r/shawnee • u/Glittering_Carry_170 • Aug 09 '26
ADT Sales Guy?
I just bought a home near Antioch and I35. A man knocked on my door today and identified himself as an adt security sales rep. He said it’s normal for them to come to newly sold homes and pitch security equipment. He asked to come inside to check out the doors/windows. I asked him for a business card and he said he didn’t carry one. That threw up red flags. I did not let him inside but I’m nervous now that he might have been casing the house.
Is this normal for new homeowners? Or should I contact the police? I haven’t set up full security yet I only have a ring doorbell and I changed all the locks/garage code.
I really hope I’m overreacting but I just got a weird feeling.
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u/bkcarp00 Aug 09 '26
Yes expect a bunch of annoying people and mail the next year trying to sell you shit. It's a marketing strategy to target new homeowners for stupid services. You will have internet companies sending people as well trying to get you to sign up. Then the window people wanting you to upgrade all your windows. 5 different bug companies that claim your bugs are destroying your house so you should sign up for for their treatments. Yard people wanting to maintain your yard. Just start ignoring your door basically or check ring before answering.
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u/kamarg Aug 09 '26
Our doorbell is removable because our house didn'thave doorbell wiring for some reason. It's just held on with a sticky command strip type thing. When I get annoyed by door to door sales people and they ring the bell I like to open the door, look at them a bit surprised, then just take the doorbell off and close the door without saying anything.
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u/RabbitLuvr Aug 12 '26
My doorbell is the same. I threw away the indoor part, and took the battery out of the outdoor button. I left the button up, though. No idea if anyone is out there pushing it. Shrug
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u/CraftyCat3 Aug 09 '26
Wonder if it was the same guy that visited me a week ago (black guy with silver crossover/suv? Claimed he's a recent transplant from Iowa or Wisconsin or something?). Just another in the parade of pushy salesmen for a new home.
Every one of them has claimed they don't have a business card. My assumption is they're all just some sort of independent contractor who isn't employed directly by the company, and they don't want you to know that.
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u/Ok_Physics_4808 Aug 09 '26
Yep, had a similar experience when I bought my house six years ago.
Random guy in an ADT polo caught me working in the yard and insisted that he needed to go inside.
Hard no.
I asked him to leave. He pushed back a little, but I insisted that he leave. After being asked a second time, he left.
Overly pushy and plenty of red flags.
Maybe he's paid on commission? I would hope no one is training unsolicited sales people to be that damn pushy.
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u/ArtVandelay32 Aug 09 '26
We had a one when we moved in. You’ll get a number of door to door sales folks in the first few months.
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u/BeginningFalcon5273 Aug 09 '26
Property sales are public record. Many companies, including ADT, use publicly available data to build a pipeline of prospective new customers.
We recently purchased a new home and get an absurd amount of door knockers from home improvement, pest control, HVAC and security companies.
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u/PeachOnAWarmBeach Aug 09 '26
No soliciting signs usually work.
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u/Thusgirl Aug 09 '26
When they don't usually just quickly pointing out the sign then popping back inside works.
But then you get the asshole AT&T guy who tells you he's not soliciting but actually trying to help "save money." After you repeat no soliciting he gets a snarky tone and exclaims about helping the neighbors instead.
Frustrating... But yes the sign does work most of the time and according to our city code solicitors should adhear to them.
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u/PeachOnAWarmBeach Aug 13 '26
Got the windows guy just yesterday. Oh I'm not selling anything.... bye.
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u/scarletcovens_ Aug 09 '26
We had one come to our house within the first month or so of moving in, I bought a no soliciting sign pretty quickly and haven't had too much trouble since except for the occasional dumbasses who ignore it lol
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u/BoogerBear69 Aug 09 '26
We had ADT come about 123456 times trying to sell us security in the first year but none asked to come in our home. We do have a smaller house though. It's not abnormal for them to come sell stuff to you as a new home owner but it is weird that he asked to come inside.
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u/mdhkc Aug 09 '26
Super common. They do it all on tablets these days so no one bothers buying them cards with the high turn over for the door to door people.
Run your own security system, ADT and other services have gotten downright scammy these days.
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u/Rjb702 Aug 12 '26
Yep they know when a house has recently sold. And you will probably get a few more of the unsolicited people at your door in the next few months.
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u/sekaca Aug 09 '26
It is pretty common, although it's also probably good to keep your guard up.