We had a very unsettling event yesterday. We were all out front, it was after dinner time and we were playing with our kids and dogs, out front. A young guy came up the driveway, was carrying a clipboard and some yard signs for a home security company. He asked us if we wanted to sign up for a free installation of a home security system–he could take all the information today and schedule it, and then we could put the sign in our yard. We declined.

As he was walking away, my brother muttered something about it was probably a scam anyway.

Well, this morning, I see the same guy walking around the neighborhood at 8 am. That’s an odd time for door-to-door sales, if you ask me. My husband did some looking around online, and we ended up contacting the state police and our borough office. I cannot confirm if this guy was an actual scammer or not, but here’s how it goes–

Someone does just what he did–goes around door to door and asks you if you want to sign up for a home security system. If you say yes, you’ve basically just confirmed that you don’t already have one, right? Then, he schedules one with you–therefore finding out if you have dogs, and when people are and aren’t home. Then, finally, he gives you that lovely sign to put in your yard, so that the rest of his team knows which house to get, which they will come back and empty, when they know you are not home.

So beware!