Also going to post this to FFX General, as it may be widely applicable...

Last night a guy was going door to door in west C-ville (specifically London Towne West), claiming to be with ADT. He said that "due to recent break-ins and fires in the zip-code" they were going around offering service. Said they had a special promotion going where if they could put an ADT sign in our yard, we'd get free ADT equipment.

He was not wearing any kind of uniform, just a green and grey winter coat. I called ADT, and they said they do NOT go door to door, and had no such ridiculous promotion going. I called the cops, and they sent a car around looking for the guy, but he was long gone by then.

Just wanted to let people know about it. The only thing I can think is that he was casing to find houses without existing alarm systems (any yard with his fake ADT sign would then be an obvious target in the next day or two), but it could be something else entirely.

Anyone else see the guy?

yo dawg lets ride up on this fool tonight, pack heat on this motherfucker, know what i'm saying dogs

This guy came to our house in London Towne...my husband was all about it. I was thinking, there's just no way in hell. I was right once again. :)

As in, he just came this week, or back when I originally posted? Just trying to see if he's still coming around...

yo a few month ago someone came for adt a young white guy but i had a doubt because he had nothing with adt but i already had it so he was like i see you have one because of the sign outside and i was like yea... even though the last person lived there had it and i never took down the signs but found it very odd...

this thread is over a year old, but found it still relevant. I've had two people in past six months going door to door selling ADT equipment. What's actually going on is they work for independent security equipment companies that do contract work for ADT (Usually they're based out of Fredericksburg).
While it's not overly shady, most of these companies operate without the proper licensing and are in fact soliciting without a license. I kindly let these people know that they cannot solicit in my neighborhood and that my house is already secured (With a German Shepherd and a Glock 22).

Always do your research when it comes to security. You're better off spending an extra couple bucks and buying direct from ADT than one of it's contractors.

Thus ends my opinion

Up2Late Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> this thread is over a year old, but found it still
> relevant. I've had two people in past six months
> going door to door selling ADT equipment. What's
> actually going on is they work for independent
> security equipment companies that do contract work
> for ADT (Usually they're based out of
> Fredericksburg).
> While it's not overly shady, most of these
> companies operate without the proper licensing and
> are in fact soliciting without a license. I
> kindly let these people know that they cannot
> solicit in my neighborhood and that my house is
> already secured (With a German Shepherd and a
> Glock 22).
>
> Always do your research when it comes to security.
> You're better off spending an extra couple bucks
> and buying direct from ADT than one of it's
> contractors.
>
> Thus ends my opinion


Actually - that's not entirely true. MANY moons ago I actually worked for one of these companies for a few months when I was desperate for a job after an unexpected layoff around 2002. They use the same equipment and are in fact Independant Dealers as ADT. Fact is, you get the equipment MUCH MUCH cheaper or most of the time free buy signing up for the service. Go direct with ADT, you pay for the equipment and installation, so you get the same exact thing with a hefty price tag.

It's the same structure as a dealership vs. manufacturer. If you ever want to know if they are legit, ask for credentials - EACH salesman should have a special license authorizing them to sell in VA. They are required by law to carry this ID.

Yes, that's the typical line - "If you let us put this sign in your yard, we'll give you an entire security system free of charge, all you need to do is pay for the monthly service!". Of course, there are those people who think dogs and guns are the solution to everything, but they certainly won't be dispatching the fire dept automatically if a smoke detector goes off when you're not home.

HIJACKER Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Up2Late Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > this thread is over a year old, but found it
> still
> > relevant. I've had two people in past six
> months
> > going door to door selling ADT equipment.
> What's
> > actually going on is they work for independent
> > security equipment companies that do contract
> work
> > for ADT (Usually they're based out of
> > Fredericksburg).
> > While it's not overly shady, most of these
> > companies operate without the proper licensing
> and
> > are in fact soliciting without a license. I
> > kindly let these people know that they cannot
> > solicit in my neighborhood and that my house is
> > already secured (With a German Shepherd and a
> > Glock 22).
> >
> > Always do your research when it comes to
> security.
> > You're better off spending an extra couple
> bucks
> > and buying direct from ADT than one of it's
> > contractors.
> >
> > Thus ends my opinion
>
>
> Actually - that's not entirely true. MANY moons
> ago I actually worked for one of these companies
> for a few months when I was desperate for a job
> after an unexpected layoff around 2002. They use
> the same equipment and are in fact Independant
> Dealers as ADT. Fact is, you get the equipment
> MUCH MUCH cheaper or most of the time free buy
> signing up for the service. Go direct with ADT,
> you pay for the equipment and installation, so you
> get the same exact thing with a hefty price tag.
>
> It's the same structure as a dealership vs.
> manufacturer. If you ever want to know if they
> are legit, ask for credentials - EACH salesman
> should have a special license authorizing them to
> sell in VA. They are required by law to carry
> this ID.
>
> Yes, that's the typical line - "If you let us put
> this sign in your yard, we'll give you an entire
> security system free of charge, all you need to do
> is pay for the monthly service!". Of course,
> there are those people who think dogs and guns are
> the solution to everything, but they certainly
> won't be dispatching the fire dept automatically
> if a smoke detector goes off when you're not home.


Valid point regarding "guns and dogs" not helping if the house burns down. With so many break-ins, etc. in the area recently I think most people (or maybe just me) forget about the other hazards of homeownership (i.e. fire)

Some of these independent dealers can do crappy work. I had one of them set up a system in my old house and it turns out the dealer did it all wrong. After 2 false alarms in a month, ADT had to come out and redo everything.

formerhick76 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Some of these independent dealers can do crappy
> work. I had one of them set up a system in my old
> house and it turns out the dealer did it all
> wrong. After 2 false alarms in a month, ADT had to
> come out and redo everything.

This is why you check out the company and validate their work through references. This isn't something you should do for just "security companies", but something you should do with ANY contractor you intend to bring into your home.

There still around 6 blacks guys in a van tinted windows out of state plates.long island ny going door todoor