APX - Alarm Security Solutions Broke into my own house and the alarm didn't even go off. West Provo, Utah

I'll file this as a seperate report too, but I wanted to show by replying that I would also be interested in a class action suit if one was ever brought against this company.

 

A year ago APX home security came to our home with a "Promotional Offer".  They were trying to get word of their service out in our area, so were offering a free alarm system, all we had to pay was an installation fee, and a monthly security fee of $45.  When we sold the house I called and asked about stopping service and was informed that we had four years left on our contract, and could either transfer it to someone else, or pay a fee to break the contract, the fee being ($45) x (the number of months left in the contract).  Is this legal?  Their pretty much telling me that I have to pay them for 4 years of service that they won't be providing.

My husband is active duty military.  When offered this "deal" we specifically asked if we would have trouble getting out of the contract if we moved on base, to another country, or to a rental that didn't want a system installed.  The representative told us that in any of those cases we would be able to get out of the contract for little or no fee.

We, obviously, live in a military area.  I can't help but feel that this company is purposely going after military members and others who move frequently, knowing that they will be able to get us to pay them for services they won't be able to provide.  I have filed a report against them with the BBB.  It has also occured to me that since we are unable to use their system in our new home, they are breaking contract with us by not providing the service we are paying them for.  We cannot afford the pay the full amount to break the contract, so are still paying them $45 a month for nothing.

Here is a link to an article discussing a lawsuit filed by the State of Illinois against Apx/Pinnacle.

http://www.securitysystemsnews.com/index.php?p=article&id=ss200911PNnhzz

Regardless of what they say they are the SAME company. My company was a service dealer for these scammers. We contracted with them to service their accounts when their 'summer program' ended. The shoddy workmanship, brutal contract terms, and lousy customer service was enough to make you scream.

In my new career I have a standing order that at no time whatsoever are we to allow companies like this access to our consumer database.

It's depressing to watch fly-by-night mass marketers destroy an industry that is still home to many thousands of quality installers. The problem we have to overcome is getting the word out to the end-users that skilled technicians are available, but it's next to impossible to spread that word when the airwaves are bombarded with offers for so-called free systems. Consumers fall for that "free alarm" gimmick all too often.

Stay clear of these weasels. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and even if there was I doubt it would be something any of us would want to eat.

I am imploring everyone that reads this to please stop and do some research before you contract with an alarm company. Educate yourselves on how systems work and what systems are best for your application. Get at least 5 or 6 quotes from local vendors. Ask for references.
My security-related websites offer generic yet highly useful information to the consumer, as do many other sites, so please make use of the information available on the world wide web to better protect yourselves.

Good luck.

Before the sales re would have been able to even finish the sale you agreed to all the terms of the contract, including rice, cancellation procedures, and the contract length. AX will have a recording of this. Had you not done this, and not agreed to ALL of the terms, then they never would have been able to install the system in your home.

To the military customer, what you are saying is not the accurate policy for military customers.

To the comment about APX being in hot water with the Illinois state government, that is COMPLETLY FALSE! Only Pinnacle is in "hot water" as you said, and the article you posted does not even mention APX once!

Let's cut the crap about Apx and Pinnacle being separate entities. My company was a former service dealer for Apex-Alarmex-Pinnacle-SafeHome. It's the same damn company based in Provo. Their techs wouldn't know what line seizure was if it bit them on the ass.
They are shady as can be. Whether you guys were pitching Monitronics or pitching ADT through the RS&I program that Gary Olsen allowed you scammers access to it's been nothing but constant consumer complaints. I can completely embarrass the hell out of you, and out of your company by posting absolute proof to back up my claims. You'd be best served spending your time trying to rectify the numerous consumer complaints than trying to trade shots with me.  The security industry would be better off if the lowlife flim-flammers from Provo would go away.

Gary Olsen has nothing to APX and APX does all their own account maintenance and upkeep on their accounts through full time service technicians. As far as line seizure, trust me, their guys know what they are doing. I marvel at the fact that you think every employee of these companies is just out to scam people and that there is no honesty. I have morals and integrity and have never installed a system without doing seizure.

It seems you are bitter over the success these companies are having and the business you are losing. Maybe you feel that you got burned by one of these companies in the pas. I don't know, nor do I care. If you lived in Provo or knew anyone that worked for these companies, you would know they have nothing to do with each other.

To the former APX employee - No, many APX Technicians would not know what full line seizure is if it bit them on the ass.  I installed for APX for one summer and we were not required to do full line seizure.  I had friends in other offices at APX and they were not required to do full line seizure.  The office I went with did not do full line seizure in the summers before I joined them. 

Also I have done APX takeovers, because I worked for a different company last summer, and out of about 40 there was 2 that had full line seizure.  We did hundreds of APX takeovers last summer and all the others techs I worked with claimed that they rarely, if ever, saw an APX system with full line seizure. 

We all had pretty much the same sales pitch at our door, but we should all read contracts before signing.  I knew full well what I was getting into and glad that I did. I signed a contract to lock in my rate for 5 years. 

Remember that the alarm system itself is manufactured by Honeywell.  I am sure that you have also purchased items in your lifetime that didn't work and you had to return them. Did you stop going to that store because a product didn't work?  Walmart would be out of business if that were the case. 

I have had a similar issue with my motion detector and I had a technician at my house the next day to replace it with no questions asked. You don't know that the motion detector didn't work for an entire year.....I also had a big hole put in one of my walls during the initial installation where the unit could not be put up due to cross studs.  I called the company, supplied them with an estimate to fix the wall and I received a check within a week. I also had my sign stolen from my front yard last year, so I called APX and they sent me a new one, again with no questions asked.  I find your story hard to believe as I have never had an issue with this company and have never talked with someone that wasn't helpful.  Sometimes I set my alarm off just to test the response time and the longest so far was 15 seconds till APX was calling.  If you have a delay set up on your pad, you can test each entry point to ensure that it is working properly.  I think that you are over reacting.  I have heard much worse things about ADT and Brinks.  I know that I will be renewing my contract when it comes due in 3 years.

 You must really be a poor save kind of person. Were you just waiting for a reply to your first retarted complaint? Then you did a second one that made you look even more like a dumbass computer user. These Provo a*holes you are talking about are doing jobs...Unlike you, or maybe you do have a job who knows....They are sales people. And for all that know about sales people, they are pushy, sometimes lie,etc. But its too earn a living. there are some people that companies dont want them to represent their companies because of those things. They are on a look out for them too. And as for APX and Pinnacle being a same company..the only sameness is the thing they do and that is Security. Is Mcdonalds and Subway the same company? Hell no it's not. But they both serve food you moron. APX is a far better company to go with instead of the lower quality companies. And the person that started this complaint, everybody has issues with equipment. And for the 5 year contract, dont even PRETEND to be suprised you retarted person. You took a survey call before you even sighned and they told you you had 60 months with them. And with any intelligent people, Asking questions from someone over the phone that works in the corporate building is a smart decision. But it is understandable that this world is full of idotic people like the debating guy that things a bank and a stripper bar could possibly be the same company and then a guy that was suprised that oh my gosh he was in a 60 month contract!!!??? For Some reason though, the world needs people like you, to laugh at as well as to get their blood pressure risen. All I got to say is bring it on F ers!!! You got something to complain about, make it legit. Like APX equipment blew up my house and killed my family and my 100 year old piano!!! Something like that. Freaking F*ots!!!!!!!!!!