The present invention provides an automated user notification system for monitoring user items and notifying a user when selected conditions occur. A first portion of the notification system comprises a network operations center (NOC). The NOC stores user information about one or more user items and is further coupled to a plurality of communication devices that can automatically contact a user. A second portion of the notification system comprises at least one detector. The detector monitors one or more user items and provides efficiently encoded information regarding selected conditions of the user items to the NOC via a communication link. After the information is received and decoded by the NOC, the NOC automatically matches the received information to information stored at the NOC to determine if a condition exists about which the user should be notified.