| Due to the increase in door-to-door salesman, | | | | Keep in mind that having a dog doesn’t mean |
| criminals looking to scope out your residence, and | | | | that you have to blood train him or put him on |
| other annoyances, you may sometimes feel that | | | | steroids to keep unwanted visitors away. What |
| answering your door isn’t worth it. When | | | | you need, is an aggressive dog that will stand his |
| you do finally answer your door and find a | | | | ground and help you keep your privacy. When a |
| door-to-door salesman, you may have a very | | | | solicitor visits your home and sees your |
| tough time getting rid of them. They will | | | | aggressive dog, he won’t want to sacrifice a |
| continue to hassle you and keep coming back until | | | | sale at the risk of getting bit by your dog. |
| you support their group or buy one of their | | | | As annoying as door-to-door solicitors are, there |
| “innovative” products. | | | | are ways that you can improve your security and |
| To prevent this from happening and keep | | | | your privacy around your home. You can also |
| unwanted company from bothering you, you | | | | invest in home surveillance systems as well, to |
| should use a protective barrier between your | | | | further enhance your privacy and security. For |
| door and the street. You don’t really need a | | | | solicitors, fencing with a locked gate is the best |
| 15 foot high electric fence, as even the most | | | | way to go, if you have the room for it. On the |
| basic of fencing will do the trick. You can install a | | | | other hand, if you don’t have the space for a |
| simple decorative fence around your yard, | | | | fence, you can always use a dog or other options. |
| complete with locking gate, to keep any type of | | | | Privacy and security is very important - which is |
| solicitors at bay. | | | | why you don’t want solicitors invading your |
| Although a fence is a great way to achieve | | | | space. |
| privacy, not everyone has a yard that they can | | | | Don't forget, Hustlers and Con Artists know a lot |
| build a fence on. You can also use a gate that | | | | more about the psychology of their victims than |
| blocks entry to your porch or front door, as this | | | | security engineers typically do; and therefore that |
| way you can keep the gate locked at all times. | | | | the latter might learn useful lessons from the |
| The main idea and theory here is to make it | | | | former. The paper describes several different con |
| difficult to approach the door to your home. | | | | scenarios and then lists and explains six general |
| This way, salesman, solicitors, and even snoops | | | | psychological principles that con artists use. They |
| will see that it requires a lot of effort to reach | | | | are as follows. |
| you - and they will normally just give up and | | | | 1. The distraction principle. While you are distracted |
| move on. | | | | by what retains your interest, hustlers can do |
| Even though a fence or locked gate are great, | | | | anything to you and you won't notice. |
| you can’t overlook a dog either. A barking | | | | 2. The social compliance principle. Society trains |
| dog can be very effective, as trespassers simply | | | | people not to question authority. Hustlers exploit |
| can’ t look over a dog that is barking. | | | | this "suspension of suspiciousness" to make you |
| Barking dogs aren’t the same as a fence or | | | | do what they want. |
| gate, although they are very common these | | | | 3. The herd principle. Even suspicious marks will let |
| days. Keep in mind however, that the | | | | their guard down when everyone next to them |
| effectiveness of a dog with scaring off unwanted | | | | appears to share the same risks. Safety in |
| guests will greatly depend on the disposition and | | | | numbers? Not if they're all conspiring against you. |
| character of the dog you have. | | | | 4. The dishonesty principle. Anything illegal you do |
| Nearly every dog will bark when it sees a | | | | will be used against you by the fraudster, making |
| stranger, although not every dog will prevent | | | | it harder for you to seek help once you realize |
| someone from coming to your door unless it has | | | | you've been had. |
| been trained to do so. A lot of door-to-door | | | | 5. The deception principle. Thing and people are |
| salesman and snoops deal with dogs on a daily | | | | not what they seem. Hustlers know how to |
| basis, and will normally just ignore the dog and the | | | | manipulate you to make you believe that they |
| barking and proceed to come to your door. If | | | | are. |
| the dog is more of a violent nature and appears | | | | 6. The need and greed principle. Your needs and |
| ready to strike, then it will be a different store. | | | | desires make you vulnerable. Once hustlers know |
| If the salesman or snoop notices the dog is ready | | | | what you really want, they can easily manipulate |
| to bite, he will normally stop in his tracks and turn | | | | you. |
| around - out of the fear of getting bit. | | | | Don't be a Victim. Protect Your Home Today. |