APD warns homeowners of security system scam

Homeowners are encouraged to be wary of door-to-door salesmen who sell security alarms, police said in a news release, since the alarm systems can be expensive, unnecessary and substandard. Most important, police said, the scam gives these salesmen access to homes and can leave owners susceptible to burglary and other crimes.

It’s possible that several New Mexico burglaries can be attributed to the scam, Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a news release.

“The general practice is alarm companies will not use door-to-door sales tactics,” Gibbs said. “We want to urge the public to use caution when considering what security system sales agents have to offer, especially if they come to your front door uninvited.”

Gibbs described the scam artists’ sales pitches as aggressive and deceptive, and he said the elderly are generally targeted. Salesmen claim that neighborhoods have seen an increase in burglaries, offer free equipment in exchange for signatures, and stress that immediate action is necessary, according to the news release.

Should homeowners be visited by a sales agent who appears disreputable, police said they should call APD’s False Alarm Reduction Unit at 505-768-2144.
— This article appeared on page C2 of the Albuquerque Journal