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March, 2021
Complete this form to request replacement signs. THEY’RE FREE!
What’s this 5G all about? And what does it mean for me?
The 5G upgrade is applicable for customers that utilize a cellular connection from their security system to EMC Security. Other systems (land phone line and wifi/internet) are not affected.
What is 5G? The G in 5G stands for “Generation.” 5G is the fifth generation of wireless network cellular technology, replacing the current 2G and 3G networks. It is reputed to be ultra-fast (for example, you will be able to you download a full-length movie to your mobile device in seconds) and more reliable.
What is LTE? Short for “Long Term Evolution”, LTE is a standard of wireless data transmission that includes 4G and 5G technology.
What’s happening? The cellular companies are sunsetting the older 2G and 3G networks, and moving to a faster, more reliable 5G network. Plans are to have this accomplished by the end of 2022.
How does this affect my alarm system? If your system communicates with EMC Security through cellular connection, in order to be compatible with the new 5G network, the cellular radio device in your security system will need to be replaced with the latest technology.
As an EMC Security customer, this required upgrade is completely FREE. Your security protection will continue with the latest technology with no cost and no hassle.
How will I receive the upgrade from EMC Security? Over the next several months, you will receive a phone call from an EMC Security representative explaining the process and setting up an in-home appointment with a technician.
At this time, if you are not using the EMC Security mobile app, it’s a great time to discover the benefits of staying connected to your home remotely.
It might also be a good time to upgrade some older equipment, such as your keypads. You can swap your keypad for a new color touchscreen that integrates all your smart-devices and cameras, as low as $99 each.
REFER A FRIEND. REWARD YOURSELF!
Receive a $100 Amazon gift-card when you refer a new customer to EMC Security.
Simple Process: Give your friends and family your custom coupon code to use when purchasing security service. This code will identify you as the customer that referred them.
We’ll also extend special “referral pricing” to whomever you refer as a thank you.
Unlimited entries! The more you refer, the more gift-cards you can earn. Program expiration date: May 30, 2021
Do you have missing or damaged yard signs?
Request Yard Signs Now >>
The 2021 Valor Awards, hosted by Gwinnett Chamber honors the men and women who have performed heroic and extraordinary acts to protect and serve the citizens of Gwinnett. EMC Security is pleased to be a part of this memorable event.
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6 DIY Projects To Do During COVID
With many states, counties, and cities still in semi-lock down, people are spending much more time at home. Rather than binge-watching your favorite TV series, again and again, we’ve come up with some amazing DIY projects to keep you occupied during COVID.
- Add a Splash of Color to Your Walls
This can be as simple as retouching an existing paint job or as complex as painting every wall. Consider how each room makes you feel and what colors evoke positive and happy emotions when you see them.
- Rearrange Your Home
Whether you are into altering the vibes or just want to refresh your bookshelves rearranging your things can be a great project. It allows you to re-evaluate what you have and reconsider how you’d like to have them displayed.
- Eliminate the Dust
This may be a daunting task but the time has come to clean the random things we forget about. This would include, blinds, vents, fans, the oven! Deep cleaning can be done in segments so don’t feel overwhelmed thinking about the last time you got to it.
- Organizing
Now that you know where things are, it’s time to organize inside your cabinets and closets. Take time to purge your home of some of the things you’ve been collecting subconsciously.
- Go Through Your Storage
Practically every household has a junk draw or in some cases, a junk room full of random things. Now is the perfect time to go through what you have been storing and decide if those things still need to be in your life.
- Wash Everything
Wash all your linens, curtains, towels, cars, dishes. Take time to just make sure everything in your home is freshly laundered or clean. It can be a project you take on day by day. Now you won’t have to question when the last time something was washed.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, we hope you continue to stay safe during these uncertain times. We hope that you enjoyed our list of DIY projects to do during COVID.
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Professional vs Self Alarm Monitoring
One of the most important decisions when buying a home security system is whether to pay a monthly fee for professional monitoring or save money and self-monitor your system.
Although self-monitoring is a cheaper option, there are reasons to consider a professionally monitored system from EMC Security:
1. The EMC Security central monitoring service is watching around the clock, every hour, every minute, every second your alarm is armed, to ensure authorities are notified as quickly as possible. Average response is 14 seconds!
2. Two words – Fire Protection. Did you know that EMC Security monitors customers homes for smoke and heat at no additional monthly cost? Simply add an EMC Security smoke detector and integrate with your security system and if there’s a fire, you’ll be notified whether at home or away.
At home or away, awake or asleep, EMC Security’s got your back. Call today to set up professional monitoring at your home today.
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Stop Thief!! Prevent a Burglary at Your Home
A break-in can be extremely scary and intrusive.
If you’ve ever talked to someone that’s experienced a break-in they will tell you they almost feel….violated. And afraid. I talk from first-hand experience.
My goal is to help you to prevent this from happening at your house. So we’ve compiled a list of lesser-known tips to prevent break-ins before they happen.
list #1:
1. Prevent boxes from leaking info
Leaving the electronic boxes (for a TV, laptop, ipad or phone) on your driveway delivers the message to criminals that you have valuable things in your house. An improvised home security idea you can adopt is to tear down the boxes to store inside the trashcan or haul them to the dump right away.
