Protect Against Identity Theft Scams

During tax season, your accountant isn’t the only who is busy processing your information. Identity thieves are also staying busy. The IRS reported that identity theft investigations have risen 66% since last year. What can you do to protect yourself from threats to your identity?

• Never carry your social security card in your wallet. This number is the skeleton key to unlocking identity vulnerabilities if your wallet is falls into the wrong hands. Credit cards can be cancelled –  your social security card cannot.

• Be cautious of providing any information to phishing schemes. When you receive unsolicited emails or phone calls asking for any personal information from you, check the source before providing anything. Your bank, the IRS and your security company will not contact you via email and ask for your social security number, birth date or address.

• If you are contacted that you’ve won a contest you don’t recall entering and are required to give information to secure your winnings, be wary. The only ones winning these sweepstakes are identity thieves.

• Protect your child’s identity, too. One of the fastest growing segments of identity theft is the stealing of a child’s Social Security number, name and other identifying information. Often, it is a relative or a close friend of the child’s parents who steals the information to set up new credit or bank accounts. You may not know there is a problem until you try to get your child a driver’s license, open up a checking account for him or her, or apply for a student loan. You can pull a child’s credit history once he or she turns 13, and you should do that annually once your kids are teenagers.

If you are contacted and aren’t sure whether the person is trying to scam you, try these easy steps:

The best way to avoid getting ripped off is to make sure you’re always in control of your money and personal financial information. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself according to the FBI:

1. Ask for a call-back number. If someone calls and says he or she is from your bank, credit card company, doctor’s office or another place with which you do business, tell the person you’re too busy to talk and ask for a phone number to call him or her back. If the individual says, “I’ll call you back at a more convenient time,” then hangs up, you can then call the doctor’s office, bank or credit card company and ask if they are trying to reach you for any reason.
2. Report the scam to the company in question. If it turns out that no one at the bank, credit card company or doctor’s office called you, you’ll know someone tried to pull a fast one. Ask for the department that monitors fraud and tell them what happened.
3. Report the scam to the FTC. While the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) won’t investigate individual complaints, it does catalog them and look for trends and large-scale fraud. You can file a complaint at ftc.gov. If the fraud involves the IRS (such as someone pretending to be from the IRS or if it involves children), you can call the Treasury Department directly to file a complaint.
4. Hang up. If you don’t want to get ripped off, the easiest thing to do is to decline to give any personal information over the telephone to anyone. If someone hits you up for a contribution to a charity, ask them to mail you information instead.

Learn More

If you’re interested in learning more about security, life safety, automation or video for your home or business, tell us a little about yourself and we’ll provide a no-hassle onsite security and safety assessment. Remember, even if you’re with another alarm company, most of the time we can use the equipment you already have installed and reprogram at no cost to you.

About Alarm Engineering

Locally owned and operated, Alarm Engineering has been securing Delmarva since 1985. In that time, we have developed a reputation for integrity, reliability, and quality with our emphasis on superior service to our customers. We know you have many choices when it comes to your security system, so here are some things you should know about us. 

Alarm Engineering is leading provider of electronic security systems and services in Delaware and the Eastern Shores of Maryland and Virginia. From integrated home security systems with home automation and video to large enterprise-level integrated systems and small business solutions, our highly trained and professional staff will get the job done right. As an Authorized Alarm.com dealer, we offer exclusive Crash and Smash technology, Geo-Fencing, Doorbell Camera and LiftMaster Garage Control as part of our Home Automation offerings.

For more about what sets us apart from the crowd, click here or give us a call at 410.546.2210. But don’t just take our word for it: read what our customers are saying.

Customer Spotlight: Delmarva Board Sports

Delmarva Board Sports rests peacefully at night knowing their gear is safe with security systems from Alarm Engineering. You can, too!

Delmarva Board Sports is the area’s original stand up paddle boarding and windsurfing outfitter. They are located on the water in Fenwick Island, DE / North Ocean City, MD next to Harpoon Hanna’s restaurant (142nd Street and the Bay) and they come highly recommended. Since 2010, they have been ranked “Best of the Beach” for paddle boarding, listed in numerous bucket list articles, ranked in the Top 10 Beach Activities at the beach by the Washington Post and ranked excellent on travel sites such as TripAdvisor.

In season (between Mother’s Day and Columbus Day), Delmarva Board Sports offers hourly paddle board lessons and tours at their waterfront shop as well as at various other venues around the Delmarva Peninsula.

