Be on the look out

Posted on by

[edit.] Please read the comments to this one for updated information.

It must be the season. Last year, almost to the date, BLOGSKI posted about some aggressive salesmen in the neighborhood. Today, we received a word that the team is back in Polish Hill —

“Xxxxx and I have gotten some extremely pushy and unfriendly (almost threatening) sales visits from APX and Pinnacle. Interestingly, the first thing that comes up when you Google APX is “APX scam”, so we KNOW they’re not on the level.”

The Polish Hill Civic Association received the same report from Lawrenceville United last year. Be careful and be alert when dealing with people coming to your door. Following is the original warning and follow-up report from Lawrenceville United —

Dear Members

We have received several reports of high pressured and not all together honest sales pitches coming from young men selling security systems in our community. Be careful when having conversations with these guys as they are being less than truthful. I questioned a guy trying to scare me into buying a system. He told me that criminals have learned how to cut the phone wires on my existing system and that my house was in danger of being robbed. He became uncomfortable when I told him my role in the community and said he had to get going, about two hours later he was still on my street. I am forwarding an email from Mark Lewandowski Captain of the Penn/Fisk Block Watch, it seems he had a similar experience.

Mark writes:
Dear Neighbors,

There are young men canvassing the area for Apex/Honeywell security systems. They are giving a fast sales pitch to get you free installation and a low monthly fee. They are using your neighbors’ names and saying that your neighbors are signing up for it. My name has been mentioned a few times- I did not sign up for the service! I hope to confront him shortly and tell him to hit the road. The one lad on Main Street is named Jordan Williams. Our neighbor Linda forward this e-mail and an on-line address questioning their ethics. I saw him early in the day and said that if he wanted to speak at our block watch about the product that we may be able to fit him in. He said he could not do that. Be cautious of this sales pitch – he is lying about your neighbors signing up.

The company may well be totally legit but we have not researched the company. Their sales pitch is suspect and it gives us cause for concern. Be sure before signing any agreements with them.

Thanks Tony

And this came in from the owners of Apex Security

Greetings,

You are correct to be concerned. In addition to the sales practices described below, please be aware that the door-to-door peddlers do not, in fact, represent Apex Alarm.

We are Apex Alarm, since 1966, and we never sell our products or services door-to-door. While we do offer Honeywell brand equipment (as do many legitimate alarm companies) we charge only $11.99/month to monitor most security systems.

We have discovered that there is an outfit, operating, we believe, out of Utah, falsely claiming to represent Apex Alarm, and causing confusion in the marketplace.

Please contact us at

<Info@ApexAlarm.com>
or visit the official Apex Alarm
http://ApexAlarm.com
for more information on this matter.

Thank you,

Nick Lawrence
*APEX ALARM* TM
*”Since 1966″*
a service of 911 Inc.
510-548-0515

5 thoughts on “Be on the look out”

  1. I’m a Lawrenceville resident, and I got hit last Saturday.
    There was a slight variation on the above; he attempted to relate to me that the deal he was offering was some sort of promo, as though I’d be getting a break for getting in early, or something to that effect. I explained that I don’t do business at my front door, and that I had very little time, but that I’d be happy to look at any literature the young man could leave behind. As soon as it became clear that he was uninterested in leaving literature, it became equally clear that something was amiss. I bid him a good day.

  2. Also, he didn’t give me the cut phonelines story. Instead, and far less coherently, he claimed that the problem with phone-based security systems is that the homeowner typically isn’t around and the phone doesn’t get answered. Of course, in real life, the failure to answer and provide the code means the cops get called, but he offered something feeble about police response times, and left it at that. In hindsight, while I didn’t really jump to the idea that it was a total scam that’s probably because I was very distracted with other things. Going back over it, the whole thing was pretty blatantly fishy.

  3. Well, I’m glad everything turned out okay. But I think this post needs an update with your story. Thanks for sharing.

  4. Very interesting. About a week ago two guys rang my doorbell on Hatfield St. in L’ville with a borderline sales pitch for APX security. Same spiel as last year, different sales team. They interupted my cleaning spree and I was not in the mood. I told them I was not-at-all-interested and they would not move off my stoop! I tried to close my door and one blocked my actions. I said, “you must leave now” and the one continued to berate me, increasing the aggresssive high-pressure sales as described above. They didn’t leave until I said I was gonna call 911. Now, learning of all this, I’m happy to call the BBB. Thanks, Blogski!

  5. @ kate — Well, it does pay to get the word out to our neighbors that this sort of thing is happening. Be careful, though. Your confrontation went over the top!

Comments are closed.