Springtime Security Scams

How do you feel after a door-to-door salesman stops by? Are you one of those people simply agitated and annoyed and who probably won’t even answer your door? Or are you more likely to hear them out and wonder afterwards if you should have snatched up the deal they were selling? Perhaps, you are one of the few who always say yes, just because they are way too convincing. No matter which category you fall under, you should be warned when it comes to home security scams. With the nicer weather of spring abounding, door-to-door salesmen come out of hiding. You will likely begin hearing your doorbell more and more, with many of those rings coming from salesmen pushing home security systems.

Call and Verify

While a few of these may be legitimate, chances are high that most will be scams you should run far away from. The number one litmus test you should always apply is contacting the parent company before ever agreeing to anything. Get the name or business card of the salesman with whom you are speaking, and then call the company they are claiming to be from to verify their employment and the offer they are selling. You may be surprised to find out the company has never heard of this employee or their sales pitch.

Do Your Research

Even if you call and verify with the company, you should still do your due diligence in researching the company. Salesmen are smart when it comes to scams (that’s why they work so well), so you have to research thoroughly the legitimacy of the company. Fortunately, the Internet is a powerful tool for this, but you should also check with your neighbors to see if they have had any positive of negative experiences with this company. Many HOAs also have requirements to register before being allowed to solicit, therefore helping to weed out the illegitimate companies. Before buying into any sales, check with your HOA to make sure this is a verified company.

Never Sign on the Spot

A big part of why door-to-door scams work so well is that they get you to sign and agree to it on the spot. By making statements such as “If you sign up now, I’ll give you a 50% discount,” or “This is good for today only, if you sign right now,” these tricky salesmen will get you to sign a binding contract in pursuit of a great deal. Never let yourself be enticed by a “deal you can’t refuse,” because that deal will likely cost you big time. A reasonable and legitimate company, one you would want to entrust the security of your home to, should honor any offer presented to you by a salesman at your door when you call to verify.

If you would like to know more about a home security company who will not run any scams and one you can rely on, consider contacting us at Watch Guard Alarms today. We’ll walk you through what you need, why you need it, and get you an affordable home security system – without the need for shady door-to-door tactics!

Three Surprising Facts About Burglaries

In this day and age, we’re all relatively educated when it comes to home safety.  We pretty much know we can’t leave our doors unlocked anymore and not to say we’re out of town on our answering machine.  What may surprise you, though, are the lesser-known facts about home burglaries and thefts.

Daytime vs. Nighttime

When most of us imagine a break-in, we think of the man in the ski mask at night sneaking around in the dark.  We are mistaken, however, if we believe this is how most burglaries occur.  The fact is that most home thefts happen between 9:00am and 3:00pm daily.  If you think about it, it makes sense.  During a typical day, most people are away from their homes at work, school, or running errands.  Daytime is the prime time for homes to be left empty, whereas, most people are at home during the evenings and at night.  No burglar wants to get caught, so the best time is when nobody’s around!

Trimming Matters

We all know that HOAs and OCD neighbors like us to keep a well-trimmed and maintained yard.  For more than just avoiding being Public Enemy No. 1 at the neighborhood barbecue, it is of utmost importance to keep a tidy yard for the purpose of preventing burglaries.  Thieves look for untrimmed bushes and hedges to hide in.  The more overgrown the foliage, the better.  Especially in acreage near your house, if you have any dark or hidden areas due to plants, trees, or any other kind of clutter, you will be a prime target for a break-in.

Front and Center

We’ve seen in the movies where the burglar is sneaking in the tiny bathroom window, maybe getting stuck or tripping over the toilet.  While it may seem more logical to maneuver a sneak attack through a difficult entry, the fact is that most burglars enter through the front or back door.  Even more surprising, almost half of those are not even forced!  This tells us that obvious points of entry are the easiest for a thief, most likely because the lock is inadequate or they are never even secured to start with.

Especially in this day and age, never make assumptions about or take for granted the safety of your home from theft.  If you place the security of your family and valuables at a high priority, you should know that homes without alarm systems are three times more likely to be broken into than those homes protected with electronic security systems.  If you would like more information on how Watch Guard can defend your home from often unpredictable intruders, please contact us today!

Who's Next Door?

