Say no through the closed door
A stranger selling alarms at your door may be checking your home. You can decline through the closed door and check who they are yourself.
From people’s advice and experience shared online, including a former security salesperson; the steps on identity checks and contracts are checked against the US FTC and UK police guidance, October 2026.
A knock, a friendly pitch about home security, and a question that sounds harmless: do you have an alarm? It is hard to be rude at your own front door.
You do not have to open the door or answer a stranger’s questions about your home, and if they say they are from a company, check with that company yourself.
This page is for unexpected callers. If you asked for the visit, or you are expecting someone, it is not the page for you.
Why the question matters
Many people say the person at the door may be checking the house rather than selling: finding out whether there is an alarm, a dog, or who lives there and when they are out. One person who used to work in security sales says people in the trade know these visits can be used to pick out vulnerable homes. One person says households that have just moved in get these visits, because boxes make theft easy and the neighbours do not know them yet, and that the same people may come back after a first look.
There is a second risk that has nothing to do with burglary. The FTC warns that dishonest sales agents falsely say they are from your existing security company, push you to sign for free equipment tied to a long contract, or invent crime figures about your area. Either way, the answer to the question on the step is the same: you owe a stranger neither a yes nor a no about your alarm.
A pushy rep is not proof of a burglar, though. One person says that legitimate security companies also send persistent reps by text, call and uninvited visit, and that this can look just like casing.
Say no through the closed door
Some people say a good response is to ignore the knock, or to tell them, through the shut door, that you do not want what they are selling, instead of answering questions, since engaging hands them information. One person recommends a firm, polite script that declines without engaging in details, and says you can state that you will not share personal information. UK police guidance is plain about the door itself: you do not have to open it, and if you are not sure who is there, do not. It also says to use the chain, intercom or viewer before you open it to a stranger.
People who warn about this name three things to keep from a stranger. Many people say never to reveal which company your system is from, because that can be used to check whether the house is a target. One person warns that casual remarks can give away that nobody is home or that you are going away, and tells of a partner who told a salesperson the house was empty and they were leaving. And one person warns that telling a stranger you own firearms can make the house a target when it is empty; some people say that showing off valuable items, guns included, can attract burglars instead of deterring them.
The trick people suggest
Many people suggest the trick in the first question below: say yes, you have a system, and name no company. It is worth knowing why people say it and why this page does not build on it. One person describes being caught out by a salesperson who knew the industry. A plain no needs no story to remember, and nothing to get caught in.
Cameras, signs and neighbours
Some people say a cheap camera is worth having, not just for deterrence but for the evidence it captures: faces, vehicles and plates that help police identify a suspect, with response times that they say are slow. Some people say a real camera above the door does the same psychological job as a fake one and adds evidence. Some people say that signs or stickers in view, or even dummy cameras, deter opportunistic thieves, and one person warns that a sign naming a security company that has gone out of business gives the game away. One person says alarms can be ignored by neighbours because of false triggers, and another that cameras can be stolen, particularly in a power cut when their batteries may be dead.
Some people put up a “No Solicitors” sign and call it a first defence; one person argues it might attract thieves or aggressive people, and this page cannot settle that. Some people say that knowing your neighbours acts as a human security system: they can spot something, report it or simply be witnesses.
Who this page is not for
If you live somewhere remote, one person warns that opening the door to strangers can be risky, as help is a long way off and a visitor may be armed or hostile. Some people argue that “don’t answer” is impractical when you have other reasons to answer the door, and one person explains a disability and a local burglary trend as the reason for the caution. Whatever your situation, your own judgement about who is at the door is the one that counts.
Common questions
Should I say I have a security system?
Many people say to answer yes whenever a door-to-door salesperson asks, and never to say which company, so the visitor cannot confirm a weakness. Against it, one person says a salesperson who knows the industry can expose the lie, and one person describes being caught out that way. One person says answering yes does not stop salespeople, who may offer to undercut your current rate instead. Some people point out that claiming a system implies it is off when nobody is home, which may signal an easy target for theft. One person adds that an invented company name that sounds made up could tell a thief it is a bluff. One person goes further, with claims about guns, dogs or illness; this page leaves those out, and one person’s caution is not to escalate with violence or threats. A plain no through the closed door needs no story to remember.
What if I do want an alarm?
Buy it on your terms, not at the door. The FTC says dishonest door-to-door agents may offer free equipment that comes with an expensive long-term monitoring contract, may claim your current company has gone out of business, and may invent crime statistics about your area to pressure you. It says to get written estimates, ask about contract length, monitoring costs, warranty and cancellation, check that the contract includes every verbal promise, and check contractors’ licences. In the US the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule gives you three business days to cancel a deal you signed in your home. In the UK, a contract you sign at home usually gives you 14 days to cancel. If you are sold something you did not want, in the US you can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and in the UK to Report Fraud.
Should I ask for a licence or take a photo?
Some people say to ask for the salesperson’s vendor licence or solicitor permit, and some say to take a picture if something feels wrong. One person says the licence card they mention applies only in their own state, so check your local rules. One person warns that taking a picture may escalate things or be illegal in some places, and this page cannot tell you what the law is where you live. One person says that if someone seems suspicious, it helps to note their vehicle, plate and direction of travel, and another says to tell the local police. UK police guidance says genuine callers carry photo ID and usually make appointments, and that altered, photocopied or homemade ID badges should be refused.
Doesn’t not answering tell a burglar the house is empty?
It can. Some people say to ignore the knock, or to tell them through the closed door that you are not interested, instead of answering questions, because burglaries often target vacant homes and engaging gives away information. Speaking briefly through the door tells a visitor that someone is home without telling them anything else. One person says leaving a television on signals that someone is home without having to talk to a stranger, and one that a video doorbell lets you watch and speak to a visitor without leaving your bed.
What if they will not leave?
This page cannot give you a script for a visitor who refuses to go after you say no. If you feel threatened, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK. If you only feel uneasy afterwards, the non-emergency line takes the report, and UK police say reporting suspicious activity gets you a crime reference number.
Questions this step helps with
What people worked out
Shorter, plainer notes on the same ground — each with the number of people behind it.
Who can help
ReportFraud.ftc.gov
You can report a scam, a company or an unwanted call, and you get next steps to protect yourself.
In the UK
Full tip: https://findangel.org/tips/say-no-through-the-closed-door/ · FindAngel.org — free, always.