Home Security Scams
Almost all home security scams happen when people are not using safety measures. While most burglaries happen while you are away from the home, that does not stop some burglars from taking advantage of you while you are home. Below are some examples of home security scams that people have fallen victim to in the past five years.
The Shreveport Times reported a home invasion story in March 2006. “Charlie Henry said some of the same intruders who invaded his home had stopped by a week ago to question him about where another person lived. Yesterday a woman came to the door alone asking for water. As soon as he let her in, the three men stormed into his house.” This scam involves using a seemingly innocent woman, which many people do not suspect to cause any harm to them.
Reporter Scam: The New York Times shared the following sad story on November 15, 2007: Mark Schwab was sentenced to death for the murder of an 11-year-old boy. He’d seen the boy’s picture in the newspaper shortly after Schwab was released from prison on a sexual assault sentence. He gained the confidence of the family by claiming he was with the newspaper and was writing an article about the boy.
Police Scam: An Oprah Winfrey show demonstrated the lack of home security measures many people take, and how easily people fall for home security scams. A male staff member wore a hidden camera on a business suit and knocked on 100 different homes pretending to be a police detective. When the door was opened he showed them a very fake police ID tag that was on ordinary paper and typed on a typewriter. Shockingly, every single door invited him inside.
Some people choose to distract you to gain entrance into your home. The Norwich Evening News reported a story of a set of burglaries that took place when the homeowner got a panicked phone call telling them there was an emergency, such as an explosion down the street. While the homeowner went outside to investigate the explosion the burglar gained entrance inside their unlocked door.
A Louisville news station WAVE3-TV, reported a story about a man who was taken advantage of by burglars who knew his name. “They knocked on my door and called out my name. I wasn’t thinking anything about home security. I just unlocked the door. And that’s when they stuck a shotgun in my face.”
Crying Child Technique: Another United Kingdom article from the Teeside Evening Gazette, from August 2004, shared this unconventional scam: Detectives are hunting a gang using a tearful boy and the tale of a lost hamster to breach the home security of pensioners. The cruel con involves the youngster knocking on victims’ doors then tearfully claiming his pet has wandered into their garden. While the householder helps the boy search for the phantom pet, the boy’s adult accomplice enters the property and rifles the house.
These stories range from simple burglaries to assault and even murder. We do not share these stories to scare you, but rather to show you the importance of home safety. All of these scams could easily have been avoided had security measures been taken. Look for our next blog article where we will share tips on how to prevent these scams from happening to you.
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