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.

In the New York Times, a sad story was shared in November 2007. A man, who was recently released for sexual assault from prison, saw a newspaper article with a picture of an 11 year old boy and made him his next target. “He gained the confidence of the family by claiming he was with the newspaper and was writing an article about the boy.” Simply claiming to be a newspaper reporter allowed him entrance in to the home. The boy was tragically assaulted and murdered by the man.

home security

A show aired on Oprah demonstrated the lack of home security sense a lot of people have, and how easily people can fall for home security scams. They set up a male staff member with a hidden camera posing as a police detective. He knocked doors of 100 different homes, showing them a fake police badge that had been typed on a type writer on normal white paper. Shockingly every single door invited him to come 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.”

A gang of burglars in the United Kingdom used a crying child to break into homes. The Teeside Evening Gazette reported “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.

It is easily understood why a security alarm system for your home is so important. But what what other security measures should be used? What are other things you can do to make your home less appealing to burglars?

Having a yard with a clear view from the street is a great place to start. A home with a clear view is harder to break in to than one that is covered with bushes and trees. Here are some ideas of ways to keep security in mind in regards to the landscape of your home.

Try to keep trees away from your home, especially if you have more than one story. When trees are close to your home thieves can use them as make-shift ladders. If you already have trees near your home, keep it well trimmed so burglars would be able to be spotted if they do try to hide or use the tree.

Be sure that your lawn is mowed regularly. A lawn that is not kept up will be a red flag to others that you may not be home. Keep your home from catching people’s eyes by having your lawn mowed regularly, especially when you are away on business trips or vacation.

Trim all your brushes and shrubs. You shouldn’t let your shrubs grow taller than 2 to 3 feet. Larger bushes may be beautiful to look at, but they also provide hiding spots for thieves.

If you are determined to have bushes consider planting thorny bushes near the entrances of your home. Thorny bushes may be a helpful deterrent against thieves choosing to hide there. No thief wants rose shrubs stuck in their sides.

Keep your home easily viewed by neighbors and those passing by. Don’t close off your home with a line of trees. This may be a beautiful way of gaining privacy, but thieves often take advantages of homes like this because neighbors can’t see them breaking in to your home.

Outdoor lighting is also a great security measure. Motion lighting, in particular, is a good choice for security. It allows you to know the instant something moves near your home, and also saves you money on your electricity bills.