Fake Security Sign: Don’t Fall For It Because Burglars Won’t

Throughout your subdivision, home security signs have been popping up. Your neighbor has one, there are some across the road, and there are even more up the street. There isn’t one in your yard, though. Should you feel vulnerable, or is it something you don’t need to worry about? Should you put out a fake security sign so you have one in your yard, too? To help you find your answer, let’s start by looking at security signs.

Do Security Signs Work?

When you place a security sign in your yard or a decal on your window, the purpose is to act as a visual beacon to would-be burglars that the home is protected. In a study surveying incarcerated burglars, 83% of the respondents indicated that they would try to determine if the house had an alarm before proceeding with a burglary. A security sign can be a good way of conveying this. Nearly half the respondents indicated that visible security signs were a factor that could contribute to deterring them from a target. If your neighbor has a security sign and you don’t, that will make your home the more likely target.

Do You Need a Home Security System to Put Out a Security Sign?

Maybe you’ve decided you don’t need to get a home security system because you don’t feel like it’s worth the cost or for other reasons. You don’t want your neighbors’ home security systems to make your home look vulnerable. Could you get a fake home security sign to make it look like you have one, too? You could, but that doesn’t mean you should. You can find a variety of home security signs online. Some use real companies’ names and logos. Some are generic. Others are for made-up companies to make them look optimal without copyright infringement.

Copyright infringement? You read that right. Depending on your state and jurisdiction, it could be illegal to use a security sign with a company’s name and logo if you don’t have a home security system with them. If you decide to ignore that detail, you could create other problems unrelated to copyright infringement. A burglar who knows what they’re doing can spot differences in design that could mark a nonlegitimate sign as a fake. This could potentially make your home a bigger target than if you had no sign at all.

The same goes for signs for fake companies. If the burglar doesn’t recognize the company name and does a quick Google search, they’ll find out. Now, your sign intended to say, “Don’t rob me; I’m protected” actually says, “I lied. I’m defenseless. Come on in.” You run a similar risk with generic signs since these give no credentials for the burglar to take them seriously.
As an alternative that will guarantee you better protection, it may be time to consider getting a home security system.