The insurance industry seems to have a love-hate relationship with smart gadgets: auto insurers want drivers to use tracking technology so they can offer more personalized rates (something many drivers don’t want), but home insurance companies aren’t likely to give homeowners with internet-connected safety systems a break on their bills. [More]
home security
Guy Steals Credit Card, Uses It To Buy Home Security Camera To Ward Off Thieves
By 11.16.16
Police in Colorado say they’re on the lookout for a man accused of using a stolen credit card to purchase a home security system, which, is of course useful when trying to keep people from stealing your stuff. [More]
Companies Showcase Hubs That Connect Appliances To Create Secure, Smart Homes
By 1.6.15
As we know, the Internet of Things – or the connection of all our connected devices – is here to stay. So it should come as no surprise that a number of companies are showcasing products that create a central hub connecting consumer devices to one another, creating a secure, smart home atmosphere. [More]
4-Minute Phone Call Saves ADT Customer $100 Per Year
By 3.9.12
Aishel is an ADT home security system customer. When he received a letter in the mail that the company was increasing his monthly bill slightly, he decided that this change made him feel quite insecure in the wallet. He called up ADT to see whether they could waive the increase for him. Of course they could: and how would he like a $6 decrease in his monthly bill while he was at it? [More]
Quick, Cheap Ways To Lock Down Home Security
By 11.14.11
Devising the amount of security you need at your home is a matter of taste. There’s no such thing as total security for the paranoid, and those who take the matter too lightly are probably leaving themselves open for abuse. But there are simple, low-cost things everyone can do to make things more difficult on potential unwelcome visitors. [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]
Help, Previous Owners Forgot To Give Us The House Alarm Passcode!
By 1.21.10
Darin and his wife tell Consumerist that they recently bought a house that included an already-installed home alarm system. Neat! They would like to get the code to this alarm system. Unfortunately, the previous owners are unreachable, and the company that installed the alarm will only reset the code if the couple signs up for monitoring service. [More]
Door To Door Alarm Salesmen In Kansas Caught Scamming Homeowners
By 6.24.09
Salesmen for Pinnacle Security have reportedly been going through Wichita neighborhoods and telling customers of CastleRock Security that the company has gone out of business. “These imposters then attempt to remove the CastleRock security equipment and attempt to obtain a blank, voided check so that they can start billing withdrawals from the customers’ checking accounts.”
