Episode 66 — Alexandria: Home Security System Compromised (Summer 2024)

SLII: Surveillance, Life Invasion, Intimidation, Interference

Excerpt (bullets)

• Visited outdoor store for motion monitoring device.
• Told to contact home security system for active security monitoring and equipment not connected to WiFi.
• Received equipment—keypad box security tape had been tampered with (cut).
• Installed equipment, contacted company requesting another keypad—tampering.
• Replacement also tampered with (cut).
• Settled for what could get.
• Contacted company for first keypad disposal—no instructions to suspend first keypad's connection to security tower.
• Two AM: tower screamed because lost link to keypad.
• Eventually had to turn tower off to reset, placing safety at risk.
• Later realized company provided special phone number different than generic number.
• Called general phone line to inquire about special number—staff never heard of it, had been with company many years.
• She researched, returned saying found reason for number.
• Someone had been surveilled me as soon I made the first contact.

Full Narrative

In summer 2024, deciding I needed a motion monitoring device, I visited an outdoors store. There, I was told I should contact my home security system where I could subscribe for active security monitoring and obtain equipment that did not connect to the WiFi. I received the equipment noticing the keypad box security tape had been tampered with (cut). I installed the equipment and then contacted the company requesting another keypad box because the one I received had been tampered. Shortly, I received the replacement only to see that that keypad box had also been tampered with (cut). I decided to settle for what I could get. I contacted the company for the first keypad disposal. Simply place it in a box and mail it back. The person did not provide instructions to suspend the first keypad's connection to the security tower which monitors break-ins. Two o'clock the next morning the tower screamed because it lost its link to that keypad. I eventually had to turn the tower off to reset it placing my safety at risk. Later I realized the company provided me with a special phone number that was different than the generic phone number. I had called SimpliSafe at the tail end of my subscription with them because I had become suspicious of its real use versus its intended use; helping my abuser instead of protecting me. I called the company's general phone line to inquire about the phone number the original staff member provided to me for support. She had never heard of that number and placed me on hold to research. She had been with the company for many years and prided herself knowing all the phone numbers. She returned saying she found out the reason for that number. Someone had been surveilled me as soon I made the first contact.

Category Codes

• DEV.SEC (Security system compromise from procurement)
• DIG.SPOOF (Special surveillance phone number)
• INS.GOV (Law enforcement coordination suspected)