Since we’ve lived in our current home we’ve had one repo guy (who actually goes to church with us) show up at our apartment looking for the previous tenant and as of this afternoon one process server.

According to my wife the woman knocked (actually beat) on the door, identified herself as a process server and asked for the previous tenant. When my wife told her that that person no longer lived here the server told her “I have a picture of her and I want to see your face.”

Wife said the server looked older than her so she cracked the door, showed her face and told the process server to leave. Wife said as soon as the server saw her face she said “you aren’t who I’m looking for” apologized and left.

Bottom line I told my wife process server or not she’s not to open the door like that and to send any one like that, looking for the previous tenant to the office to verify that she doesn’t live here.

Any one else have any opinions or suggestions?

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Retired Career Security Guard

I agree. Open the door to NO ONE unknown to you unless expected, like the pizza guy. Especially if they're beating, not knocking on the door. We occasionally get the odd person "raising money for a school trip" etc. We say no thanks. Through a closed door. Sad, but that's the way it is.

If an individual comes to my home unannounced I will open the door with left hand, body at angle with right side and hand out of sight. Right hand will have my 4506, former service pistol. Not many folks come and none have ever known of my tactic. But I' ve sent a number back to prison for unlawful possession of a firearm to be lax.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

we have owned our current home for 3.5 years. i've only had a gun in the house for 2.5 years. the first winter here, i was shoveling the driveway after returning home from work when i saw a guy in a jeep drive by a few times, staring me down each time. on his 4th pass he parks halfway down the block. my eye is on him the whole time. at about 50 ft, he unsnaps a holster on his right hip, putting me into "oh ****" mode. he introduces himself as one of the county sherrifs and asks me if i was so and so, the son of the previous owner. told him no, was asked to show my id, which i did. he asked me where he was. i then explained that we have had many calls for who from child services for past due child support and that we have owned the for about 7 months with no clue where the previous owners had gone. he insisted that the son still lived there because he looked on the internet to see that the previous owners still owned the house. he finally left, apologizing.

up to that point we have had many creditors call for the son and a guy down the street that has the same last name(no relation and i don't know him), after the visit by the plain clothes officer, we decided that if the police could make that mistake then some of the son's not so nice friends could too and my wife decided that a gun in the house may not be a bad thing...shortly after, i got my LTCF and the sigma.

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SDMF

You want to talk to me, we will do it as I stand at the window and I can see your hands.

My front (only) door lets on a hallway, no windows

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Retired Career Security Guard

At that point I would have suggested he get a warrant and return and ended the conversation.

You phone number shouldn't be connected in any way to the previous occupants of your home why would the creditors be calling you?

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Retired Career Security Guard

we haven't figured that out since we have had our phone number for 10 years before we moved. we kept that number for the new home since it was in the same exchange...except the number is now tied to the new address which is tied to the old occupants...they started about 3 months after we moved in. when it got to be 5 or 6 times a week and i was really starting to lose it with the people on the other end as they insisted i was who they were looking for...

as far as the warrant goes...he had that for the sons arrest on arrears. he was nice enough about it, especially after seeing my ID. he just thought that the son still lived there with us. that was a big ole nope.

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SDMF

I have not reached the point of extreme paranoia that I wont open the door if someone knocks.
I do however do so with caution and only open it a small amount with my firearm in my hand behind my back and my 3 pits trying their dambest to get their faces out through the bottom. Most people who dont know us or them tend to take several steps back as soon as 3 teeth filled faces fill the opening.

I dont live in the inner city or in an apartment I have a clear line of sight to the street from the door area and always get a look see at the knocker either as they approach the door or before responding if I dont catch sight of them on approach.

It's possible that the # is already linked to the address but the name of the previous owner still is too.

We I ran my credit report a few years ago it had shown my 2 previous address mix up. The last house I lived in was showing up as the first

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

I'm not sure what status contract process servers have, but I don't think I'd really have a need to open the door for them. In fact, if they were a real pain, I'd call the police and have them check it out. A plain clothes deputy in an unmarked vehicle who is unsnaping his rig but displaying no badge or creds is something else. Bad tactic on the part of the officer in more ways than one. Shows, among other things that he can't draw from a holster with a simple retention device. Reasonable precautions keep people alive, and they don't always have to rely on a gun or any kind if force to do so.

