While it is not possible to plan for every scam, it is possible to increase your awareness and decrease your odds of becoming a victim. The home is an area that lends itself to many types of crimes. Knowing what to look for can save your life.

Criminals have been know to pose as stranded motorists to gain entry into your home. There may come a knock at your door with a vulnerable looking character on the other side. They may seem panicked or in a state of emergency. You become pressured to offer assistance. When you open the door others push the door in and gain entry.

If you really want to help, call the police and let them do there job. If it is a legitimate emergency, thats really the only help you can safely offer. Criminals will stop at nothing to trick you into opening your door.

Its not uncommon for a criminal to pose as a salesman or some other type of solicitor. While it is nice to help legitimate organizations, it is probably a better idea to contribute through the home office or website. Most of them should have one.

With very few exceptions, you should not invite people in who are selling door-to-door . It can lead to trouble. Even if they are legitimate, you never really know who is watching and assessing your vulnerability. Opening your door for strangers is viewed as a weakness by criminals.

Another popular cover for criminals is religious groups. Beware of the stranger at your front door with the donation basket. In this age of technology very few legitimate charities practice house-to-house collections. Most use websites or the mail for advertising and provide return envelops for donations.

If you open your door to this type soliciting, you may get more than you bargain for. If you want to contribute do so at the local Wal-Mart where there is no end to the number of charities. A simple I am not interested, may persuade a would be criminal that you are aware of your surroundings. Always know there is a possibility that things may go wrong.

There is nothing unusual about people getting lost. You may not think twice about opening your door if someone is asking for directions. This is one of the most common ploys criminal use to gain access to your home.

They may even go as far as to have an official looking vehicle and uniform. If they are truly lost, they should have a home office to contact and get on the right track. You should not be lured by this deception. Offer to call the police and watch them scatter.

The telephone is high on the list of ways criminals gain access to your home. They may say something like, my car broke down and my child is sick. Sometimes, there maybe a woman who appears to be pregnant accompanying the criminal.

In recent news a gentleman opened his door for someone who claimed an emergency an asked to use the phone. He was stabbed to death by what turned out to be a drifter. Circumstances could have been easily changed if he had just offered to call the police instead. If they are legitimate they will not mind waiting. The tricks are endless.

Death or the possibility of death is often used by criminals to scam their way into your home. The thought of someone dying may invoke panic in the resident being asked for help. Sometimes it enough to get the door to your home open. If someone is dying their best treatment is the nearest emergency dispatch.

Opening your door in the middle of the night will not change the circumstances. If it is legitimate, calling for the right help may save the life. If it is not, it may save yours. Do not consider opening your door, call for help and teach your children to do the same.

If you have children your security is decreased immensely. Every child adds a thousand variables to what is already a complicated situation. Criminals sometimes pose as relatives to get children to open your home door. Children are trusting and tend to believe an adult if they look and sound legitimate.

Criminals may conduct very detailed research about a family, and will use the information to gain entry into the home. Children must be taught awareness at a very early age. Trouble is often plentiful and free for the asking.

The offer of a free gift is a trick used by criminals. The days are long gone when you could open your door to everyone bearing a free gift. Sometimes the gifts are elaborate. You should remember the adage, that you already possess the things that are truly free, and that nothing much else is free.

Flat out refusing the offer can save you the absolutely free trouble that may come your way if you open the door. Do not open your home door to accept free gifts. Keep trouble at bay by keeping your door closed.

Criminals may pretend they are looking for a lost pet to get into your home. A sad face shows up at your door. He asks if you have seen his lost dog. He says, the dog has never been lost and he is afraid it will be hurt.

If you open your door to talk it over you may be attacked. There are organizations to handle this kind of problem. You should not test fate and open your door to discuss the situation. A simple, I have not seen the pet yelled through the door should suffice.