When you’re considering your home security it’s not just the best locks and alarms you need to be looking at, you should also be aware of other risks that may compromise the security of your home. It is important that you are aware of other such risks and learn how to avoid them so that you can reduce the risk of you and your family becoming a target.
Unfortunately, burglar scams, AKA “Door to Door Scams” are incredibly common. The only way to combat this is to educate yourself and your family on the tactic’s burglars use, this will drastically reduce the risk of your home becoming a potential target.
Below we have put together some information on common burglar scams so that you can be aware of what to look out for when someone comes knocking at your door, helping keep your property and family safe.
The Knocker Scam
This is one of the most common burglar scams, it has even been reported on national news and prompted local authorities to issue warnings against it! The way in which this id done is really quite simple, burglars pose as door-to-door salesmen and pretend there selling items such as cleaning products however their real goal is to get a good lock at your property, what security measures are in place, where valuables are kept, and also get to know the street so they can figure out what time your property is likely to be empty.
After they have gathered enough information, other members of the scam will be informed and together they make a plan on when is best and how to gain entry to your property and leave with as much high value items as possible. Here is the best Locksmith York Services visit now.
The best way of avoiding this scam is to have a chain lock installed to the inside of your door, this will allow you to answer the door to see who it is, but if it is someone untoward then the door will not open enough for them to see in! Another option is to just simply not open the door to sellers and don’t invite them into your property.
Fake Utility Worker Scam
This scam usually involves two people. They knock at your property posing as utility works claiming that there is an emergency situation, such as a gas leak, that requires immediate access to your property to be fixed for everyone’s safety. Once inside one of them will stay with you to keep you distracted while the other roams freely around your property taking whatever money and other valuables they can.
This is unfortunately an effective scam as the though of something wrong with one of your utilities can cause quite a panic, and if you refuse entry to your property, they will then often threaten you with a fine. Here is the Emergency Locksmith York Services you can visit now!
This scam can be easily avoided, if you have not received any prior notice from your utility provider that maintenance or repair works need to be carried out then you can simply refuse entry, they do not have the authority to issue fines, if they do not accept your refusal then a threat to call the police should do the trick!
Fake Authority Scams
This is a burglar scam in which they will pose as census surveyors. They will come to your property and ask questions to gain personal information such as:
· Where you work
· If you have children
· Financial Status
· National Insurance numbers
And other such information, the reason behind this scam being successful it that we are inclined to trust “official” people.
You can avoid falling victim to this scam by ensuring the person that you are talking to has the correct identification and paperwork to back them up. You can also find the number of the authority they claim to be from to corroborate their story however you should never call a number that they provide you with as it could be part of the scam! If you can’t validate their story, then don’t let them in!
As it stands, most scams are easily avoidable if you know what you’re looking for! If you do recognise someone attempting one of these scams or similar in your area, then you should inform the police so that the scammers can be caught before someone falls victim. As an extra precaution you can invest in security alarms and high security locks to better protect your property against burglars.
If you need more information about burglar scams or how you can improve the security measures at your property contact Dr Locks ltd today – 01904 295 465
