(Added Oct 19/10) (Spot Security Employee) I currently work for Spot Security.  It has it's good and bad points.  I saw one review here where the ex-salesperson stated he had to drive a huge amount of miles on poorly confirmed preset appointments.  Welcome to the world of sales.  With Spot Security, as well as every other company I have worked with, preset appointments are NOT the best and can lead to many miles of wasted driving. Set your own appointments and you will be happy.  I will never utter one word that is not true to a customer.  Again, call center tricks are commonplace in most all industries.  I have not listened to the call center make calls so I do not know exactly what they are saying.  When I get in front of a customer I just tell what I know to be true. The monitoring company Spot Security uses is Monitronics.  Regardless of all the bad reviews Monitronics was named the Top Monitoring Company in the US in 2008.  Spot Security has been given the Provider of the Year from Monitronics from 2000 to 2009.  Spot's FREE equipment runs similar to what ADT offers.  Spot Security is NOT for everyone.  They/we focus on the basic market.  We do not do all of the fancy remote video on iPhones and such.  I carry with me a list of our COMPETITION that handles this type of work. If it becomes clear to me the customer wants that type of a system I give them the contact info of our competition and get their permission to also give their contact info to the competitor.  My manager has stressed to me our number one goal is to "protect families."  If I need to give the home owners contact info to our competitor to accomplish that task, so be it.  Of course, with Spot (or with any other sales company) I do not go out of my way to let my manager know I help out the competition. As far as those complaining about the system not being truly free from Spot or ADT or anyone because you have to pay the monthly monitoring.  First, you should have been told that up front  Second, if Chrysler called you and said you won a new car you would expect to pay for the gas.  If the "fine print" said you had to buy all your gas through GM to get the car, would you argue, especially if GM's gas costs the about the same as the competitions gas?  Of course, I set ALL of my own appointments so I can control every single word and thought that gets out there.

(Added Apr 21/10) (Updated Sept 10/10) I like many others never entered a drawing but was told that I had won a drawing for a complete home security system that would be tailered to my specific home valued at $1100.  I let a salesman come out to the home.  He told me that I won a system valued at  $1100 and it would include 2 door sensors and 1 motion sensors and 2 key fobs. That if I wanted more protection extra door or window sensors would cost $75 each.  He told me the monthly monitoring would be $39.95 and I had to agree to 36 months of monitoring.  I told him forget it.  I then was hounded every night for the next month were they offered to add more door and window monitors.  After getting about 15 doors and windows covered I finally agreed.  The installer showed and installed everything in little less than an hour.  I suddenly was stuck with a $200 fee for the extra doors and windows after the installation was done.  I felt scammed but guilty for misunderstanding so I paid.  After the installer left I realized they never installed the motion detectors.  I then went and did a review of the company and found most people were treated like myself or worse.  Oh I have researched the system and found I could have purchased the same system with even more monitors and motion detectors included for $350.  The monitoring would have cost $9.95 a savings of $30 per month when all added up.  I paid $930 for the 1 hour installation.  Considering I "WON a $1100 system" I was ripped off. If I could do over I would not do business with this company.  For now I'm stuck for the next 34 months. Update: Now I have had Spot Security system in the house for 5 months.  The sales call was high pressure.  They made lots of claims about the quick response times. They stated that with in seconds someone from spot security would be talking through their security system to make sure everything was ok.  How their system upgrades the calls status so the police respond faster.  I have accidently set off the alarm a few times. I have tested the response by spot and only after letting the alarm sound for 10 minutes did I finally get a spot security person talking to me asking if everything is OK.  I spoke with the local police and all their mumbo jumbo about upgrading the call is just that mumbo jumbo.  Their response times are slow on type of their extra high monthly monitoring fees.  Go with some one else and save the bucks.

(Added Apr 12/10) We were told a prize was awarded to us in the form of an alarm system and free installation.  It turns out that the whole thing was a scam!!!  Buyers beware.  The company does not stand by their word or deliver on any promises made.  I am deeply disappointed and am reporting them to the Better Business Bureau.

(Added Feb 16/10) I was worried about the free basic system that I had won due to the negative press I have seen. But, I did get a good explanation from sales person who came to my home. He said the free systems are used as a marketing expense since they put sign in your yard to get more customers in your area at full price. I really like the onstar like communication system they have and the keyfobs for remote on/off access. All said and done, I don't feel ripped off.

