Re: Local ADT "Authorized Dealer" violating Florida law

["Bob Worthy" <securinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"thesatguy" <thesatguy1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:_Snze.133127$PR6.9037@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Actually, no.  There are no apples or oranges but possibly some real
lemons.
> If you advertise something and something can be anything because it
doesn't
> matter what it is, if you advertise something for 'free' when in fact its
> not 'free' at all and some other conditions must be met, it is a SCAM.

I don't believe that was ever in question. I agree with you that the program
has been abused and hurt the industry, but for clarification sake, it is
only a scam when the program, in its entirety, is not disclosed to the
consumer. If the consumer, after acknowledging that they understand the
program and its consequences, still proceeds, then it isn't a scam, just a
bad decision and not illegal. The "deceptive trade practice", at this point,
is absent.

> Florida and Arizona are the two biggest scam states in the country

And that is why there are laws surfacing in Florida against such practices.

which is
> why so many scam land deals operate out of those two states.

That was years ago, and to tell you the truth, I only wish I now owned some
of that swamp land they were selling back then, because today, there are
multi-million dollar homes sitting on it.

>
> Fair market value, real preperty, labor... a scam is a scam.  Either the
> item is free and you are under no obligation whatsoever or its not free.

Agreed

> This is quite simple and nothing else enters into it.

Well, unfortunately other things do enter into it. Laws aren't made until
government feels there is a need and that usually stems from consumer
complaints. Some people actually put high priority on their safety and
wellfare, even if they didn't use their best judgement on the purchase. The
consumer entered into and ageement in good faith, and in many instances the
company didn not act in good faith or even ethics. When enough complaints
hit the AG office, it was looked into and something was done. People change
their cellphone service like they change their underwear. They don't
complain, they just change taking their number with them. No one complains
about the pizza, they just don't call them again, and people don't complain
about the dish because it is simply entertainment. All have different levels
of consumer personal concern and obvioustly there were enough complaints on
security systems that the Florida government did something. Actually, the
assistant AG told me that it was the #1 complaint that was coming into the
AG office at the time of the Press Release.

  Either it really is
> free or it isn't.
>
> Is the 'free' cellphone free?
> Is the 'free' satellite dish free?
> Is the 'free' alarm system free?
> Is the 'free' pizza free?
>
> The answer is no.  No if's, no and's, no but's... just NO.

Again, I agree but you're preaching to the choir. If you are so passionate
about this, rally the troops and go to your government, but let me warn you,
if it is not handled properly, your concerns will be dismissed as self
serving and/or complaints over competition, which will get you no where. You
will need proof of consumer abuse as well as their backing. More of a
consumer advocate role rather than a contractor.