States target sales tactics of Utah alarm company

State agencies across the United States have received repeated complaints claiming salespeople from one of Utah's largest security service companies engage in aggressive and deceitful practices to push their product.

The Maryland Attorney General's Office has received two complaints from customers of Provo-based APX Alarm Security Solutions Inc. — a company that recruits students from local universities to sell and install security systems each summer. Attorney general's office spokeswoman Raquel Guillory said the customers claimed the sales reps pushed them into contracting security services.

Guillory said the attorney's office is currently mediating those cases.

Other agencies across the nation have received similar reports of APX Alarm salespeople using pushy sales tactics and deceitful practices. According to a letter from Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections director Boyd Petty, the Louisiana State Fire Marshal issued a cease and desist order to APX Alarm on June 27, stating the marshal has consumer complaints that indicate the company's business practices aren't on the level.

"It is ... alleged that APX Security Solution Inc. salespersons have engaged in false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices in that the company's salespersons knowingly provided false information to prospective customers in order to secure the sale of security systems," Petty wrote.

APX Alarm spokesman Nathan Wilcox said they are meeting with officials in Louisiana to discuss the concerns. He disputes the letter's characterizations, saying some people tend to think a door-to-door salesperson is "pushy" if he or she merely knocks on the door.

"I'm sure (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) gets the same complaints about missionaries," Wilcox said. "Or the Jehovah's Witnesses."

APX Alarm recruits its estimated force of 3,500 employees from Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, the University of Utah and Weber State University, Wilcox said. Most of the salespeople are trying to earn money for school, he said, so it's natural for them to be eager and positive.

"The people who sell these alarm systems for our company — they're salespeople," Wilcox said. "They're going to be enthusiastic about what they're selling."

Wilcox also denied allegations of shady business practices, saying they typically call newly signed customers to ask them about the salesperson they dealt with and to see if they understand and accept the terms of the agreement.

"If someone signed up and felt like they were pressured into the contract, they can cancel it," he added.