Re: ADT Security system

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Thursday, March 31, 2016 at 10:57:42 PM UTC-4, E DAWSON wrote:
> The company that REALLY grabs me by the short hairs is Vivint. And I do
> believe they were able to get away with what they did is because of the
> precedents that were set by Protection 1 Brinks and ADT. They just put a
> little twist to it and played a game of brinksmanship, seeing how close they
> could come to practicing illegal and unethical sales tactics before they
> were seriously prosecuted. They did a fabulous job of publicizing how they
> would pay back the people who were the most outspoken complainers and
> ignoring all those they had scammed who weren't so adamant
>
> Vivint started out as APX and then Apex with the Mormon sales kids being
> transported to various parts of the country doing door knocking. That was
> all well and good except it gradually turned into them lying to end users,
> and stealing accounts from area alarm companies. End users were put in the
> position of having signed two monitoring contracts. Accounts were switched
> without the end users even realizing they had been scammed. They were told
> that their alarm company was out of business and they were the new alarm
> company or they would see the name of the end users alarm company on the
> lawn sign, and say they were from that alarm company just there to upgrade
> the alarm system. That went on for a few years. To me, it was simply an
> insidious ingenious plan to gain hundreds of thousands of accounts any way
> they could and just before it became to huge a problem to handle they
> apologized, paid some fines, ( one of them $6,000,000.00) began donating
> money to various charities, cuddled up to the good-ol-boys at the then
> NBFAA, changed their corporate name and were bought a couple of times to
> avoid their terrible reputation, all the while riding the wave of recurring
> revenue. And now they're one of the biggest in the industry.
>
> What a disgusting legacy,  yet now ..... all the trade papers and magazines
> laud them for how progressive and successful and great a company they are.
> Totally ignoring that they got where they are through deceit unethical
> selling practices and lying through their teeth. However it is a perfect
> example of what can be accomplished if you can walk the thin line between
> criminality and legality. Every time I see their advertising or news
> articles about them I get this feeling like you would get if you had to use
> a  porta potty that hadn't  been cleaned out for 6 months. Slimey!!!!!
>
> Below are just a few of the hundreds of scams they got caught at and no one
> knows how many they didn't.. There are numerous complaints on line about
> APX, Apex and Vivint. It's just a continuous story of breaking the law just
> long enough just before or until they get caught. In the meantime they've
> accumulated thousands of accounts.
> ==============================================================
> In 2009, the company paid the state of Arkansas $65,850 to settle
> allegations of improper licensing of employees, including alarm installers.
> The company paid an additional $125,000 to the state over alleged violations
> of state law in 2010.
> In 2010, Vivint settled with the state of Oregon for $60,000 over alleged
> aggressive sales tactics used by its agents. The company also agreed to
> change some of its sales tactics.
> In 2011, Vivint settled with Contra Costa County, California for $425,000 in
> a neither admit nor deny pleading, and agreed to conform its contracts to
> California law and refrain from certain sales practices.
> In 2012, Vivint settled with the Wisconsin Attorney General's office in an
> agreement to refund up to $148,000 to consumers who were misled about their
> ability to cancel and about false alarm charges. Vivint also canceled
> $450,000 in consumer debt.
> In 2013, the company settled for $55,000 with the Kansas Attorney General,
> which accused sales agents of using deceptive practices while going
> door-to-door offering to install or replace home security systems. The
> agents also allegedly failed to advise the consumers of their rights under
> the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and did not disclose all costs associated
> with switching alarm system providers.
> The Ohio Attorney General settled with Vivint in 2013 following complaints
> alleging deceptive sales practices and the company's refusal to honor
> cancellation notices. Vivint agreed to comply with Ohio consumer laws and
> paid $50,000 in fines. Also in 2013, Vivint agreed to an assurance of
> voluntary compliance in Nebraska. The company promised not to make any
> misrepresentations while engaging in sales. The company also donated $50,000
> to two charities in Lancaster County, Nebraska
> As of 2014, two federal class-action lawsuits were filed against Vivint for
> alleged violations of the TCPA. In June 2014, Vivint agreed to a proposed
> settlement in Benzion which included a
> $6 million settlement fund.
>
>
> Those who have money, have power...and very few use it for good. The
> authorities are either unwilling or unable to truly put a stop to the abuse.
>
> Just wait until the trillionaires all decide to run for President, or Prime
> Minister, or King...yes, if you truly are ultimately rich, you could find a
> way to buy a Kingship too!

Well, I'm not a trillionaire but I'm King in my house.

My wife said it was alright.