When you were a kid, were you out playing in the neighborhood until you heard your mom calling for dinner?  Did you and your friends ride your bikes around town until dusk?  These may be pleasant memories for you, but unfortunately, kids these days have limited freedom.  Gone are the days where kids are safe to play in the streets by themselves without risk of predators stealing their innocence. As unfortunate as this sad fact is, the good news is that there are advances being made in locating and knowing if registered sex offenders are living or working in your neighborhood.  Although not a method of preventing crimes from occurring, knowledge of who is living next door can help to either reassure or warn you when it comes to the safety of your children.

By clicking the link below you are able to search by state or name to see registered sex offenders.  Information varies by state, but typically will include their pictures, homes addresses, offenses, and work addresses.

U.S. Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Website

By looking through offenders in your area, you will be better able to recognize suspicious characters, stop your children from spending time with or near them, and have a knowledge that may end up protecting your loved ones from potential harm.  The G.I. Joes knew what they were talking about when they said, “Knowing is half the battle.”

If you are aware of sexual offenders living or working in your area and would like further assistance in safeguarding your kids while in your home, please contact Watch Guard today.  We’ll put a security system in place to protect your home from any unwanted neighbors from next door.

I See You!

Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched? That’s the premise behind many movies and television shows; but chances are, it happens more than you may think! More and more commercial and residential spaces are utilizing video surveillance as a security measure – and for good reason! There are many benefits to adding security cameras as part of your home or business security systems including acting as a theft deterrent, monitoring activities, and serving as evidence for any crimes committed.

Deterrent

If a potential thief sees you have video surveillance, they are far less likely to pick your house or place of business as a target. They know that the chances of them getting caught are increased, and they will move on to an option much “safer” for them. This also works internally. If your employees or home contractors are aware that you have cameras installed, chances are good they will resist the temptation to steal from you.

Monitoring

Beyond warding off potential threats, a camera surveillance system can serve multiple uses while you are away from your residence or business. If you are gone on vacation, you will be able to see what is going on in or around your house. While you are not physically at your business facility, you can still see what your employees are doing in all areas of your space (even from your tablet or mobile device). This helps not only alert you when theft or vandalism is occurring, but helps you keep an eye on pets, employees, and other liabilities and interests.

Evidence

Should a crime be committed despite a surveillance system being in place, the good news is that you can use the images collected as evidence. Countless times, footage taken from security cameras has been exactly what was needed to identify and convict criminals, whether it was theft or another crime committed on personal or corporate property.

All these reasons and more are why you should consider investing in a video surveillance system to accompany your other security measures. Watch Guard can help you decide what is best for you and will design a security system for your unique personal or business surveillance needs. We’ll give you peace of mind knowing you really can be two places at once, watching out for what’s important to you while being free to enjoy life!

Don't Forget to Shut the Garage Door

How many times have you been an hour down the road heading to your vacation, and you wonder, “Did I shut the garage door?” Along with clicking off the coffee pot and turning down the air conditioning, the garage can be one of those things that pulls at you all vacation long wondering if you took care of it before you left! What many people won’t think about, though, is how to secure your garage even beyond making sure the door is shut. People invest in securing their homes through door and window locks and home security systems, but what about the garage? What have you done to protect your possessions there and secure that access into your home?

Hide the Remotes

What is easier for a thief than clicking a button to gain access into your home? They know right where to look for your garage opener, too – your car’s visor. To avoid having easy access through your garage automatic opener, always bring the remote in with you. They even have keychain remotes now which make it easy to have on you at all times. If you do happen to lose your remote, be sure to reset the codes on your garage opener.

Secure the Doors

As far as your garage door, you should unplug the automatic lift unit while you are gone for an extended period. This way, it won’t open even if the thief somehow gains access to your passcode or remote. If you don’t have the automatic opener, you can still purchase deadbolt locks for your door to more firmly secure the garage door from being able to open. Additionally, always lock the door into your home from the garage and consider purchasing heavy-duty hinges and locks for added security.

Fortify the Windows

If your garage is large enough to have windows, you should consider concealing them with a film or other covering to prevent snooping eyes from seeing all your garage goodies. To help stop a break-in through these windows, consider using interior bars (you can even make these yourself!) as an additional security measure.

Beyond all these measures, you should consider utilizing a home security system to notify authorities of any break-in while you’re not at home (or even while you are!). Motion detector lights are also a good theft deterrent, as thieves typically don’t like to be in the spotlight while committing their crimes. If you’d like any more information on securing your garage, please contact Watch Guard today!