Police Warn of Potential “Alarm” Scam

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Expert

Call them con men, grifters, scammers, or thieves. Or simply call them liars. Lying is what they do best. They stare you in the eyes, do it via email or over the phone and lie through their teeth. They do it casually and with such conviction that we have no reason not to believe them.

A Police Department investigated a suspicious activity report after a resident contacted police about an “alarm company” calling and offering a free home security system for people in their neighborhood.

Someone representing “Maximum Security” said the company was giving away five home security systems.

The “representative” would ask if the resident had a security system in the home, at which point the resident said he was not comfortable discussing the home’s security system. Which or course is the appropriate response. In this case, after the resident made it a difficult sales call and the sales person hung up on him. This prompted a call to the police.

When the police investigated the caller ID number, they were met with busy signals and incomplete calls.

I’ve been addressed in a similar way over the phone, at my front door and via email.

Whatever you tell them can be used against you. They can steal your identity. If they find out you don’t have an alarm they may break into your house. If you tell them who your home alarm is with they may call you at a later date posing as that alarm company and requesting “updated credit card numbers”.

This “request” is best resolved by not answering any questions at all, hanging up, deleting the email or telling the person at the front door (while you speak to them through the locked door) you are not interested. No matter what, never give them social security or credit card numbers, or tell them whether or not you have an alarm.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing cons and schemes on the Donny Deutsch Show. Disclosures