Securus, Inc.

Last updated
Securus Inc
Founded2008
Headquarters,
ProductsGPS tracking devices
Owner BrickHouse Security
Website Official website

Securus Inc., was a Cary, North Carolina based provider of GPS tracking and personal emergency response technology. [1]

The company was founded in 2008 as Positioning Animals Worldwide Inc. [2] [3] [4] [5] and launched SpotLight and SpotLite GPS pet locator in collaboration with American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR). [6] In 2010 the company changed its name to Securus, Inc., to reflect its diversification into new markets. The company's chief executive officer is Chris Newton. [7]

In 2011, Securus, Inc acquired Zoombak, LLC from TruePosition, Inc., a subsidiary of Liberty Media. [8] Zoombak, Inc was known for developing GPS-based products that help people track things, ranging from teenage drivers to employees, pets and automobiles.

In March 2015, it was announced that Securus was selling its personal emergency response service (PERS) platform to Ogden, UT-based Freeus, LLC, sister company of AvantGuard Monitoring Systems. [9] That same month, it was announced that BrickHouse Security acquired Securus, including Zoombak and related brands. [10]

Securus has been involved in buying and selling location data of private citizens that use cell-phones. [11] This has been raised as a privacy concern as it allows Securus to sell for its own profit the "location of nearly any phone in the US without authorization," including to bounty hunters. [12]

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References

  1. "Securus, Inc. receives investment from Naples Ventures, LLC Robert DiRomualdo to join Board of Directors". Charlotte dbusinessnews. 2010-08-03. Archived from the original on 2011-08-13.
  2. "Family pet wander off? Device can help in search, Raleigh company's Spotlight uses GPS technology to track your stray pet". Charlotte Observer. 2009-04-12. p. 3D. Retrieved 2010-03-10. The company behind Spotlight: Positioning Animals Worldwide, or PAW. It partnered with the American Kennel Club's Companion Animal Recovery division, ...
  3. Keith, Christie (2009-06-23). "A world of gadgets for your pet / What's truly useful technology, and what's just a gimmick?". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  4. Khuly, Patty (2009-12-10). "Top 10 holiday gifts for dogs, cats and their owners". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  5. Stock, Sue (2009-04-15). "Device can track your stray pet". Pantagraph. Bloomington, Illinois. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  6. "GPS pet protections system from Securus, Inc and AKC CAR".
  7. "Securus, Inc. Launches its Newest GPS-Based Pet Protection System, SpotLITE". Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC. 2010-09-30.
  8. "Securus Acquires Zoombak from TruePosition (Liberty Media)". gpsbusinessnews.com. 2011-02-21. Archived from the original on 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
  9. "Securus' PERS Business Acquired by Freeus". Talari.com. 2015-03-03. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
  10. "BrickHouse Security Acquires Securus GPS and Zoombak Brand". gpsbusinessnews.com. 2015-03-12. Archived from the original on 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2015-05-13.
  11. Valentino-Devries, Jennifer (11 May 2018). "Service Meant to Monitor Inmates' Calls Could Track You, Too". The New York Times.
  12. "T-Mobile, Sprint, and AT&T Are Selling Customers' Real-Time Location Data, and It's Falling into the Wrong Hands".