This would fall under the "Something New Every Day" category. Although I live in Brazil part of the year, I was not aware until your post that they were such a huge exporter of mahogany. Apparently, the Brazilian agricultural agency (EMBRATEL) has even taken an interest in controlling the amount of mahogany being harvested here. Interesting stuff.
And yet con artists like Fowler continue to flourish and consumers continue to be ripped off by them.
True. That's what I've been saying about DIY for years. Most people don't want to install their own alarms because they don't know how, haven't the time, aren't interested or just don't know how easy it is to do. For those who are willing to take a little time learning the basics though, there's an opportunity to save from several hundred to several thousand dollars up front and much more over the long haul.
For those who want a professional installation, if they find someone responsible and caring, great. Some of those who fall victim to Fowler and people like him sometimes decide their next alarm will be a DIY project. Even some who have previously hired competent professionals decide that they want to DIY because of the wider selection of equipment and features (at a given price point) that is available to them.