2. Use window film for added privacy
Front doors with side pane glass look nice but add a home security complication: privacy. At night, you can see right through these windows into your yard. While it’s good that you can see other people, it’s bad that they can see you. For just a few dollars, add decorative window film to solve the problem.
3. Place car keys near your bed
Keeping your car keys near your bed while you sleep is one of the lesser known but effective tips. In case you hear any abnormal sound in your garage, you can press the car alarm panic button to scare away the potential thief who tries to break into your car.
4. Avoid hiding things in the bedroom
The master bedroom is one of the first places burglars look after entering a house. Take a quick inventory of what you keep in your master bedroom. Is there jewelry, electronics, cash, or credit cards? Anything of value that can easily be moved should be relocated to somewhere unexpected. Few criminals would think to check for valuables in these places. Doing the unexpected can save you in the long run.
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Stop Thief! Stop Burglary at Your Home #2
A break-in can be extremely scary and intrusive.
If you’ve ever talked to someone that’s experienced a break-in they will tell you they almost feel….violated. And afraid. I talk from first-hand experience.
My goal is to help you to prevent this from happening at your house. So we’ve compiled a list of lesser-known tips to prevent break-ins before they happen.
list #2:
1. If at all possible, keep your car in the garage.
Don’t leave your car in the driveway with the garage door opener inside. Cars are easy to break into. You put your home security at risk by leaving a key to your home in the vehicle.
2. Keep blinds shut
Lights on, dark outside? Keep your blinds shut. You’d be surprised by how many burglars (and, let’s face it, creeps) take advantage of that time of night when they can see straight into your home.
3. Trick intruders with noise
Trick intruders with noise. Burglars generally look for empty houses. If a burglar hears a sound in your home, there’s a good chance they’ll hightail it. There are inexpensive products on Amazon that mimic the lights of a television. You could even play clips of people talking with a smart speaker like Echo or Sonos.
4. Install a safety door
Install a safety door. Screen doors, like glass doors, are what they sound like. They can be cut or punctured for easy entry. Every screen door needs a safety door to go with it. That puts an extra layer between an intruder and the screen.
5. Avoid leaving ladders outside
A ladder in a yard is a thief’s best opportunity to climb up and reach your windows. You should always be careful about not forgetting any ladder outside!
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The Master Bedroom – A Burglar’s #1 Go-To
“If you can get guns, they are easier to sell,” said Jerome Gilgan, a former burglar who now works as a rehabilitation counselor.
Some burglars admitted to seeking out the safe or lockbox first.
“A safe to me, is my goal item to locate. I would leave everything else to get this, nothing means more to me than the safe.”
Where can all these items be found? The Master Bedroom.
Burglars will go to any length to scour this room full of valuables. The jewelry box, guns in the closet, cash in a drawer, and even things under the floor boards. Our sactuary, our safe-place is actually the most vulnerable to thieves.
How can you keep your valuable safe?
- Use a LARGE, HEAVY safe. It is not easy to carry.
- Use smart-lighting and cameras to deter criminals.
- Be a good neighbor. Watch your neighbor’s house and ask for it in return.
- Install and arm your security system. A burgler is 3 times as likely to break-into a home without one.
Jewelry and guns are almost as good as cash.
As a follow-up to a previous blog, What Burglars are Looking For, Let’s expand on the Master Bedroom.
The main item a burglar is looking for in your home is cash, or something that can be sold for cash.
“The first thing [I look for] is anything of monetary value,” a burglar wrote in a 2017 poll of 86 convicted burglars.
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What to Expect from EMC Security This Year
As with most important electronic products, giving your alarm occasional “check-ups” goes a long way.
Based on the length of service, click below for a list to make sure things continue to work properly down the road.
Choose how long you’ve been a customer from the images below:
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Is It Time to Upgrade Your Security System?
Most homeowners experience excitement when installing their first home security system but as time goes on, they tend to overlook the evolution of truth – in order for home security to be and remain efficient, they need to be upgraded every so often.Nevertheless, some homeowners keep their same security systems for decades and tend to think as long as it functions, there’s no need for a new one. In some ways, you could argue that they have a point, right? As the old adage goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But if there’s anything that life has taught us all it is that change is inevitable, which is why it’s important to consider essential options to raise the efficiency of your home security system by upgrading.
One of the biggest threats for any homeowner with an older security system is that most of them still rely on a landline in order for them to work properly. Savvy burglars can easily disable the entire unity by severing the line, thereby leaving your entire house unprotected. Upgrading to a modern home security system would bring your home security up-to-date and make it independent from the landline by using wireless monitoring via cell towers instead.
In addition to making your home safer, newer security systems provide unparalleled convenience compared to their predecessors.
For example, upgrading an older alarm panel board will allow you remote access to your home security system via smartphone.
Even small things like keypads can be upgraded to a whole new level. Say goodbye to those plain rubbery buttons and exchange them with new features like fully colored touch screens, date, time, and even weather forecast.