(Added Feb 12/10) My boyfriend recvd a call from spot security saying he entered a drawing and won a complete alarm system for his home.. FREE.. when he said he didnt enter any drawing, the sale rep said yes he did and how exciting that he won this and to put a dollar sign thru the S on spot and give to salesperson. As he and myself were somewhat interested in a security system, we allowed the salesman to come over and talk about it.. INSTANTLY, it was clear this was all a complete scam!  There was nothing free about it... yes, could get something installed but had to sign the contract for the monthly fee.  The 'free' system was so basic, it wouldnt have provided any security without upgrading to the better system at a huge expense. I asked where the company got the phone number/address and name. The sales man said it was picked from a 'cookie' saved on the computer and said his company buys email address's. My boyfriend didnt enter ANY contest.. how misleading and a total lie and scam the sales rep on the phone totally lied.  DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY... very shady.  Any reliable company who wants to sell their product DO NOT hire telemarketers to solicit their customers and then say a bunch of lies... what a major scam!

(Added Jan 8/10) Despite the fact that I am on the do not call list, Spot Security called me from Oregon (I am in Washington) to notify me that I had won a "home makeover sweepstakes" that, I had "either entered in a mall, store, or on-line) Red Flag, if I had entered they would have know where I submitted. I was chosen out of 25,000 entries and was the grand prize winner. My prize was a complete home security system and (must be my lucky day again) all of the installation fees were waived (when does a grand prize winner pay installation), not to mention if I was in fact a grand prize winner of a "home makeover" not quite sure how a security system is a home makeover. I called their main office and advised them that false and misrepresention of a prize winning is illegal and will be reported to the proper authorities.  If Spot wants to sell their systems, a good way to start is not to try to trick people. Honesty is the best policy. Spot Security needs to get a clue.

(Added Sept 4/09) These reviews are bogus, disgruntled employee and one bad incident... hmmm, sounds like Adt (anyone can be an Adt dealer even out of their basement) is trying to bash this company! Get real people.

(Added Sept 1/09) (Spot Security Employee) I worked for Spot as a salesman and I can tell you if you want a job in sales, this is not the company.  Though I had no issues being paid, the leads were not confirmed, 85% fall out, commissions are small and the turn over in sales people is tremendous. I traveled 600 miles a week for cancelled leads. If you have any kind of sales experience then this is not the company to make a living with. They treat sales people as an expendable commodity. This is why you see the bad reviews, in-experienced people.

(Added Aug 24/09) Spot is a scam!! My sales person had no idea how to set up a system. He had only worked for the company for two weeks and then I had the bad luck of getting him as a sales person. The system never worked properly from day one. Three weeks later I'm trying to get the sales person to help me with all of the problems I had and he's gone.  The monitoring is a joke. I was going to sue them and they let me out of my contract. I ran to ADT so fast and guess what ? They are worth every penny. My Security Consultant was great (5 years in the security industry), knew how to set up a system, took care of any issues I had, and was top notch. Montronics is the monitoring center for Spot. Beware you get what you pay for. One center in Dallas (ADT has 5) that is poorly run by rude staff that is not able to handle all of the alarms going off.

(Added Feb 19/09) Until yesterday I had never heard of Spot Security. I wish I never have. I was contacted by a promotions representative letting me know that I won a $1195.00 Security System (installed) through a drawing that I entered for home improvements. I did in fact enter this drawing, so I was extremely excited when I was told that my name was drawn out of 25,000 entries to receive this item. They made an appt. for the next day (today) for the promotions representative to come to my house and go over everything that was included in the package that (I WON). I knew about 2 minutes into the conversation that I had been scammed. It was an absolute sales pitch. I indeed could receive the system, but I had to be able and willing to start the monitoring contract (at a cost of $41.00 per month). I explained that I am not in a position to start the monitoring, but I would still like the system (THAT I WON) installed (as it would still be a great home improvement when I choose to have monitoring, or if I sold the house). I was informed I do not get the system if I do not pay $41.00 per month for monitoring.  It's a complete scam. And although (I WON) a drawing with a prize valued at $1195.00, I get nothing. This is bad business and I would like to think that there is a law against this, but I am sure they are protected somewhere, somehow. Future customers...Beware. Do you really want the likes of this business protecting your family.