BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ADT, a leading provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses, today announced a settlement in its lawsuit against Vivint, Inc. which alleged the Utah-based company used deceptive sales practices to mislead ADT customers into signing long-term contracts.
The agreement calls for Vivint to pay ADT $10 million, marking ADT’s largest deceptive sales settlement to date. In 2017 alone, ADT reached settlements in a deceptive sales lawsuit filed against Utah-based Alder and its owner, Adam Schantz, and in a deceptive sales lawsuit filed against two Monitronics dealers in Texas.
“ADT is a brand trusted five times more than any other security company. When others misuse that trust to prey on innocent consumers, it is despicable. We hope these lawsuits and ensuing settlements send a strong and clear message that deceptive sales practices must end,” said P. Gray Finney, ADT Chief Legal Officer. “Not only does it harm our customers, it also harms the value of having a trained security professional in the home, which is how most reputable security companies operate their businesses.”
ADT filed its lawsuit against Vivint on April 4, 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida after receiving complaints from nearly a thousand ADT customers who stated Vivint made false or misleading statements to switch their security service from ADT to Vivint. Vivint has also reached settlements with a number of state Attorneys General regarding allegations of deceptive sales practices.
Since 2013, ADT has been successful in lawsuits filed against several other companies for misleading its customers when attempting to solicit business, and it has obtained court orders prohibiting those companies from using deceptive sales practices, along with monetary relief.
“ADT will continue to protect its customers and will pursue legal action against companies that choose to misrepresent themselves to deceive those customers,” said Finney.
ADT encourages anyone with questions about sales scams in the security industry, or anyone who has been a victim of a sales scam, to click here.
About ADT
ADT is a leading provider of security and automation solutions in the United States and Canada for homes and businesses, people on-the-go and their network. Making security more accessible than ever before, and backed by 24/7 customer support, ADT delivers same-day service and live answer within seconds in customer operations, helping customers feel more safe and empowered. ADT is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida and employs more than 18,000 people throughout North America.
Media Relations
Bob Tucker
tel: +1 561.988.3619
btucker@adt.com