Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/15/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I agreed to have Desert Alarm install an alarm system in my house. They installed the system on 11/3 and texted me the instruction on how to login / use the system. The login instructions provided did not work / allow me to access or fully use the system. After multiple attempts and troubleshooting myself, I messaged the tech on 11/16 for help / instructions - the same instructions that did not work the first time were provided again. I messaged the tech again on 11/25 - explaining this still did not work. After not hearing back for a few days, i contacted the main office and another tech offere to meet at the property on 12/2. On 11/29 the priovus tech finally got back to me and provided instructions so I could finally access the system - thereby the installation and instructions on how to use the system was not fully compelted until 11/29. All of this is documented via text conversations in writing. Based on this, the system was not fully installed with instructions on how to use until 11/29 - i was unable to use the full system until that date. On 12/1 Desert Alarm then cancelled my follow-up appointment I had requested for 12/2, the purpose was to add additional functionality to the system that had not been properly provided originally. At that point, I requested to terminate the agreement on 12/1. The office manger confirmed that I have 3 days to terminate the contract and receive a full refund after the system is completed, however is refusing to honor the 11/29 date and has sent me requests to pay Desert Alarm thousands of dollars in order to terminate the agreement and is refusing to refund over $3k and receive the equipment return. Please help!

  Business Response

  Date: 12/18/2023

  Mr. ****** system was installed and activated effective 11/3/2023. ************** was not present on the day of the installation so my technician onsite had to communicate the final steps of the installation via phone/ text. I have attached their text conversation to this dispute for review. As you can see my tech sent pictures of all cameras working along with login credentials for both the alarm and camera system on 11/3/2025. We did not hear back from ************** till 11/16/2023 where he asked again for the login credentials to the cameras via text. To be clear ************** at this point had full access to the alarm system. We then heard back from him again on 11/25/2023 via text stating that he was having password issues. My technician was out of the office so he did not respond to him till the following Wednesday via text. At that point it was clear he was having issues with login into the camera system. I do want to point out that because he did not have remote access to the camera does not mean the camera system was not working. NVR had been recording footage since 11/3/2023 which is what the system is intended to do. Also ************** had full access to the alarm system from 11/3/2023. The alarm system is the only service that is under a contract and that Mr. ****** pays a monthly fee for. ************** does not pay a monthly fee for the **** system. All this communication was via text between ************** and my certified technician completed the installation on 11/3/2023. A phone call was never made to us by ************** regarding issues login into the camera system app. Our offices are open 24/7 as well as our tech support representatives. He had full access to a technician live via text. 
  ************** sent an email to our office on Tuesday, November 28th where he then got in touch with my service team. A work order was scheduled for 12/2/2023. The scope of the work order was to connect Mr. ****** cell phone to the cameras and he also wanted us to potentially install a doorbell over an intercom which we were unsure if it was something we were going to be able to do. I have attached the call log of where my service representative ******* tried to get in touch with ************** to go over the scope of work and confirm the time frame for the appointment. We were never able to speak to him via phone so the work order was canceled. When ************** called us at noon on 12/1/2023 to confirm the work order we communicated to him that the work order was canceled. ************** got upset and requested to cancel service, and requested for equipment to be removed along with a full refund. We communicated to him within an hour of his phone call that we can re open the work order and keep the original date and time but at this point ************** rejected the appointment.  
  We want nothing more than to resolve this matter with ************** but in reality this stemmed off of an appointment that ************** never confirmed. Requesting a full refund for this matter does not justify the work that was already performed.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/02/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The alarm system malfunctioned by beeping intermittently in March of this year. It was the weekend and called the office after hours to see what could be done. The tech tried different ways to turn the beeping off and couldnt. Finally he said he was going to turn the system off. Thinking that the system was off and not receiving a quarterly billing statement, I thought that that was the solution and the end of the alarm system contract. The phone calls began a couple of months ago, and billing stating that I owed past due of around $ *****. I tried to reason with them and told them that why would I pay for something that wasnt working? Their reply was because I hadnt notified them in their form that the the system would be terminated. The lady that has been calling said about a month ago that she would be sending me a termination form through my email address. It never arrived. Ive looked at my email daily, including spam and I didnt receive anything from them. Today, the lady called again and wanted to know why I hadnt responded. I told her that I hadnt received anything. I asked if she had the correct email address and gave it to her again. She finally sent me the form to my email address. Two emails arrived. Desert Alarm is charging me $179.00 past due. Its for service that had been turned off. Its unfair. Please let me know what is the solution. My credit is very good and treasure my high standards of paying my bills on time. Any help or resolution will be accepted. Thank you for assisting me ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/02/2023

