Using Video Surveillance in the Fight Against Door-to-Door Scams
Using Video Surveillance & Its Role In Protecting You Long ago, people knocked on doors. Smiling, they’d tell you about their carpet cleaner. Companies sold things this way. In the meantime, salesmen earned money for their families. Door-to-door sales was a real job. Some people made good money. However, it’s not a common profession anymore. Luckily, using video surveillance keeps the fakers away. Unfortunately, things have changed, and this has created a home security risk. Gradually, these jobs ended. Consequently, more fake salesmen showed up. Sadly, these folks got good at tricking people, sporting vacuums and cleaners just like the old days. In addition, they gave free gifts for demos. However, some real salesmen still exist. Nevertheless, most just check out your house. Now, more get caught because people see they need video cameras by their doors. Types of Door-To-Door Scams IIn Rochester, NY, laws control who can sell door-to-door. For example, Rochester says sellers need a license. This license costs $250 and lasts six months. But that’s not all. Sellers also need a $5,000 bond. An insurance company pays for this bond. Fortunately, this protects people from fake sales by licensed sellers. When someone knocks at your door, it’s smart to ask a door-to-door seller for ID. Also, talk through the closed door. Give the camera a chance to catch the scammer. You know more than ever that a person is a scammer if they try your door handle. Sometimes, they try windows or car door handles. These actions show they are bad news. As for the types of scams, here is what Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, and other parts of the country are experiencing: The meat company scam – A person comes to the door saying they are from a meat or food company and they want to make you a deal. The vacuum or carpet cleaner demo scam – Kirby still has some salespeople going door-to-door these days, but they will most likely have proof they are supposed to be there. Electric company scam – A person claiming to be from the electric company comes to the door and asks to see your bill for one reason or another. Security system scam – A legitimate security system company is never going to come to your door and ask to do a free estimate. Home improvement – Beware of a person claiming to be a construction worker comes to your door telling you they will fix your roof, siding, or fence for a portion of the money up front. You will never see them again. Syracuse, Buffalo & Rochester Using Video Surveillance Systems to Protect Your Family Having cameras by your doors stops fake sellers from hurting more people. Across the country, security cameras reveal the scams. Furthermore, homeowners with cameras almost always catch the scammers. To learn more about how you can protect your home with video surveillance, call SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 and we will get back to you ASAP.
The Most Common Phone Scams and How to Outsmart Them
Identifying the Most Common Phone Scams Scammers are everywhere. We deal with door-to-door, email, and internet scams. Now, scam artists use new tricks to cheat people over the phone. These common phone scams can even lead to robbery. Scammers might be checking to see who is home, if you have a security system, and other important details. Despite technological advances, the most common phone scams are getting more and more popular as a way to steal someone’s identity. Scammers find this type of fraud easier and safer for them. Unfortunately, it’s harder to catch a phone scammer because there’s no paper trail, unlike on the internet. Plus, they can manipulate caller ID systems to show false information. Can You Hear Me Now? Recently, a new phone scam called “Can You Hear Me Now?” has emerged. With this trick, the scammer tries to record your voice. After they ask, “Can you hear me now?” and you say “yes,” the scammer then claims you’ve agreed to something. As you talk, the scammer gains access to your personal information or anything else on your phone. They may also use many other questions to gather your information. Some other questions they might ask include: Are you the lady of the house? Are you a homeowner? Do you pay the household telephone bill? Scams like this are becoming more popular and there are many ways that you can protect yourself from them. Protecting Yourself From Theft Through Common Phone Scams Don’t Recognize Phone Number: If you ever see an unknown number calling, or if it says “restricted,” chances are it’s someone you don’t know. When this happens, simply let the call go to voicemail. Scammers never leave messages. If it’s a legitimate caller, they will leave one. Act Slowly: Don’t always rush to answer your phone. If you quickly pick up, thinking it’s someone you know, you could become the victim of a targeted scam. Always look carefully at all calls before answering. Let unknown numbers go straight to voicemail. Don’t Answer Any Questions Over The Phone: Answering questions over the phone often leads to information leaking to scammers. Even the smallest details can help a scam artist get your personal information. Never Give Out Information: No matter what, never give out your information when buying anything over the phone unless you initiated the call. If a company calls you about an item you’ve bought, you can ask questions to verify they are truly from that company. Don’t Pay: If you’re ever ordering anything over the phone, the company normally won’t call you to ask for payment. You, as the customer, always call them to pay for your purchases. Never give out your payment information or Social Security number to an unknown number. Scammers often ask for wire money transfers. If you ever hear the words “wire transfer,” you can be sure it’s a scam. Contact Your Rochester Security Company and Protect Yourself More! Take action now to be safer when answering the phone. You never know what scam artist is going to be calling next. If you have any questions on how to stay safe contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348.