With regard to your article "Conman targets Magnolia widow with new scam" (Aug. 15), I had a very attractive, young man appear at my door with a slightly different version for wanting to "upgrade my alarm system to my cellphone," etc.
He said they were looking for a few homes in the neighborhood to upgrade my current alarm system (he asked me right out if I had an alarm system) to a cellphone rather than a landline; that my kids wouldn't need to know a code as they would all just press only one number."
He then said that, in return, they were asking to leave a small advertising plaque in the front yard. Same story as wanting to get the work done quickly - "there's a technician finishing up installing one at another home in Magnolia." Apparently this technician really needed to walk through my house to get an idea of exactly how he was going to upgrade my current alarm system. He was only going to be in Magnolia that day (and it was about 5 p.m.). The next day he was "fully booked installing systems in the Tacoma area."
Even though I am getting divorced, I told him that I needed to check with my husband and to check this out to make sure it was legitimate. He gave me a little Post-it note with "his" name, Michael Griffiths from GE Security and Firstline at 208-317-0293. I spoke with him about an hour later on the phone and told him I hadn't been able to check it out yet. He called me twice the next day but I didn't pick up the call. It just didn't seem to fit.
I haven't heard from him since.
I don't think these people are only targeting the elderly. I am 45 years old and they were knocking on my front door.
Leslie Reynolds
Magnolia
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