May I suggest:

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Not difficult--Call the cops. Let them deal with the process server or anyone else.

A good storm door or security door solves the problem of opening the door to strangers.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I'm sure that it varies widely from state to state, but generally speaking most process servers are simply private citizens performing the service in exchange for a fee (yes, sheriffs' departments frequently perform civil process service as well, but that is beyond the scope of my reply).

No one is legally required to cooperate with or assist a civil process server. Process servers have no law enforcement powers or authority in general. They cannot force their way into a home, they cannot commit trespass (with impunity), they cannot detain anyone against their will. They cannot require identification. In short, they hold no special legal status whatsoever.

Civil process frequently involves debt collection actions, civil lawsuits, child support and/or custody matters, and other general non-criminal legal matters. Process servers are usually entitled to collect their fees only upon successful service of the papers on the parties named. Consequently, process servers are frequently dealing with unwilling people, and are at times subjected to nasty responses. Assaults are not terribly uncommon. Insults, lies, and evasiveness are fairly typical.

Our legal system would quickly grind to a halt without people willing and able to perform the tasks of civil process service. For that reason I would try to be as cooperative as possible. However, I would not put up with some of the aggressive behaviors that some process servers attempt to use. In any situation where I had any concern about what was going on I would call police to the scene and let them sort things out.

I have an old friend, retired cop, who supplements his income doing process service. He has been spit on, punched, kicked, called every name in the book, and accused of everything imaginable. He records every contact for his own protection, as well as creating a record of the service. He also carries a sidearm, pepper spray, and ASP baton. Seems to do a fair amount of business, but not quite my idea of retirement!

I'm a Private Investigator and I have provided process serving services to my clients. That lady is not going to last long in the business. To go on somebodies property and DEMAND to see their face is stupid. The occupant, whether it is the person to be served or not, has no obligation to comply. I would have advised I was calling law enforcement and stayed inside.

Well armed.
Jim

Recently in my neck of the woods we've had three stranger on stranger gun related murders when a homeowner answered a stranger knock at the door. These were all in a very nice up scale neighborhood so do not answer your door if you're not expecting someone. Be smart, be safe.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Now that we have fenced yards and padlocked gates, no one can get to the door without climbing a 6' fence. Before those days, I honestly can't recall when I last opened a door to an uninvited, unknown person. Late 90s, maybe. Even before the fences, the houses were clearly marked with "no trespassing" signs, so anyone who got to the door was already committing a crime. They usually got informed of that with vigor, while I provided them the opportunity to learn the difference between Tourette's and a choice. There is no reason or excuse to be "nice" to such people, and darned if I will enable them. If they leave crying, good.

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NHI, 10-8.

I have an especially modified front door. I can shot out but you can't shot in. I seldom open it to strangers. When I do, my storm door remains closed. If they attempt To open my storm door, then I slam and lock my front door.
What happens after that depends on them.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

1. I ALWAYS answer the door armed.
2. I DO NOT open the door for strangers.

A couple of years ago, the cops banged on my door. I didn't open it for them either. They were at the wrong door. I wouldn't have opened the door without a warrant, and I would have called 911 before I opened the door to see it. Any random stranger can claim to be anybody they want.

The safest place for me is behind my locked door, armed or not. There's no way I'm going to lightly give up that advantage.

I get calls all the time looking for people who haven't been here in over ten years.

I was born and raised in a different era. I know I always have been too open and trusting. It will be a cold day in hades when I wont or am too afraid to open a door without having a gun in my hand. What I do I am not saying is right for everyone else. I may not be right but I made up my mind many years ago I will not live in fear and maybe I have been lucky. I spent 35 years as a boogie man, (graveyard guard) poking around in the dark in factorys and in the lonely desert. If I felt that way I would move to a safer area.

I just don't ever answer the door unless I know who's coming over. Everyone who knows me knows my cell number and knows to call it as they stop by. Anyone I don't know, I don't worry about answering the door for. I consider unannounced doorbell ringers the same as unsolicited telemarketing calls, neither warrants a response.

