Scammers have found yet another area in which to con homeowners: home security.

Home security sales shams are on the rise, according to Better Business Bureau (BBB), with the majority of recent incidents concentrated in Utah.

The scam involves a “salesperson” knocking on doors, informing homeowners that their security system is being “upgraded” or that the security company is “going out of business,” and then threatening homeowners with discontinued service if they do not comply with their demands.

Many of these salespeople, BBB reports, claim to be from ADT, one of the nation’s widely used home security companies.

“[Last year], about 600,000 consumers nationwide turned to BBB to look up information about home security companies,” said Jane Driggs, president and CEO of BBB Utah, in a statement. “While we love it when they come to us for the research, they also come to us to complain—and what they complain about, far too often, is that the salesperson who knocked on their door was not honest about what they were selling. Consumers feel pressured into signing before they understand that they are switching companies and increasing their costs.”

Knowledge is your best defense. To learn how to spot a home security scam, as well as best buying practices, visit BBB.org/HomeSecurity.

Source: BBB

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