Finding an alarm system to protect your home and personal belongings, as well as your safety and peace of mind, has become big business. And, with big business can come big fraud that may have you spending more than you need. We had our Mystery Shopper check out a few alarm companies to see which one proved to be the most legitimate and trustworthy.

Purchasing a home alarm system makes you an easy target for the sly salesperson that may prey on your fears, when all you want is to simply keep your home safe and secure. So don’t be fooled into choosing a company based on emotion; it’s important to keep a clear head and remember the important facts.

A professional alarm company will do a very thorough on-site inspection of your property – indoors and outdoors. This can take some time, so be wary of the company that is in and out within 15 minutes and then asks you to sign. It takes longer than that to develop a comprehensive security analysis. They should note down all points of entry and even give you useful tips on how to protect your home - apart from an alarm system - such as using motion lights outside. This will at least give you some assurance that they’re not simply out for your money, but that they actually believe in what they’re selling – security.

Find out how long the company has been in business and ask to see their license. Security companies need to be bonded so seeing a license will tell you that they’re legit.

Often free systems and low monitoring fees are just a promotional way for the salesperson to get in the door and then they’ll start adding on additional fees.

Take your time to decide on the right company and security system for your home. The average system will cost you between $600 to $1,300 so you want to be sure that you’re money has been well spent and you’ll be able to sleep safely at night.