  This subscriber spoke to our on call technician on 5/27/2023. Our service department contacted her the following day to schedule an onsite visit with a technician there was no answer and a voicemail was left. Her June quarterly invoice generated on her account and as of 7/27/2023 no payment had been received. Our billing department contacted her on 7/27/2023 due to the past due balance and there was no answer so a voicemail was left and an email was sent. Since we had not heard from her we contacted her again on 8/9/2023 subscriber stated she had not paid the bill  because the services were not working. We were unable to troubleshoot with customer on the phone call due to her having a basic landline connection and her not physically being at the property so she stated she will call us when she returns. Again, there was no call back to us so we reached out again on 8/22/2023 there was not answer so we left a voicemail. We called again on 9/5/2023 no answer we left voicemail. She called us back on 9/6/2023 and she requested to cancel services, we had made it clear to her that we needed a cancellation form back from her in order to process her request. At this point, because her contract had auto renewed in June 2023 subscriber would have owed $389.35 we were able to waive the auto renewal fee and just bill her for services rendered so form reflected a balance of $179.70. Subscriber had not returned form as of this morning 10/2/2023. We made a courtesy call to her and were able too confirm she received the form via email, she claimed she was going to send it back today. 

  Per the agreement attached subscriber must give us a written notice 30 days prior to cancelling services. As of today that has not occurred. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/11/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  To whom it may concern:
  Will you please reopen the complaint I made regarding #********?
  
  According to your explanation you tried to contact me over the telephone and via email. I dont have any of your phone calls or voice messages. I would have returned your phone call as soon as I receive them. This matter is very important to me. I did receive a message from you regarding the matter via email. It provided me with a number. 
  
  I had to travel to OC in a business matter and when I was able to read your message the number you provided didnt work anymore. I placed a phone call on Monday trying to speak to someone. I left a voicemail. 
  
  Its important for me to rectify this problem. The phone calls werent received. Is it possible that my telephone number is incorrect? I only use my cell number. ************.I do have a landline that have have never used. The only purpose of a landline is to be used with the alarm system. 
  
  Thank you for considering reopening the case. 
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/12/2023

  Good morning, 

  I have attached records or all inbound/outbound calls made to the subscriber. Due to the time frame unfortunately I was not able to pull up the 1st outbound call made to the subscriber on 7/27/23 but I have uploaded a screen shot of my representatives note as well as email that was send to her following that phone call since we were unable to speak to her. As the screenshot will show you we did receive a phone call from subscriber on Monday 10/2/2023 which is when I personally spoke to the subscriber myself. Phone number and email we have on file are correct as we have been able to make communication to subscriber via both phone and email. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/23/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There have been untruths and running around this problem from Desert Alarm. 
  One. They said that they have making calls to a landline that I have never used. Theyre the only ones that have that number. I never received any phone calls on that line. I dont think the telephone is working. If you were to ask me to tell you the number, I would have to look it up in seven-year old old files. They do call once or twice a week. 
  
  Two: the lady Ive been talking with said that emails had been sent and there was no reply. When she called to ask me of the reason why I hadnt replied, I said that no emails had arrived. Then I asked her to read me the email on file. She said, ***************** Immediately, I rectified the email address error. ***************** I said. And emails started arriving. 
  
  I have told the lady over and over that I dont have a printer or access to one. How difficult would it be for them to send through the mail a hard copy? Id love to get this over with.  
  
  Its easy to see how inept Desert Alarm is and how easy it is to charge an 80-year-old lady for services that were turned off in March by one of their technicians. They used a landline that they only know the number and wrong email address. 
  
  I have really good credit and would love very much to clear this problem. 
  Please, help me clear this problem. 
  
  Im grateful that you are so patient with me and have understood the dilemma of a Senior that isnt knowledgeable with modern technology. 
  

  
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 10/23/2023

  I have provided screenshots , call recording as well as notes with date and time stamps for what we have on this account. As of today the cancellation form send to customer on 9/6/23 still has not been turned in.