I had some jehova`s witness`s come to the door. Rusty tuned up, my friend/renter worked long graveyard hours was trying to sleep. I kindly sent them away. Maybe 15 minuets later pit bull rusty was in tune again. I was cleaning a BP revolver and again answered the door with the cleaning rod in my hand. "Angel" my house mutt that was in heat ran out past me. It was two more old ladies jehovahs witness`s that got their wires crossed and were working the same neighborhood! There was a stray dog that took after angel! I was irate and now outside past the women. I just had to throw something! I bellered at the nice old ladys, Q+-0!"<!!, thats just what I didnt want! I started to throw the cleaning rod and in a micro secound seen I might hit my brand new truck in the driveway and in mid throw, threw the rod spinning end over end right between the women into the doorway of my house. The women were legging it out of there and one yelled back at me I should have a sign up!
For all my christian hospitality, angel got knocked up before I could corral her!

A our house, we DO NOT open the door.

Doesn't seem that long ago, I lived in a time and place where nobody locked the doors to their home, garage, or shed. Those days are pretty much gone. While we live out in the country with neighbors in view who respect each others' privacy, we are infrequently disturbed by idiots who refuse to respect the "Private Road" "Keep Out" signs posted along the mile long gravel road that connects us with the paved county road.

I don't greet trespassers with a gun in hand, but I'm a LEO, and I always carry around our place. I'm not what you'd call a trusting guy when it comes to the intent of others who disregard warnings, and I send them on their way, noting their vehicle, plates, and physical descriptions just in case my neighbors report having been victims of break ins or thefts of property.

My alarm system are the dogs we have. Nobody is going to get on our property in a vehicle without setting them off. If they make it to the door on foot before the dogs give the alarm, all hell breaks loose when they hear the knock on the door or see someone standing on our porch. That's usually enough to get the casual trespasser moving.

If you have a listed phone (SHAME ON YOU), it does not take long in today's information society for it to be cross listed with your physical address in a lot of databases, and since searching for links is how some bad actors are located, such experiences will not be uncommon if a deadbeat or criminal had that address before you.

Even before we had the fences, anyone coming to our door was committing a crime by approaching when the "no trespassing" signs were up, so I already knew that they were a bad actor and should be treated as such. Too many people are so concerned about not seeming "mean" that they do not deal with malefactors in a sound manner. As Col. Potter said on M*A*S*H, they get sung a 4 letter aria. Some folks are amazed at how many ways I can use the all purpose part of speech to enlighten the filth.

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NHI, 10-8.

I do have a listed phone number because I refuse to pay extra to not list it. I feel no shame.

I'll bet that doctor in Connecticut thought he lived in a "safe area"... until two subhuman beasts slaughtered his family and beat him half to death.

I'll bet those women in that Lane Bryant in Tinley Park, Illinois thought they were shopping in a "safe area"... until somebody shot them in the head.

ANY place can get VERY dangerous, VERY quickly. It only takes ONE person who wants to make it so. I derive no satisfaction from giving them a leg up.

Having grown up on the south side of Chicago in the '60s and '70s, I can't remember such a time. I DO remember my father having aluminum gates installed on our front and back doors, an aluminum grate over the back window, and a steel prop rod rig installed at the front door to prevent kick ins.

For some of us, today's world is old business.

My mother saw ed gein peeking in her bedroom window so not all things were hunky dory back in the 50s where I was raised. Still, ma was feisty and sicked ol` pete on him without grabbing dads pistol like she should have.
We had things happen back then too. Mom ran a roadside vegetable/fruit stand. Gein hung around it that day and that night she recognized the same man peeking in the window. A couple years later he was in the headlines and she instantly yelled it was him! Moms cousin`s husband actualy caught him. He had been the county sheriff.
In those days I believe everyone visited more and had more visitors stopping by all the time. We knew everyone in the country. Once I left home I found it a different world. I never seen bars over windows and doors until I went through st lewis when I was young. I sure would hate to live where you have to have bars over your windows and such.

