Re: Alarm Farce...

[Frank Olson <use_the_email_links@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 17/05/2010 11:00 PM, mleuck wrote:
> On May 17, 8:10 pm, tourman<robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>> On May 17, 7:28 pm, mleuck<m.le...@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>>
>>> On May 16, 12:13 pm, tourman<robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx>  wrote:
>>
>>>> RHC: Unfortunately, you and I discussing something like this we both
>>>> totally agree on is like the "minister preaching to the converted".
>>>> The really sad part is how unsophisticated consumers are taken in by
>>>> all the phoney marketing hype.
>>
>>>> At least when you have taken no security precautions, you know it and
>>>> can accommodate to a degree for it. However, when you are sold  crap
>>>> and lead to believe you have a real measure of security, you end up
>>>> fooling yourself with a false sense of security. That's really sad.....
>>
>>> That's awful harsh Robert, you'd think they were ADT or something...
>>
>> RHC: ADT are saints compared to Alarm Force. ADT is a legitimate
>> company, and basically a good one (on the commercial and large
>> government side anyway), but Alarm Force....well....wait until they
>> come south and then tell me you don't agree....:))
>
> Not that I know much about the actual system but can you tell me any
> instance where one of their installations failed during a real
> burglary?

I actually have two customers with "Alarmfarce" systems that were broken
into.  Both had a single door contact on the front door and an inverted
motion mounted 3.5 feet above the floor (pet resistance at it's best??).
  Scum broke into a back door, took the phone off hook so the system
couldn't dial out.  These guys went out of their way to hit "AlarmFarce
Protected Homes".  It doesn't take much in the way of research to find
out exactly what you're buying and where the system has it's weak
points.  Both customers were "locked" in to three year contracts and
both wound up paying them off just to get their krap out of their houses.

Shortly after the first customer came over to us, we moved into a new
house that was pre-wired.  A week before our move, I called AlarmFarce
(and a couple of others) to see what they were going to pitch at me.
The basic system (at that time) was a single door contact and what they
called a "pet proof" motion sensor.  It also came with their "famous"
voice activated alarm box.  Our house is on two levels.  If they
installed their "box" in the kitchen, my wife could be screaming "blue
murder" in the master bedroom and the operator wouldn't hear a thing.
The biggest surprise came when I asked if I could arrange for a security
survey.  AlarmFarce doesn't do that.  All their "sales" are over the
phone.  The first AlarmFarce guy you see after you make arrangements for
the installation is the "technician".

Here's the "catch".  If you express "concern" over the lack of coverage,
they offer to "upgrade you" and that's when the "no fee installation"
starts costing you big bucks.  $80.00 for an additional door contact,
$180.00 for a motion, $200 for a glass break.  They're using
unsupervised krap that's been "reboxed".

They are successful because the buying public is inundated with their
ads on practically every radio station you care to name and there isn't
anything (or anyone) with a counter to their spiel.  They spend a
fortune on advertising (which is probably cheaper for them than
employing a sales farce).

It's unfortunate that a lot of people wind up falling into the "myth"
that they're the "most trusted name in home security".  Poppycock!

--
My wife says women are angels.  And even when us guys manage to clip
their wings, they'll keep right on flying...  on their broomsticks.