Had a random person show up at my door, not bothered by my dogs barking, the cameras, or the car in the driveway. They claimed to work for ADT through some New Haven program or something like that—security-related. Kept asking if I was the new homeowner and then started asking about my security system, which felt off. Instead of answering, I took down their name and company info. I told them everyone on the street has security, and door-to-door visits aren’t a good idea. They mentioned they had a list of new homeowners and were offering a special program. We rent through a real estate agent, so I don’t even know when she bought the house.
This all happened at 7:30 at night, and I’m home alone with my two dogs. One of my dogs jumped out when I opened the door and was all over the person, but in a friendly way, not aggressive.
What made me suspicious was that they said they didn’t have a badge because it was their first day. They drove off in a car with a temporary paper plate, so I couldn’t get a license number.
Was this legit, or was this person casing my house? They were acting strange on camera, talking to themselves like, “Nope, they’re not home… oh look, they have a camera,” and walked away before I came out.
A lot of third-party salespeople do this. Most work for subcontractors under the bigger company, and they often only get paid if they make a sale. Some areas have cracked down on door-to-door sales, but they find ways around it. It’s annoying but technically legit in many cases.
Caitlin said: @Donbosco
Yeah, that could be the case. What made it weird for me was the no badge and the ‘first day’ story. It felt sketchy.
Most of the time, they’re not even employees, just subcontractors. It’s usually a disorganized mess, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they just hand people a tablet and send them off to knock on doors.
Sounds like an ADT ‘dealer’ trying to sell you something. They probably got your info from the listing agent since they get kickbacks. I’d stay away from them.
Eva said:
Sounds like an ADT ‘dealer’ trying to sell you something. They probably got your info from the listing agent since they get kickbacks. I’d stay away from them.
That makes sense. If it’s just a sales thing, that’s a relief. Either way, I’m not interested in ADT.
This is why I installed a security screen door. I can open the main door without letting anyone inside. Even at rentals, I get permission from the landlord to put one in.