Out here, neighbors help each other. Before they built a Dollar General in town, I've had people knock on our door asking for milk for their baby. Last time we had a prolonged power outage we had our portable generator humming along and I had another neighbor knocking on our door asking to buy a couple of gallons of gas for their generator.
I made a rifle sling for someone in town that he gave to his son for his birthday. There was a knock on the door after dark, I turned on the porch light and there stood a stereotypical looking hillbilly holding a cap and ball rifle. Turned out that it was this guys son, he couldn't figure out how to attach the sling. He's a Civil War reenactor and his Father wanted a sling that was unfinished and looked like it was made by a saddle maker. I used 9 ounce veg. tan and a solid brass halter buckle. Truth to tell, between the time I designed it and the time I took this picture, I wasn't sure I remembered how to install it myself and it's not done quite right. I asked him in, punched a few more holes and put it on his gun for him while he watched.
I'm using my shotgun as a model there.

In the winter kids knock on the door asking if we need our walk shoveled and in the summer they're asking to mow our lawn.
I love living in a "backwards" small town in the mountains of the West Virginia panhandle.
Just remembered something else, when I was spending a lot of time going to different doctors and specialists and getting treatments, my neighbor sent his son over to mow our lawn while we were away to help us out.

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Keep on Chooglin'

My gf ponied up for an unlisted number, but she still gets a few annoying calls, the most common being for a "David Brophy." She doesn't have the patience to try and track down who he is/was. Seems to be wanted by a lot of folks, though. Even the local Rite-Aid had him on their list!

Me too. But with the advent and proliferation of Meth labs and Oxy Heads I've changed my ways. Used to be I didn't lock my door and left my keys in the vehicles.

My wakeup call came just after the last census. I did not respond to any of the fed's mandates to give them personal information. I did not reply to their forms in the mail, nor did I return their phone calls which continued for a while and then stopped. Then I promptly forgot about the whole matter.

One afternoon, months later, I was working at home and had my “Road to Damascus” moment. My Labrador, who was at my feet at the time, alerted and then uttered a deep, visceral, low growl. Miss Kate has a gentle nature and this got my attention quickly. I grabbed a handy SiG220 and came out of my back office and down the hall. Round the corner I came face-to-face with a trespasser. Standing in my kitchen, bold as brass, was a freaky looking kid of about 20 with multi-colored hair, outlandish clothes and clutching something in his hands. I put the front sight on him, told him to freeze right where he was and demanded what he was doing in my house. After the color ran out of his face he told me he was following up on the census info, the door was open and he just "thought he'd step inside..."

Once I verified his creds and informed him of the error of his ways, I sent him on his way with a solid rebuke.

Thereafter I tighten up security and carry at all times, even at home. I should have known better all along…

Drew

I live alone in an apartment. There are other neighbors who refuse to take their keys when they walk the dog, and so hit buzzers for someone to let them in (these people have a spouse who could let them in). My unit is right by the door, and so I can look out the window to see who it is. I NEVER hit the buzzer to let someone in the outer door. People I know call before they come over. So unexpected people at the door are suspicious.

I will never fail to answer a knock at my door. It may be someone who needs help.

No, I do not carry a gun in my home.

I truly feel for those of you who are in an area where crime is so prevalent that you must carry a gun in your home and are afraid to answer the door.

I am not mocking you.

Whilst working in really (REALLY!) bad 'hoods I was reminded by an experienced person that not everyone who lived there was bad...some had no options. And those who were 'good' may be the ones who would 'drop a dime' for you.

That was wise information.

Be safe.

Move to another area, no I refuse. Paranoid, no, why should I be paranoid, I have my guns on me or next to me at home. Its the criminal who has something to worry about, Not me.
Since I can't stop the justice system from recycling these none
violent criminals who have to burglarize and steal to support their habits, my option is just to make sure they do not make me their victim. Someone wants to contact me that's what I have a telephone and a post office box for. They have no business knocking on my door in the middle of the night.
If it is daytime and I do not know them no I won't answer.
If they turn out to be a criminal and think they can force their
way in they will be leaking. Guess I am just not that hospitable
and friendly.

that no one's posted this yet:

Massad Ayoob "Don't Answer The Door!!!" - YouTube

Mas Ayoob on proper door etiquette

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Worst I ever did was when my pregnant wife was laying in bed I had just got home from work and was I. The shower when I heard her yell and my dog go crazy. Fell getting out of the shower grabbed a towel. And went to see what the problem was. Somebody beating on the back door... yeah you cant rack the slide on a 1911 while holding up your towell. Her kin folk learned I don't answer the door at night. But when I do I m cussing, naked and holding a .45

Introduced several nice folks to my 45 and my dog. She doesn't like it when people knock on the door either. One shady feller lost control of his bladder when he came a knocking after dark.

