- Minnesota Attny General: Beware of Door-To-Door Security Alarm Sales
- Minnesota Attny General : Sues a Door to Door Alarm Sales company
- Better Business Bureau Warning: Door to door salesmen
- City of MPLS warning: Be Wary of High Pressure door to door sales
- Article – KSTP article warning of door to door sales
- Article – Texas Law to help NAB unethical door-knockers
- Don’t Get Scammed... LTS President’s thoughts
- Deal only with reputable firms who are licensed in your area
- Don’t be pressured into buying something on the, compare bids as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each system.
- Some companies offer a ‘free’ alarm system, check to make sure you compare all the costs, including monthly monitoring fees.
- Find out about local regulations regarding burglar alarms
- Check out the company that will be monitoring your system, are they the same company you are signing a contract with?
- Make sure the contract includes all promises made they the salesperson
- Study the contract carefully and confirm the installation price, the monthly fee, length of contract, that any free or discount offers are added, cancelation time frame and rules to cancel the contract
- Make sure the business is licensed – all door-to-door salespeople need to carry a solicitor’s license for your area: a picture ID that customers can ask to see. If they do not provide one, it is a sign that the business may not be on the ‘up and up’.
- Document your conversation – take good notes on the offers, get the sales person name, the company name and the phone number. Get a written statement – not an estimate – that lists all costs, including installation and monthly or annual monitoring fees
- Ask about the company’s policy for service calls and false alarms due to faulty equipment, will you be charged? The contract should have this in writing.
- Do not sign up right away or feel pressured to do so – Many of these sales pitches try to prompt you to act on the spot with one-time offers or other special deals.
Don’t Get Scammed – table of contents:
Minnesota Attny General: Beware of Door-To-Door Security Alarm Sales 5/24/2010
Everyone wants to feel safe and secure in their own home. This can make a sales pitch for an alarm system a tempting offer. Homeowners should be on guard, however, against door-to-door traveling alarm sales agents who use deceptive pitches or questionable tactics and who may sell substandard but costly merchandise or service contracts.
In the spring and summer, some out-of-state alarm companies hire traveling sales agents to go door-to-door in Minnesota, making unsolicited “cold calls” on homeowners. In some cases, the sales agents may get the homeowner to let their guard down by implying they are with the homeowner’s current alarm company or that they are not trying to sell anything. Once inside the consumer’s home, though, the sales agent may use high-pressure or deceptive sales tactics to lock citizens into costly, long-term alarm monitoring agreements.
The Attorney General’s Office offers this advice to homeowners:….
For the rest of the article see:
Beware of Door-To-Door Security Alarm Sales PDF 
Minnesota Attorney General suing AMP Alarm, EMT Medical for exploiting seniors
KARA McGUIRE, Star Tribune May 12, 2010
Lois Christen just wanted to get ready for her grandchild's graduation. But the home security salesman wouldn't leave. He promised her a free system in exchange for putting a sign up in her Faribault front lawn. He followed her inside and "just sat there -- talked about the color of the walls, and talked about anything he could think of to stay there," said Christen, 74 years old.
Frightened, she decided "the only way I was going to get him out of there was to take it." Turns out she's locked into a five-year contract she claims she wasn't told about for a security system she said she doesn't want. It costs the retiree close to $50 per month and comes with hefty cancellation fees.
Attorney General Lori Swanson announced Tuesday that her office is suing the security company, AMP Alarm of Utah, as well as online medical profile company EMT Medical Inc. of Arizona, for deceptive sales practices. ……
For the rest of the article see
http://www.startribune.com/business/93432589.html
Better Business Bureau Warning- Don’t fall for the Deceptive Pitch of a door-to-door Alarm Salesman: 6/30/2009, BBB website
The BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU is warning consumers to be extremely cautious when answering the door to traveling alarm system sales persons. BBB has received complaints from homeowners across North America who were subjected to high-pressure sales tactics and felt deceived by the salesperson into buying an expensive alarm system.
BBB received more than 2,000 complaints against these alarm companies, and continue to issue warnings regarding door-to-door alarm salesmen making the rounds.
Many complaints allege that the salesperson used high-pressure sales tactics and made claims that were not included in the final contract. IN addition, there have been reports that some companies are not attaining the correct licensing to sell door-to-door or legally sell and install alarm systems in areas they are soliciting..
“Every summer alarm salesmen hit the pavement and every summer BBB receives a rash of complaints from consumers who feel there were ripped off” Says Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson, “Even if the sales person claims it’s a limited offer and they must act now, consumers must always stop and do their research before purchasing any of their products or services.
BBB’s advice:
Be wary of high – pressure door-to-door sales pitches for home alarm systems - City of Minneapolis warning
Over the years, the City of Minneapolis and the Department of regulatory Services has published a list of suggestions for dealing with door-to-door home alarm sales people. They warn that offers from these salesmen which include free alarm equipment can easily cost home owners hundreds of dollars in the long run. Here are their suggestions:
KSTP channel 5 ran this story:
Mpls. police warn of door-to-door sales scam
03/29/2010
By: Becky Nahm
Some people going door-to-door trying to sell alarm systems and claiming to represent the Minneapolis Police Department are not legit, according to officials.
