Ted was happy with his residential security provider. He had an affordable package, prompt notifications, & a handy home security app. One day a young woman turned up at his door representing his security provider company, and she requested some maintenance & upgrades. He consented.
She then proceeded to tear down his entire surveillance setup, deftly installed a new one, had him sign a contract & left. When the bill came due, Ted discovered that not only had he a higher monitoring cost from this ‘new’ security company, but he had a bill from his original one.
Now Ted is stuck with two contracts. And he owes his original company the cost of the misplaced equipment. That is an identity theft scam of a security company.
These are the kind of stories that Archangel Alarm Services helps you avoid.
The Scams
Act Now To Avail Of Our Special Offer
The victim is greeted by a security company representative who tells them there is a special offer on the menu, often time-sensitive, and it has to be availed of now. They might even make it a ‘last system remaining’ offer with prices too good to be true, coercing the victim into hasty signup. The result is shoddy, outdated equipment. Best to avoid such deals because authentic security companies only deal in absolute quality & compatibility.
Free Upgrades
The victim is presented with an unbelievable security package that the salesman will offer to install for a low to even free cost, but strings attached. Sometimes the equipment is unreliable, and the monitoring costs make the deal far too expensive for the signed contract.
The Strong-Armed Salesman
These are scammers with a penchant for inciting fear in their victims. They prey on gullibility & plant stories of burglaries in the area to have the victim rush into signing up for sub-par equipment & high monitoring costs. Often there is no security backup or authority alert in more dangerous events.
Invite the Devil In
The salesman will casually request a tour of the home to assess the security needs of a residence & then refuse to exit until the victim has signed onto a contract. These scammers also prey on gullible & elderly folks.
Things to Ask If a Door To Door Security Salesman Turns Up
- License, salesperson’s identity, company affiliation, & business card.
- Does the business offer automated notification for security alerts, like fire detection, motion alert, remote access, surveillance, email notifications, & a specialized security application?
- Does the company subcontract installing labor, or do they send their specialists?
- Details of the monitoring contract should include duration, costs, billing intervals, service notification in an event, security backups & contacts.
- Be thorough about asking for warranty coverage & cancellation policies to handle the refunds better.
How to Be On Your Guard?
- Pop in the good old ‘May I have the contact information of references?’, then watch them sweat.
- Never give in to a door-step ‘special offer’ for home security.
- Always have the estimates in writing, with the equipment, the installing foreman, the subsequent maintenance plans & the total costs of the installation plus labor.
- Insist on official documentation when agreeing to a contract. Never disregard the fine print & inquire about the monitoring fees.
Even though Ted was brilliant, he was outsmarted by a scammer who used his trust in a reliable security provider to deploy a scam. Archangel Alarm Services will always provide you though verified channels & quality equipment. Don’t succumb to a scammer as poor Ted did. Contact us for more details on our security services in Bellaire, TX, & avail of our free estimates.