Family friendly choices include an Assateague Island paddle boarding adventure as wild ponies grazing nearby or a Cape Henlopen sunset tour as dolphins frolic in the calm waters of the Delaware Bay.

Are you a night owl? Hop on board a NightSUP™ tour, which involves LED lighted paddleboards used at night to explore nocturnal marine life.

Looking for a challenge? Try one of their paddle board yoga & fitness classes or schedule a windsurfing lesson on a paddleboard.

They have plenty of kayaks too in case any member of the group prefers to remain seated. Booking an adventure can be done on their website, Facebook page, phone or email.

If you decide you’d like to buy, they offer tax free, try before you buy sales.

Get on board and experience aqua-zen for yourself.

Delmarva Board Sport Adventures
39084 Harpoon Road
Fenwick Island, DE 19944
302.537.6500 ext. 4
www.delmarvaboardsports.com
[email protected]

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About Alarm Engineering

Locally owned and operated, Alarm Engineering has been securing Delmarva since 1985. In that time, we have developed a reputation for integrity, reliability, and quality with our emphasis on superior service to our customers. We know you have many choices when it comes to your security system, so here are some things you should know about us. 

Alarm Engineering is leading provider of electronic security systems and services in Delaware and the Eastern Shores of Maryland and Virginia. From integrated home security systems with home automation and video to large enterprise-level integrated systems and small business solutions, our highly trained and professional staff will get the job done right. As an Authorized Alarm.com dealer, we offer exclusive Crash and Smash technology, Geo-Fencing, Doorbell Camera and LiftMaster Garage Control as part of our Home Automation offerings.

For more about what sets us apart from the crowd, click here or give us a call at 410.546.2210. But don’t just take our word for it: read what our customers are saying.

 Salisbury’s False Alarm Penalty Rates Increasing

March 27, 2013

Salisbury, MD – The City of Salisbury has passed an ordinance changing the fees/fines charged for false alarms. Council members are on record stating to the news media that they have reduced the false alarm fees, however this is incorrect. Not only are the new fees higher, but they are also higher than virtually any other jurisdiction in the country.

The graph and table below compare the old and new fees, and show who is impacted:

82% of those subject to the fees will see a 155% increase in costs on average.

As shown below, the home or business that experiences a third false alarm sees a 392% increase in the fee/fine. Any location experiencing 3-10 false alarms will pay a higher fee than before. On the other end of the spectrum, those using/abusing the city’s resources the most, with 14 false alarms, receive a 42% discount.

Giving “frequent flyer discounts” to those who have the most calls for service is totally contrary to the purpose of the fee/fine.

In summation, the vast majority of those affected by a false alarm fee will pay more, significantly more. The very small number of people experiencing 11 or more false alarms in a year, are the only ones benefiting from a fee reduction, yet they are the ones putting the most strain on the city’s limited resources.

Escalating fee/fine structures like the one Salisbury had in place prior to this change, are in use in almost all jurisdictions across the country, are proven to significantly reduce the number of false alarms, and have been successfully defended in many courts.

We urge you to contact all city representatives today to voice your opposition to the new “False Alarm Fee Schedule for Police Response”:

• Mayor Jim Ireton: 410-548-3100, [email protected]
• Council Vice President Debbie Campbell: 410-860-0893, [email protected]
• Council President Terry Cohen: 410-845-0296, [email protected]
• Councilwoman Laura Mitchell: 410-422-2694, [email protected]
• Councilwoman Shanie Shields: 443-523-0084, [email protected]
• Councilman Tim Spies: 410-219-5209, [email protected]

Stay Connected to Alarm Engineering

Like this article? Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletter and don’t miss a thing!

We post valuable safety and security information, specials, local interest stories, hilarious stupid criminal stories and contests on social media.  Join in now and stay connected!    

About Alarm Engineering

Locally owned and operated, Alarm Engineering has been securing Delmarva since 1985. In that time, we have developed a reputation for integrity, reliability, and quality with our emphasis on superior service to our customers. We know you have many choices when it comes to your security system, so here are some things you should know about us. 

Alarm Engineering is leading provider of electronic security systems and services in Delaware and the Eastern Shores of Maryland and Virginia. From integrated home security systems with home automation and video to large enterprise-level integrated systems and small business solutions, our highly trained and professional staff will get the job done right. As an Authorized Alarm.com dealer, we offer exclusive Crash and Smash technology, Geo-Fencing, Doorbell Camera and LiftMaster Garage Control as part of our Home Automation offerings.

For more about what sets us apart from the crowd, click here or give us a call at 410.546.2210. But don’t just take our word for it: read what our customers are saying.