Police say they've received complaints about unlicensed solicitors knocking on doors in the Bancroft neighborhood in south Minneapolis.
In one case the salesman did not have any company information or literature or a Peddler's License from the city. The salesman also asked the homeowner for personal information.
Police want to remind homeowners that the department does not promote or endorse any company.
They say homeowners have the right to ask a salesman to see his or her license. If the person doesn't have a license, they are not allowed to solicit sales.
Police also say legitimate sales people should carry proper identification and information about their company that they can leave with a potential customer.
Anyone suspicious about someone who is soliciting in their neighborhood, should call 9-1-1.
New Texas law to help nab unethical door-knockers
By Martha Entwistle, (Security System News) 10/2009
Austin TX – A new state law went into effect in September aimed at helping law enforcement officials investigate and press charges against door-to-door alarm sales people who are unlicensed or use deceitful sales practices.
The law addresses the perceived problem that, because most of the summer-sales model companies are based out of state (primarily in Utah), Texas officials who want to investigate whether a sales person is licensed must go thru the lengthy process of requesting information from out of state. ‘We’re trying to close the gate before the cows get out”, said Rodney Hooker, TBFAA vice president and president of Dispatch Center LPD. “What’s happened in the past is that there has been multiple violations of non-registration of sales people from Utah-based companies” he said, “By the time we secure the records, the summer sales programs which operate from May to August are done and the sales people are gone.”
The new law requires all alarm companies that do business in Texas to have a qualified manager and registration agent with a physical address inside the state of Texas. The company is also required to keep its personel records in Texas and make those records available to the Texas Dept of Public Safety up on request.
Don’t Get Scammed…
By Gregg Johnson
President Life Tyme Systems, Inc.
Keep an eye out for the door to door salesman! As soon as the weather is nice, the next round of door to door salesmen start to parade their wares through your neighborhood.
It happened to me just the other day. I just got home from a hard days work; sat down for dinner and the door bell rang. “Now what”,...I opened my door to be greeted by a door to door ALARM salesman. He claimed to be here to “upgrade” my system at no cost to me. Wow, a FREE system, I’ll have to listen to this one! Little does he know I actually own a local security company. We do not believe in these somewhat shady, often deceptive sales practices. I can’t wait to hear what this young college kid has to say!
The young man says “We just happen to be in the area installing a system for one of your neighbors and I want to offer the same deal to all the neighbors”. He shows me the “all in one” alarm system and says “We will install this system for FREE. The only thing you need to do is let me put a sign in the yard to help me advertise. My installer is just down the street and we have time today to get this done, but you have to decide now”. I’m skeptical, are they really putting in that system?
He claims the system will work better than the one I currently have because it is new technology. He also claims my system won’t work much longer because it is outdated. Funny, the system I have in my home has many times the features, benefits and coverage he is recommending, is 2 years old and is top of the line equipment. His “so called” FREE system is an all-in- one wireless package that even the most novice burglar can disable by simply pulling the unit off the wall.
When I asked him about service contracts he claims “they are really cheap”. After inquiring more I find out they are $45 a month for a 5 year contract. Huh, I only charge my customers $19.95 a month for 3 years and even offer a 1 year contract for those that want more flexibility. I press on and ask “where are the installers and the monitoring service based”? His reply “Our installers come from all over the country and the monitoring is done by our company in Utah”. (Gee, my company works with a local dispatch center and we provide local service.)
I can’t let this ‘charade’ go on because by now I can hardly resist letting him in on my little secret! I decide to ask one more quick question, “How does any service get handled if I need help with something or if my system is in need of repair?” He says, “Oh, that get’s handled by simply calling this 1-800 number and a service person will call you to arrange an appointment within a few weeks”. My reply,” Weeks, are you kidding me? I could be dead by then”.
I’ve had enough; I can’t let this poor misguided young man continue to bury himself any further. “Well son, I would like to let you in on a little secret, I happen to own a local alarm company. I am a local small business and have been around for over 20 years. Most of my neighbors here are also my customers. I have been reading a lot about these “summer programs” and all the troubles that have been stirred up by them. People don’t have a lot of respect for salesmen who operate in a deceptive manner. May I suggest you do a little more research about the products and company you represent and try to be honest with the people you are contacting.” At this he admitted it was only a summer job and was just doing what the company had trained him to do. I apologized for leading him on like I was actually interested in buying his system at first but I was curious about the “summer program” sales pitch.
To have actually experienced a door to door alarm system sales call like so many of our valued customers have experienced was both entertaining and very educational. It only cements my belief even further that we as consumers need to get back to the basics of who we buy from and what we are actually getting for our hard earned dollars. Cheap versus good value, quality versus low end product and most important, dealing with someone local who you can meet again in your neighborhood or at your schools functions and know they are helping to build a better community, a local community.