Beware of local alarm scam

Neighbor Amy Walter reports that three men claiming to be from an alarm company knocked on her door last week. They turned out to be attempting a scam, but Amy wasn't fooled:

At around 5:30, 6:00pm tonight, a white vanfull of guys was going around the neighborhood posing as reps from your existing alarm company. An alarm scam story was apparently recently on the evening news. They appear to only pick houses that have existing alarm systems....this happened to me and the girl across the street tonight. I'm not sure whether or not they case houses with single people in them...the 2 married neighbors did not have alarm systems but they did not stop at their houses either. I reported this to the police....please alert your neighbors.

The 'company' called themselves 'The Alarm Company, LLC'. Their business card had the name scratched out and they are from Cordova, Tenn on the card.

They pulled up into my driveway, not on the street like some people do when they are walking through to sell things. They come to your door saying they are from 'the alarm company' and they need to come in and update the system. It sounds like they are from YOUR company the way they say it. I've had alarm systems for years and they never do this...any upgrades are done from HQ and if there is anything new going on, we receive mailings. They did not say that they wanted to give information about their company, and they didn't have anything to hand out. This is how they gain access into your home. I didn't let them in. My unfortunate neighbor did....the guy looked around for her control pad and then programmed a code into it. They come back later and rob your house.

They look clean cut. They are wearing clipped badges with a bunch of tiny info on it that you can't read. One was a dark haired white guy about 5'8"; one was an affable chunky wavy blond haired guy about 5:11"; one was lean, clean cut and African American. They took off in a hurry and left a guy in my neighbor's house, who ended up using her phone with an excuse that he left his in the car, to call their number. This is so they can call to see if anyone's home. I had a chance to get their license plate when they came back to retrieve him. [They drove a] White Sedona van ... The van was registered to a woman who was not in the car. They may even be bogus plates.

As anyone knows, if you've ever signed up for a legit alarm system, you have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and pay them. Then you have to register, and get an alarm sticker. These people are not doing this. BEWARE!

They also asked if my system had been updated in the last 3 years....not sure if they are trying to find wireless systems they can access with remote alarm fobs but that's a question for your alarm company.

Anyway, stay safe!

Thanks, Amy, for passing this information along. If you do encounter these men, please call the police at (615) 862-8600 to report them.