Cameras are also a popular addition to a security system. Add a video doorbell or few cameras around the house and never wonder what’s happening again.
Security System Upgrade with EMC Security
Ready to take the plunge into the latest advances in home security? Contact EMC Security to schedule a visit from one of our technicians or shop our line of smart home security devices by visiting us online.
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3 Ways to Use smart Home Technology for Pets
For many Americans, pets are not simply viewed as animals but rather family members instead. Our cuddly friends deserve all a world of love, and technology makes caring for them easier and better than ever. In the same ways that smart home technology improves our lives, it can also improve the day-to-day life of our four-legged friends. Although smart home technology was invented to make life more convenient for humans — there are some practical benefits for your precious little wonders that can help you keep an eye on your pet when you’re away, and provide them a safe, fun, and clean environment.
Here are the 3 best ways to use EMC Security’s smart home technology to make life sweeter for pets:
1) Use the EMC Security smart camera to keep an eye on them while you’re away from home. Make use of the camera’s two-way voice communication to make them feel like you’re there with them.
2) Monitor, automate or adjust the room temperature to keep them comfortable year-round.
3) Sure — cats and dogs can see well in darkness but that doesn’t necessarily mean they like it. Use motion sensors to trigger lights in their eating areas at night, and schedule lights to come on after dark on nights when you’ll be home late.
Our pets would do anything for us, so it’s our job to care for them the best we can. EMC Security’s high-tech, pet-friendly home devices can help keep your best buddy happy, relieve boredom, and make your life just a little bit easier.
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7 Things To Do If Your Identity Is Stolen
Each year, millions of Americans fall victims to identity theft, resulting in loss of money, but also a huge consumption amount of time and energy on their behalf.
So what should you do if your identity gets stolen? Here are 5 simple things you can do to reduce the damage.
File Reports
You will need to file two reports to the officials — one with the Federal Trade Commission and one with your local police department. The FTC does not have the ability to pursue criminals but law enforcement agencies like the FBI use information collected by the FTC. So this is an important step in helping protect others from criminal activity. Then, file a report with your local police department. Filing a report will likely not assist the police in the event your identity was stolen online, but it does protect you.
Begin a paper trail
Once you’ve verified your information has been compromised, take an account all of the steps you’ve taken in an attempt to clear your name. This includes noting emails/phone calls by date, time, contact, and resolution status. Mail documents with a return receipt request so you have a record of those transactions. Some types of fraud have a timeframe for reporting, so create a calendar to ensure you don’t miss any important deadlines.
Tighten security on your accounts
Cybersecurity experts recommend changing your passwords often and never using the same passwords or variations of a single password for all sites. Using a password manager is a great way to generate passwords that cannot be easily guessed and save them so that you do not need to remember each one. You can also invest in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to protect your web browsing while on public WiFi. If you really want to protect yourself, shred documents with your personal information and invest in a home security system like Scout Alarm. Also delete any personal information, such as addresses, phone numbers, and birthdays off of public profiles on social media and other sites.
Contact Credit Reporting Agencies
Contact one of the three major Credit Reporting Agencies: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. It does not matter which agency you choose because any agency is required to contact the other two and share information. However, it doesn’t hurt to contact all three since that will place them on alert as soon as possible. When you contact them, you’ll want to request a fraud alert. This alert, which lasts one year, will make it more challenging to open new accounts using your information.
Consider a credit freeze
For maximum protection, you may want to put a freeze on your credit, which means potential creditors can’t get your credit report and no new accounts can be opened in your name. Putting a credit freeze in place doesn’t impact your credit score, and this simple identity theft tip can block identity thieves more effectively.
Review your Credit Reports
After placing the fraud alert but before freezing your credit, you need to obtain copies of your credit report. Looking at all three reports is a good way to make sure you are not missing anything important since each agency’s report can be different. Go over any accounts or transactions you do not recognize. There many websites that promise free credit reports but the official site to request them is AnnualCreditReport.com. You should also scan credit card and bank statements for other unauthorized charges
Tighten security on your accounts
Cybersecurity experts recommend changing your passwords often and never using the same passwords or variations of a single password for all sites. Using a password manager is a great way to generate passwords that cannot be easily guessed and save them so that you do not need to remember each one. You can also invest in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to protect your web browsing while on public WiFi. If you really want to protect yourself, shred documents with your personal information and invest in a home security system like Scout Alarm. Also delete any personal information, such as addresses, phone numbers, and birthdays off of public profiles on social media and other sites.
Additional Things to Do If Your Identity is Stolen
Now that you know the basics of what to do if your identity is stolen, it’s a good idea to implement some additional safeguard in your daily routine such as: using cash rather than credit cards, only giving your social security number when necessary, and 2-way factor authentication on your social media accounts.
Finally, to help avoid future theft, you should ramp up protection. Hackers have been known to retarget the same victims, so getting hit once doesn’t grant you immunity from future theft. Follow these tips. Remember, having your identity stolen is a serious security breach, but you can recover and come back stronger than ever.
