Security

[dwreath]

Hi all,

I'd just like to share an interesting experience I had this afternoon as a reminder to all others out there.  A little back information first.  We've mentioned to our land-lord in the past that some of our windows leak.  Also, it was raining today and we had to have some garbage cans stategically placed.  Ok...thats the back info you need....now... What happened today........

A guy entered our suite today and was walking into all the offices.  He had jeans on, light jacket, and was carrying a spray can of some sort and a rag.  As soon as I saw him I questioned what he was doing.  He explained he was here to check on if we had any windows leaking.  And then, he kept on checking out the office.  Now, I paused in my office for about a minute and thought...something didn't seem right, so I went after him and asked him who he was with.  He replyed that he was here from ABC window company.  That XYZ Landlord company had him checking on the window leaks.  Well...that all sounded legitimate enough.  So, I went back to my office and let him continue.

Well, He came back to my office eventually and expalined that he was actually a police officer and asked who was in charge of the office and I said Mr. Bossie (who was a few feet away) and walked over to get him....with "strange" man in tow.  Well...he explained how he was doing a security check.  He showed us his badge and I saw he was carrying a weapon.  He explained to us that almost on a daily basis they are having problems with people claiming to be cleaning crew, maintanence people, and the like and stealing from offices.  He gave us pointers about checking everyone, and calling our landlord to verify anyone that says they are here to do work.  He pointed out how easy it was for these con men to drop names and make you think they were authentic, such as he did.  He mentioned our landlords company, so I assumed that made it okay.  

I just want everyone to be aware of how often apparently offices are getting ripped off.  He said most all con men know that majority of women keep their purses in the botton desk drawer.   I consider myself pretty good at keeping an eye on the going's on in and around the office, but this shocked me, that I allowed this guy to get around our entire office.  It also shocked me that he got by our receptionist.

So, just reminding everyone to be on their guard when anyone comes into the office.  He also mentioned most departments are willing to send someone in to "test" your employees to see how far they get.  They've even had requests to go back again.   I thought this was an interesting service provided by our local department.

Dwreath

[ocblnd]

Thanks for sharing this story with us all.  Just goes to show we can not get overly comfortable....and this really had nothing to do with the terrorism in the world today...just was only a warning about the everyday, average con man.  
I for one have always made it a point to have a locked file cabinet that my purse goes into everyday.  It makes me nuts to see how many women just drop their purse on the desktop, kick it under the desk, put it on a shelf by the desk or otherwise leave it laying around just waiting for stickly fingers to walk by. (same type of thing as women in grocery stores that drop their purse in the basket seat and then walk away to get something on a different shelve and then wonder if and when their purse is taken).  Well off that soapbox for now ! !

Part of this job is staying alert and being the eyes and ears of the company ! ! ! !  

[donnap99]

Reminds me of how happy I am that our security guard doesn't let anyone in without either prior notification that someone is expected or he calls the party they are supposed to meet.

However, on a slightly different angle, I'll share what happened to my MIL (age 78) about 2 months ago.  She never did tell me about it, but my mom did, 'cause she thought we should know.  8:00 at night, MIL is napping in front of the TV.  Man & woman knock frantically at the door - from the looks on their faces there is something wrong, so she opens the door.  She's still sleepy and maybe not thinking straight.  Woman asks desparately if she can use her bathroom - it's a "feminine emergency."  (Bet you know what happens now, huh?)  Of course, she lets her in.  Man keeps MIL busy chatting at the door, woman comes back after a minute or so, gratefully thanks her, and they're gone.  

While MIL was chatting, woman lifted wallet & checkbook from MIL's purse, which was sitting on the chair about 6 feet behind where she was standing!  She then ran upstairs, flushed the toilet, and returned.  

MIL didn't even know her wallet was missing until the next day, and didn't figure out what had happened to it for a few hours more.  My parents took her to get a new driver's license, my mom helped her remember what cards she may have had in there to replace them and made phone calls for her (AAA, credit cards, membership cards), and helped her figure out what check numbers were taken.

What a world we live in.



DonnaP99

[radaro]

These people are evil to prey on people's good nature!

[solargal]

I don't feel safe in our office as during the day, since we don't have a receptionist any longer, anyone can jump over the counter and waltz right in!  And I've complained but it's fallen on deaf ears.  Guess they'll worry about it when something happens.  This reminded of last week when we had our flu shots.  We had to go upstairs into another company's offices and we were standing in line.  I noticed one of the gals there (younger type) and thought I spotted her purse on the desk.  I asked her if it was and she said yes and I just suggested she lock it up as some people cannot resist temptation and they would be having a lot of people come through there getting their shots.  She thanked me profusely and so did the other (older) gal that sat next to her.  I was back standing in line when she leaned over and said "gee, everywhere I go I always find mothers to take care of me!"  I was happy I had said something and maybe stopped something bad from happening  . . .

[jomitchell]

Unfortunately, it seems there's hardly a week goes by when the local paper doesn't report some dastardly scam involving scum of the earth and trusting elderly people... the police are always reiterating to people that they should check callers' ID etc and people forget I guess. Even myself, the other day, we had a bloke round to read the electric meter, and I'm sure he was genuine (i.e. he read it and left and nothing was taken!) but you just never know do you?

Most of the gas/electric companies now in the UK will allow you to set a password, and when the guy comes round he will say that password to you, so you know he's genuine. Do you have that in the US?

Not that a password scheme is going to stop the low life dirtbags that con people in the kind of manner described above...

DeskDemon staff  

[radaro]

In Ottawa, the water meter people used to come into the house to read the meter.  Several years back (I was still living at home so 10-15 years ago), the city equipped each home with a device on the outside of the house.  Now the meter can be read from the outside of the house.

The electric company usually sends a card around so that everyone can read their own meter.  But at our house, which is in a relatively new neighbourhood, the electrical meter is outside the house.

I think in both cases it is a help to both sides.  The homeowner doesn't have to be home or doesn't have to allow a stranger into the house to have the meter read.  And for the water/electric company they don't have to worry about the homeowner being home or protecting themselves from suspicious homeowners or vicious pets!