GE Platinum (Sarasota: rent, new home, neighborhood)

[tjax1000]

Does anyone know anything about GE Platinum Security people who are going door-to-door?

I just had an odd experience. A nice girl came to the door and explained that she wasn't selling anything; she's just looking for "model homes" to feature their new home security hardware. She went out of her way to say she wasn't selling anything. Her story was that she wanted to interview us and potentially give us a free upgrade to our home security hardware (regardless of who our monitoring was with.)

We don't have a home security system though, but she still continued talking about various things. At the end she wouldn't even leave a card because she said she wasn't selling anything and had no card or other materials. She appeared to be a properly licensed solicitor by the city of St. Pete. I don't suspect she's out casing homes or anything.

I did some research online and everything I could find said that these guys *are* trying to sell stuff... free hardware up front for five years of paid monitoring. However this girl said that she is from the company that provides that hardware and they don't do monitoring. In fact she mentioned a couple of companies I might want to look at if I was interested in monitoring.

Just bizarre. The only thing I can figure is that this IS normally a true bait and switch like I read about online, but for some reason she felt guilty about ripping my wife and I off, so she backed herself out??? Anyone have an experience with these people?

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by tjax1000

Does anyone know anything about GE Platinum Security people who are going door-to-door?

I just had an odd experience. A nice girl came to the door and explained that she wasn't selling anything; she's just looking for "model homes" to feature their new home security hardware. She went out of her way to say she wasn't selling anything. Her story was that she wanted to interview us and potentially give us a free upgrade to our home security hardware (regardless of who our monitoring was with.)

We don't have a home security system though, but she still continued talking about various things. At the end she wouldn't even leave a card because she said she wasn't selling anything and had no card or other materials. She appeared to be a properly licensed solicitor by the city of St. Pete. I don't suspect she's out casing homes or anything.

I did some research online and everything I could find said that these guys *are* trying to sell stuff... free hardware up front for five years of paid monitoring. However this girl said that she is from the company that provides that hardware and they don't do monitoring. In fact she mentioned a couple of companies I might want to look at if I was interested in monitoring.

Just bizarre. The only thing I can figure is that this IS normally a true bait and switch like I read about online, but for some reason she felt guilty about ripping my wife and I off, so she backed herself out??? Anyone have an experience with these people?

I'm in Sarasota, and had the same experience last week. My take? A complete scam - I sent her on her way in short order.

[Maggi07]

Are you in St. Pete? These people have been walking around my neighborhood the last couple days saying the same thing. I don't trust them, although the head of our civic association says they're legit.

And yes, they are selling something.

[tjax1000]

Originally Posted by Maggi07

Are you in St. Pete? These people have been walking around my neighborhood the last couple days saying the same thing. I don't trust them, although the head of our civic association says they're legit.

And yes, they are selling something.

Yeah, Old NE... interesting that they're hitting Sarasota and St. Pete at the same time. It must be a major assault. I'm still not sure why she came to our door... very odd experience.

[rezfreak]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm glad we rent our house, when people come selling crap for our house, i say "sorry we rent" and send them on their way.

[Kaiminani]

Originally Posted by rezfreak

I'm glad we rent our house, when people come selling crap for our house, i say "sorry we rent" and send them on their way.

Homeowners can say that to salesmen too.

[algia]

We never open the door to such people! If I don't know them and they're not bleeding to death in front of my door, there is no way in hell I am opening the door this type of thing! I think it is ridiculous with so many civilized means of "selling" these days to send people out like this! We no longer live in "Avon" days!

P.S. & Especially since the day I found a guy sitting on my BACK porch, Inside my screen enclosure, only to find out 7 hours later that he was a rep selling pressure washer crap "supposedly"!...how did they get passed security here? this guy was going through people's back yards FIY, instead of the front doors (probably figured that if people don't answer the front door they are in the back!)....

[Pragmaticus]

Don't be hard on them . It's tough time. They have to be creative to make money and they usually send some nice girl or teen. I get some teens selling magazines all the time in my neighborhood.

Imagine the thousands way your banks, utility provider, car repair man even doctor do to get your money. Bottom line is that some do it without being noticed and some don't. That's all.