U.S. Census worker visted my Mother in Law (doing that Community (Unconstitutional) Survey) she lives in the Country and she saw him out her windon walking around the house. He came around the corner and she had my 870 leveled at him. And the Cops on their way. He learned. He couldn't give the Cops a good reason for being at the back of the house.

My practices were developed only in part as a safety thing, although that was a factor. I worked a lot of nights (prefer power shift, like 1800-0400), and I did not want to be awakened by someone who did not need my attention. I don't want to be called by anyone outside of a small group, either, and we finally got rid of our vestigial landline. I value my privacy. The number of people who should feel as though they can come to the house without a prior invite is small, MAYBE 5 if that. With the current canine (see avatar, the muzzle is not for show), NO ONE can come in. Pizza drivers LOVE that fence if he gets out to see them. My wife and I want to be left alone. No solicitors, etc.

After a burglary (we were not home, a darned shame as their estate probably would have had to pay ServiceMaster when Bozo met them), we are more sensitive. I want it to be a major pain in the gluteals to get anywhere near me. I don't generally like people. The few I like, I like a good bit. The rest of the population is of far less value to me than the average stray dog or cat, or wild animal.

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NHI, 10-8.

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- Change it back -

Totally agree.....your wife in not obliged to answer the door for a total stranger no matter what line they may give her.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER open the door to a stranger on the other side. this is a life lesson you do not want to learn, even for the first time. you don't need to look far to hear the daily horror stories in this country.

what do we do when the knock comes from the unexpected............two actions happen, almost simultaneously..............the police are called and a loaded S&W revolver is in my hand.....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

Not only have I posted it I started a thread on it

Good Video By M. Ayoob "Don't Answer That Door".

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Retired Career Security Guard

I find this “living in fear” meme to be a little insulting. The fact is the world we live in demands prudence. I don’t cower in my home but I’m also not opening my home to uninvited (these two words do not go together BTW) guests either.

I've said this before but, I've never answered a door to a stranger and had it turn out good. That's not to say that I've ever been robbed, but it's always been some kind of a pitch that I really don't want to hear. Now I simply don't open the door

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Retired Career Security Guard

Well, heck, share it with your wife, man!

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

When I was in detectives many years ago, I investigated a case where a homeowner had two guys spread out on his floor with a gun pointed at them. The story goes that he was dating a girl and her ex boyfriend sent them to break some bones. Specifically if they didn't break bones they didn't get paid. The first time he answered the door he was unarmed and they asked to use the phone. He said he would get it and got the phone and something told him to grab his single six. When they rushed the door he told them if they didn't drop he would shoot them. I've often thought of what could have gone wrong if they had attempted to break limbs, arteries can be severed , etc. He should have had the gun the first time, thank God he did the second time. The thugs fessed up gave up the boss and everything. We even got them to make a recording where the boss' right hand man told them, no broken bones, no money. You just never know. They even fessed up to terrorizing the girl and stalking her for the boss. Crazy world!!

The lovely Internet has created most of these issues of who lives where!!

Once you are connected with a particular address..........you will ALWAYS be identified with that address.

We bought the home we live in EIGHT years ago! Each week we received mail for one of the deadbeats who previously lived here! Last month we were notified that one individual had his hunting license revoked because he was behind on his child support - ya think? I contacted the DNR and was told that only the individual could put in a change of address with them! Like than ain't going to happen.

I won't be surprised if some LEO shows up here with a warrant for one of them!!

I don't think in this day and age you cannot be too careful when it comes to unknown parties at your door. I will not open it to a stranger as I feel the secured door at least gives me an advantage I would not have had otherwise. But, if this troubles you or seems " paranoid " I say do what works for you.

In S. FL (and many other areas of the country, I assume) an unanswered knock is an invitation for a break in. Armed heavier than 101st Airborne or not, that's an incident I can avoid by responding in some form. I refuse to let anyone control my life.