Better Business Bureau Warns Of Door-to-Door Scams

Photo Credit: Simpson Security Systems

As the weather changes, so do the scams.

Spring is here and people are out and about, including both legitimate and illegitimate business people. The Better Business Bureau is warning the public of door-to-door scams, of which there will be an increase in the coming weeks.

The warm season is the selling season, but it’s best to be cautious with door-to-door salespeople this time of year. Scammers will often pose as salespeople to knock on your door, offering you seemingly legitimate goods and services ranging from home improvement packages and security services.

While there are many salespeople going around this time of year, it’s important to watch out for certain red flags. High-pressure, deceptive sales practices are a serious red flag, and salespeople employing these practices should be turned away and/or ignored. Home security is a particularly troubling area, with about half a million people searching up home security companies on the Better Business Bureau website. Home security companies are ranked 26th on the BBB site for most complaints.

One of the most common scams is when a scammer shows up at your home, pretends to be from your home security company, and gets you to fill out forms containing personal financial information. Once the scammer has your information, they will usually pretend they did something useful, such as a quick update, then they’ll be off with your information.

Another commonly reported scam involves a scammer coming to your door offering a free installation in exchange for permission to put a yard sign in your yard. What they won’t tell you is that you’re being duped into a contract which carries a monthly service fee.

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5 years ago