Take a walk through your neighbourhood, and chances are
you’ll see a host of alarm company signs that are put on lawns, or brand logo
decals stuck on windows. This is something that’s increasingly popular, as many
homeowners tend to put warning signs that a home is being monitored, thinking
that it’ll scare any potential intruders away.
The thing is, many of those homes don’t have any kind of
monitoring. The owners just ordered the decals and warning signs online and put
them there. Why is this, you may ask? Well, there are a couple of reasons for
that, which we’ll discuss below.
Do such signs make any difference? Okay, yes, they do, but
is it enough? Let’s find out.
Are there any benefits?
Even though fake security signs are very far from the best,
most effective way of protecting your property, it’s still better than no
security at all. It will make somewhat of a difference, and there are a few
advantages.
First of all, there’s a lot less hassle involved than going
with a genuine security system. All you have to do is order the signs and then
put them outside your home. Compare this to the research of finding a security
provider, choosing one of their home security systems, and then installing and
maintaining everything, and you’ll see what we mean. This is one of the least
labor-intensive security measures, but if we’re being honest, you get what you
put into it, so it might not be the smartest idea.
Copyright: Unsplash | CC0 Public Domain
Last but not least, there are some situations where fake
signs might be enough. This is a very limited number of situations though, but
yes, sometimes they’re effective. As we mentioned, it’s better than doing
nothing.
What about the risks?
It’s far from just benefits with fake signs. They also pose
some serious risks, which is why it’s usually much better to stay away from
them. If you’re going to put up security signs for a system you don’t really
have, make sure you’re aware of what you’re getting yourself into.
To begin with, they’re actually pretty easy to figure out
that they’re fake. If someone is casing your place, all they need to do is do
an online search and check whether the company you’re advertising even exists.
If it does (which is another issue, but more on that below), a quick peek
through the window or around a door is enough to show that there is no alarm
keypad, no surveillance cameras, nothing. This will tell thieves that you don’t
have a security system in place, which makes your home a target.
Copyright: Unsplash | CC0 Public Domain
Now, even if the company you’re advertising is legit, you
could be using copyrighted material, i.e. their logo, without permission. And
yes, this is a crime, and it may very well land you in legal trouble. If you’re
doing this, check the laws in your state before you have those signs installed,
they may be more trouble than they’re worth.
The largest issue with fake security signs is that they can
be a costly mistake. According to the FBI’s crime statistics, a burglary
happens in the USA every 23 seconds, which means you have around 3,757 of them
per day. Add to that the fact that homeowners lose about $2500 per burglary, on
average, which is twice, or three times the price of an average home security
system. This is a lot of risks, and you can end up losing a lot more than you’d
invest in a security system.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, if you’re lazy or you don’t want to
spend the money, you could think that fake security signs are enough. However,
that’s not the case, and you stand to lose quite a lot if someone notices
they’re fake and goes in anyways.
There are plenty of alternatives if you don’t want to get a
security provider, though. You can make your own system and add cameras, for
example. This is a lot cheaper than it used to be and is a very good option for
just about anyone. There’s a host of options, and you can even add motion
sensors, smart locks, and video doorbells to add even more security. Or just
get a dog. Your call.