Attorney General Ellison halts deception in home security sales

Safe Haven to pay $125K, comply with the law

August 1, 2022 (SAINT PAUL) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced today that his office has put an end to alleged deception and misrepresentations by an ADT authorized distributor, Safe Haven Security Services. 

“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 said. 

“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,” Attorney General Ellison added. 

The Attorney General’s investigation began after a whistleblower approached the 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; and deceptively imply that a realtor or another trusted person at the consumer’s recent real estate closing should have told you 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. The Attorney General’s Office alleged that Safe Haven violated Minnesota consumer-protection laws, including Minnesota’s Home Solicitation and Personal Solicitation Sales Acts.  

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;  
• and not misrepresent their commissioned status.  

Concerns about door-to-door security sales and help for consumers 

The Attorney General’s Office has long been concerned with the practices of companies that go door to door and enroll citizens into long-term alarm monitoring agreements using fine print contracts. These companies often use traveling sales agents who make unsolicited “cold calls” on homeowners and may use high-pressure and deceptive sales practices to lock consumers into long-term agreements.   

The Attorney General’s Office offers free publications for consumers on Door-to-Door Security Alarm Sales and Contract Cooling-Off Periods. Consumers with concerns over the way an alarm system was sold to them should file a consumer protection complaint with the Attorney General’s Office by calling the Office at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area) or (800) 675-3787 (Greater Minnesota), or by filling out a complaint form online.