Spotting A Security Scam
Have you ever been tricked by a sales scam? Every year hundreds of companies send out young men and women to go door to door selling various services like pest control, security systems, and more. Most of the time the sales people are honest and work with reputable companies. Other times they’re just there to take your money. Here are four ways to spot a scammer.
High Pressure Tactics:
Have you ever heard the phrases “act now” or “this offer won’t last?” These phrases attempt to create a sense of emergency in the listener’s mind. They make you believe that if you don’t buy now you will lose out on your chances. This tactic is called scarcity and it’s just one of the high-pressure sales tactics scam salesmen use to trick you. Remember, if the sales person is with a reputable company and have a compelling offer, they have no reason to pressure you into a sale.
You can also spot high pressure tactics if the sales rep uses fear as a motivator. For example, a security scam might say, “If you don’t have a security system you are putting your family’s life at risk.” This is a method used to scare you into a purchase. Make sure you are only basing your purchase decisions off your needs and your personal situation.
Credentials
Companies that have door-to-door sales reps use ID badges and branded uniforms. Most companies will provide a way for you to check if sales rep is who they say they are. If they say they are with one company but their uniform is from another, turn them away. Also, if they do not have a uniform be very cautious.
At Alder, we provide our sales reps with ID badges and uniforms which can be seen below. We also have a Verify Rep page on our website which allows you to check to see if a rep works with us and get contact informations for his or her manager.
Deceptive Contracts
Most companies have contracts in place to offer lower prices to their customers. Most of the time they are beneficial to the customer and the company. It is important to read any contract you sign very carefully and make sure to ask questions if you don’t understand something.
Many scam contracts use introductory pricing. That means they offer you a lower rate and then 6–18 months into your contract they raise your prices. For example, many TV providers increase their monthly prices 30–50% after 24 months. Make sure you ask your sales representative if the price they quoted is an introductory rate. Whether you ask or not, they are required by law to disclose that information.
References
Any good sales representative will have a long list of customers that have worked with them in the past. It’s always a good practice to ask for references from the sales rep. Three references should be your minimum as it’s very easy for a dishonest sales rep to give you the contact information of a friend or co-worker that will pretend to be a reference.
The bottom line is if you don’t feel comfortable wait, research, and make sure you’re making a good purchase. Most of the time door-to-door reps are associated with reputable companies and are offering useful services. If you spot one issues outlined here turn the representative away.
