sales rep came to her door trying to sell her an alarm system. He said that there were two break-ins “last week” and that whenever these occur ADT sends out a rep to “give away” two “free” alarm systems. [More]
APX Forgot To Tell Me I Was Paying For A Pretend Alarm System
By 9.2.10
Logan tells Consumerist that he has a serious issue with his alarm company, APX. He had an alarm system installed a few months ago, but only just now discovered that the alarm wasn’t effective. Being connected to local emergency services is sort of the point of an alarm system, but APX didn’t actually connect Logan’s alarm, perhaps hoping that they wouldn’t notice. [More]
Selling Alarm Systems After Murders: Helpful Or Opportunist?
By 11.4.09
About a month ago, a mother and daughter were chosen at random and brutally attacked in their home in small-town New Hampshire. The daughter survived, but the mother did not. And within days of this tragedy, ADT sales reps began going door-to-door to sell alarm systems.
The 10 Lies A Door-to-Door Alarm Salesman Tells
By 3.19.08
Taylor sells home alarm systems door-to-door, and he is the devil, lying, manipulating, and preying on customer’s fears push a product. Now he has stepped forward to confess/brag about his sins: [More]
