ADT Authorized Dealer Safe Haven Fined $125K for Deceptive Sales Practices
An investigation was opened after a whistleblower provided the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office with a Safe Haven training manual containing deceptive sales tactics.
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SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has condemned ADT authorized dealer Safe Haven Security Services for alleged deception and misrepresentations.
According to Red Lake Nation News, an investigation into Safe Haven was started after a whistleblower approached the Attorney General’s Office with a Safe Haven training manual that instructed salespeople to:
- Introduce themselves as being “from ADT.”
- Falsely tell consumers that the salespeople did not work on commission.
- Deceptively imply that a realtor or another trusted person at the consumer’s recent real estate closing should have told them that the salesperson would be coming to their home.
The Attorney General’s Office also received reports from consumers that they were not provided with a verbal three-day right-to-cancel advisory, according to the outlet.
Due to these actions, Attorney General’s Office alleges that Safe Haven violated Minnesota consumer-protection laws, including Minnesota’s Home Solicitation and Personal Solicitation Sales Acts.
“It’s hard enough to afford your life these days. It’s a lot harder when door-to-door scammers prey on Minnesotans’ fears to sell them security systems with multi-year, costly monitoring contracts attached, and deceive or mislead them in the process. Some go even further and blur the lines between themselves and other companies you might trust to line their own pockets. That’s wrong and against the law and I’m here to put a stop to it,” Attorney General Ellison says. “I strongly encourage any consumer who has any concerns about a home security system they bought or were approached to buy to contact my office. We want to hear from you and we may be able help.”
Under the terms of an Assurance of Discontinuance filed in Hennepin County District Court, Safe Haven agreed to pay $125,000, which will go into the State of Minnesota general fund. It also agreed to require its salespeople to:
- Represent Safe Haven to Minnesota customers as an authorized ADT distributor/dealer.
- Affirmatively identify themselves as being from Safe Haven.
- Provide a verbal notification of right to cancel upon signature of a new contract and installation of a system.
- Not misrepresent any relationship or referral between Safe Haven and any individual in the consumer’s homebuying process.
- Not misrepresent their commissioned status.
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Hello, thank you for the article!
I have experienced the same thing with this company and although I cancelled my subscription before the deadline, Safe Heaven still charged my card and continue to harass me. You written in the article to contact someone for help but did not provide who to contact. Please advise. My name is Isaac and can be reached out to by email. Thanks again.
On Wednesday the 14th of June 2023, Save Haven Installer came into my home fully knowing I did not want any additional products or services that wasn’t already included with my recent home purchase. I made this clear with Jimmy the sales associate that had first contacted me, the gentleman who contacted me to set up the appointment for Adam the installer to come. Once Adam was in my home, I told him continuously I did not want it any additional stuff, he then he persuaded me with a “5-day trial period” and that with the purchase of my home I had a $500 certificate. When he installed these products, he handed me an iPad to sign somethings on Doc-u-sign and if you have ever used that before you know how you can skip everything to only where an initial or signature is needed. I did not see a “3-day trial” anywhere nor was that mentioned by Adam or the personal concierge Jeff that after the 3-day period I would be charge 75% of the total remainder of the contract. I just trusted the man who let into my home, I was also changed about $90 that day for this and gave them my card information.
These products included sensors on doors and windows, alarm system a doorbell camera, one smoke alarm and one carbon dioxide alarm, it was also supposed to include a camera facing towards the driveway, but he did NOT have this on him and said he will return later to install it. I have no use for these products because this home is not that large, and I find this area to be safe and secure after live lived here for over 9 years already. I contacted the Safe Haven on Tuesday the 20th. Mind you I thought it was 5 business days and when I spoke to Jeff my so-called personal concierge, he told me that Saturday was a workday for them, and Monday being a public holiday for Juneteenth was also. When I contacted him on Tuesday, I told him via email that I did not want to continue using the services and that I want it uninstalled. On Thursday while I was at work Jeff contacted me and told me for the first time that I would be charged the 75% of the contract, I asked him how much that would be, and he then proceeded to tell me that someone would be in contact with me with the numbers of the remaining contract. A few hours later a lady contacted me with no numbers, and I had told her that I am not paying, and I will be proceeding with Legal action, this is unethical and deceptive as a company to go about their business such as this. I want my stuff to be uninstalled and I want to end my contract now without having to pay this amount (a total of $1312.24).
So, you they can choose what they want to do but I will not sit so quietly, I am a single mom of 2 girls under the age of 8 and I work two jobs. I work way too hard to be taken advantage of like this!
Check out this link to cancel.
https://www.safewise.com/adt-cancellation/#:~:text=Yes%2C%20you%20can%20cancel%20your,company%27s%20money%2Dback%20service%20guarantee.