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Protect What—And Who—You Love
Protect What—And Who—You Love
You’ve met the new neighbors and hung the basketball hoop in the driveway. The kids have picked their bedrooms (perhaps with a few fights along the way) and you’ve flipped through seemingly endless paint samples and carpet swatches. You’ve worked hard to build a home and a life that you love, and now it is finally time to sit back, relax, and enjoy it.
Moving into a new home is one of the most exciting moments in any family’s life. But amidst all the milestones, it’s easy to lose sight of one of the less enjoyable, yet most important decisions.
As a new homeowner, investing in a home security system should be one of the first items on your to-do list—because when it comes to protecting your loved ones, you can never be too careful.
Here are the top five ways that a security system from SRT can keep your home, family, and possessions safe:
1. Stop break-ins before they happen.
Of the estimated 2.5 million burglaries that are committed every year in the United States, more than half are home invasions. With a security system from SRT, if someone tries to break into your home, their movements will set off door and window sensors, glass break detectors, and motion detectors—scaring them off with a screeching alarm and dispatching the proper authorities to your home.
2. Never forget to lock up again.
Have you ever gotten halfway to work, only to wonder if you’d locked the door behind you? You don’t want to leave your home wide open to intruders, but you don’t have the time to turn around and double-check. With smart locks, you can ensure that your home is secure right from your phone.
3. Protect your family from fires and carbon monoxide.
Criminals aren’t the only threat to home security. A complete security system can instantly alert you to the presence of smoke or carbon monoxide, giving you time to get yourself and your family to safety.
But what if no one is home to hear the alarm? Your detectors can be monitored 24/7, so even if you are away, firefighters can immediately be alerted and dispatched to your house.
4. Conserve energy and save money.
In addition to protecting your family from harm, a smart home security system can save you money on your energy bill. With smart home devices, you can turn off lights and adjust your thermostat while you’re away, preventing you from wasting unnecessary energy when you’re not home to enjoy it.
5. Monitor your home at any time, from anywhere.
Whether you want to check in on the dog, keep an eye on the kids, or just make sure that everything’s where it should be, with surveillance cameras, you can monitor your home 24/7. With just the tap of an app, you can view live video, receive notifications, and access video clips on your smart device.
As a new homeowner, the last thing you need is one more box to check. That’s why, at SRT, we make securing your home simple. All you need to do is complete a free security assessment to determine which products are right for you. From there, we’ll take care of installation and maintenance, leaving you time to focus on all the fun parts of homeownership.
And because we are a local provider, if you run into any issues, simply give us a call and one of our technicians will be there right away to ensure your system is running smoothly.
If you’re on the fence about investing in a home security system, remember: you can’t put a price on protecting what—and who—you love. Call SRT at 701.852.8888 to find a package that’s right for your family.
NEWS & VIEWS
NEWS & VIEWS
Upload Speed is Important to Video Call Quality
When you’re on a video call – whether via Zoom, Skype, or another app – each participant’s internet connection plays a role in the quality of that experience. In particular, a too-slow upload speed can cause delays, awkward frozen screens, and broken audio.
If other participants in a video call say, “You’re breaking up,” or “I can’t hear you,” you may be able to quickly solve the issue by turning off your video or switching to a wired connection. Moving forward, however, you’ll want to consider signing up for the next-higher internet tier, which will likely increase both your download and upload speeds. Contact us for details.
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SITES OF THE MONTH
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CUSTOMER ALERT
CUSTOMER ALERT
Facebook Marketplace is an online shop similar to Craigslist, where you can buy and sell items. It’s also home to a variety of scams.
Here are some of the most common scams on Facebook Marketplace:
Fake and Broken Items
It’s easy to put a Gucci logo on a bag or the Nike Swoosh on a shoe, and scammers can use any image they like to advertise their goods. Be aware that if the price is much lower than usual, it’s most likely a fake. Inspect the item thoroughly before you buy it.
Sellers Requesting Payment in Advance
If a seller asks you to pay for an item in advance that you have not seen in person, walk away. If you do pay in advance, the seller may never show up with the item. Remain suspicious even if the seller displays the item on a video call, since you can’t verify that the item is in your local area. If you’re interested in an item, meet the seller in a well-lit, public area and agree on a method of payment beforehand.
Unusual Payment Methods
Only use Facebook Checkout, PayPal, or cash when it comes to Facebook Marketplace. If you use PayPal, don’t select the “Friends and Family” option, since this will completely negate your ability to get a refund and be protected by PayPal. Also think twice about Venmo, the online payment processor for mobile devices, since scammers often use Venmo to buy items with stolen credit cards.
Fake Accounts
Fake accounts are a big scam on Facebook itself and now they’ve bled over to Marketplace. Before considering buying from or selling to anyone, check that person’s Facebook page. If it looks strangely empty of content, there’s a good chance it’s a fake or stolen account. Such people may buy from you in an effort to meet up for nefarious purposes.
If you suspect something isn’t right about a Facebook Marketplace listing, you can always report the ad. Click on the item to display the full listing, then click or tap on the ellipsis “…” icon and choose “Report Listing.”
