Home Security Bogus Callers
November 23rd, 2008

Home Security: Bogus Callers

We all know how important home security is and how important it is to make sure that you take all the necessary steps to protect your home and your family. There is a technical side of home security field. It deals with installing an appropriate security system, alarms, video surveillance, door and window locks and other security equipment. This is definitely a necessary part of your home protection. However, some of the burglars don't try to break in your house the regular way. There is another type of criminals called bogus callers who will try to trick you to get inside your house and steal your belongings. They can work independently or as a team and they have many ways that they may try to use to deceive you.

The most common way how bogus callers will try to get in your house is by trying to present themselves as agents of some type of maintenance or service company. For example, they may tell you that they are from your local electrical, water of gas company and they are there to install some type of equipment or to fix something that is broken or old. They will usually wear a company uniform and may have instruments or installation equipment with them. Bogus callers try to deceive you and they are trying to look as believable as possible. It is possible that bogus callers found out that you placed an order for something to be installed in your home (furniture, for example) and may use this to get in your house. If you do let them inside, they will try to steal your valuables by distracting you one way or another.

There are several ways to protect you from bogus callers. The first rule is not to let anyone you don't know inside your house until you are completely sure they are who they say they are. If a person who knocked at your door does not look trustworthy, don't open the door at all. After the person introduced him or her and said that he or she was sent to do some type of work around your house, make sure to check that person's identification documents. Every respectful utility or maintenance company issues identification documents to its workers. If you have any doubt, call the company and check to make sure that this is, indeed, one of their workers. Utility companies usually have certain ways to make sure that this is one of their employees. You can ask if this person was sent to your house on a work assignment. Also know that there may be several people claiming to be the representatives of a utility or other type of organization. Be even more careful with a group of people since this is a much riskier situation.

If you do let them in, make sure that there is someone in the room when they perform their work. Never leave someone alone in your house if you don't know or don't trust him or her. If someone who is claiming to be a repairman or an agent of a utility company tries to distract you or asks you to go to another room or outside of the building, don't do that. If you call and ask for some service to be performed in your house in advance, you should make sure that you are not alone during the time of the visit. Ask your friends or family to stay with you at your home during that time.

If you follow all the steps described above you will be more secure: you will protect your home, your family and your valuables. The examples above described a situation when bogus callers are trying to identify themselves as repairmen or representatives of utility companies. However, you should know that bogus callers may try to enter your home under other identities. You should be careful at all times when you are dealing with an unknown person. It is better to spend an extra two or three minutes checking the identity of the unknown person then to become a victim of a bogus caller. All you have to do is to be careful and think about your home security

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