Vector Security Alarm Customer Review: Issues With Vulnerable Equipment, Cancelling Contract

I got suckered into "upgrading" my current alarm system with a free, promotional, GSM-based system (no landline required because the monitoring company is contacted via cellphone). The salesman said this was better than what I had because even if my landline was cut, the alarm would still work. Sounded good to me... all my equipment was free, only a $24 activation fee (after $75 rebate check), contract was for 5 yrs which raised a red flag but I figured that was okay because the system was better.

What the skeevy salesman failed to tell me was that all of the alarm resides in the wall panel... the user interface, the siren, the GSM/cell phone part that dials the monitoring company if the alarm is triggered. So if someone gets into the house, all they have to do is rip that wall panel off the wall and smash it, rendering it useless, in the 30 secs or whatever delay is set before an alarm is triggered and the monitoring company is alerted. Upgraded system? Definitely NOT.

To add insult to injury, when my old alarm was disconnected and my new one installed, the tech managed to disconnect my landline (and dsl internet) and wasn't able to get it working again. Very nice kid, with good intentions, but one just working a summer job, not a well-trained technician as should be installing these systems.

Needless to say, I sent a telegram within my 3 business days to cancel the contract. AMP played with me for 12 days after that. Despite the fact that I called several times to make sure that they had received my telegram, even though I had signature confirmation that they did, they said that it sometimes took awhile to process a cancellation. After I'd received this info for the 3rd time, I said "That's fine because I'm sure you've received my cancellation notice. I have the signature confirmation to prove it. I'm just wondering why you guys are messing around when you only have 20 days to come collect your equipment before it becomes mine..." After expressing my reasons for cancelling and refusing 2 months of free monitoring, the girl on the phone miraculously found my cancellation notice. Funny how that works!

This girl on the phone also told me that when they come collect my equipment, the old system would be rehooked up and that that would fix my phone line. But when the same technician came back to repo the equipment, he said his boss gives strict orders not to hook up another company's equipment due to the liability. He did unsucessfully try to fix the phone line for good measure, but the really poor thing was he said he didn't know how to rehook up the old system even if he was allowed to. Okay so it's not your company's equipment... somewhat understandable... but if you can't hook it back up, how are you deemed qualified to unhook it without royally screwing something up, like my phone line???

I will be calling to request that they pay for my phone to be reconnected.

Another interesting thing is these salesmen and technicians are from the Utah area where AMP is located. (I am in MD.) Somehow they fly in and out of areas making sales for Vector Security. A couple days after I got suckered, I saw my salesman being dropped off in my neighborhood again, jumping out of a Hummer with huge chrome rims. I don't know what kind of operation they are running, but something is very sketchy. If you see anyone from AMP, Alarm Monitoring Protection, turn and run like hell. You do not want to do business with them.

I can not speak for Vector's monitoring, but I would definitely avoid them just based on the fact that they allow AMP to be an authorized seller.