5 Tips to Avoid Door-to-Door Impostors

Fake home security salesmen are nothing new to world of door-to-door sales. Impostors have been taking advantage of homeowners for years by pretending to work for certain home security companies. Most of the time these impostors are intent on getting you to sign a contract, but occasionally they may also be potential burglars attempting to gain access into your home. These bad actors are often quite skilled at gaining access to your home and give a bad name to the legitimate door-to-door salesmen who practice selling with integrity. To help you determine what kind of salesman is at your door, Brinks Home™ has compiled a list of warning signs that can help you protect yourself from fraudulent salesmen.

Warning Signs

1. Failure to Identify themselves

Honest door-to-door salesmen will always tell you who they work for, their name, and what they are trying to sell you. Both Brinks Home’s field salesmen and our authorized dealers, for example, will clearly identify ourselves when we knock on your door.

2. Asking Suspicious Questions

If a person truly works for a home security company, they shouldn’t be asking when you are normally home or away. Depending on how you answer that question could determine when a potential burglar strikes. If they are asking personal questions that make you uncomfortable, that could be a sign something is wrong.

3. Trying to Enter Your Home

If someone is truly there to look at your security system, they will have identification to prove their legitimacy. If they don’t have proper identification, they should not come into your home. If they are a potential burglar, entering your home will allow them to gain knowledge of what items to take or  weak points of entry into your home. If someone is claiming to work for your security provider, but you haven’t been notified by the company itself, call before allowing this person into your home. Brinks Home technicians will never show up without calling you prior to their arrival.

4. Suspicious Claims and Pushy Behavior

Fake security salesmen will usually make a claim as to why they are there. A security sign in your front yard can sometimes be used by impostors to give them an unfair advantage. It allows them to base their claims on what company you use. These claims may include:

• The company they work for bought the company you use.

• Your system needs an upgrade.

• Your security company monitors but does not actually service the equipment.

Usually these impostors also seem unusually pushy to enter your home or for you to believe their claims. If these claims come up without notification make sure to check with your current security provider and don’t let in your home until you know for sure they are legitimate.

5. Cancel Any Deal

Not all fake salesmen are burglars casing your home; some are just selling you something you may not need. Usually the contracts they have you sign are ridiculously long but it’s important to understand that you can cancel the deal. The Federal Trade Commission’s Cooling-Off Rule gives you three business days to cancel the deal if you signed the contract in your home or at a location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business. Make sure to get a cancellation copy as they are also required to offer you one.

Report the Incident

If you discover the salesmen was an impostor it is important to report the issue to whatever company they were claiming to work for. Try to record any information about the person you can. Also report the incident to the police so others in your community can be warned.