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How to Secure Your Home or Business On the Cheap

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It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, your home is at risk of being burglarized. According to numerous studies, in the US alone, a burglary occurs about once every 18 seconds, which equates to about 5,000 a day.

5WFortunately, you can secure your home or business against burglary, and it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Here are 5 ways that you can get peace of mind on the cheap:

  1. Repurpose Your Smartphone
    If you are like most, you probably have an old smart phone hanging around just collecting dust in a drawer. For free or a small fee, you can download apps for both Android and iPhone devices that allow your smart phone to become a surveillance system with almost no effort on your part. Simply search “Surveillance app” in your devices app store.
  2. Speaking of Cameras…
    Of course, you can always just buy a surveillance camera for your business or home. These are often network cams and are easy to use and affordable. These low cost security cameras are often motion-activated cameras that sends a live stream and alerts to the user’s smartphone via the cameras app. Some of the features to look for include:

    • Night Vision
    • Wide-angle lens
    • Siren
    • Automatic detection of animals

    You can buy the systems at major retailers, and it start as low as $50.00.

  3. Set Up Some Tripwires
    Sometimes simple and traditional is best, and tripwires can really do a nice job of protecting your home or business, and you can get them for as little as $20. In fact, with a bit of ingenuity, you can even make your own. Some of them have a loud sound, too, similar to a gunshot, which will seriously scare anyone who is sneaking around where they shouldn’t be. These are low-tech and perfect for anyone wanting to beef up their other security systems, as a multi-layer approach to security is best. Search “trip wire alarm” on eBay or YouTube for all kinds of options.
  4. Get a Guard Dog
    If the traditional approach appeals to you, consider a guard dog. People have been using guard dogs to protect their property since the time of Ancient Rome, and one of the most popular breeds for this type of work is the German Shepherd, Doberman or Belgian Malinois. These dogs are large, strong, and intimidating, and you definitely wouldn’t want to cross paths with one that was trained to keep you off its property. Just keep in mind, whatever breed you choose, that you must get a professional trainer for the best results.
  5. Make a Pact With Your Neighbors
    One of the best ways to protect your property is to work with your neighbors and keep an eye on each other’s homes. For example, if you know your neighbor is going on vacation and you have more than one car, park one of them in their driveway. This way, it looks as if someone is home. You also should take their mail in because burglars know if there is a lot of mail in the box, the home or business owner likely isn’t around.

Robert Siciliano personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video.

Home Security Cameras 101: the Audio Element

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Before buying a security camera, ask yourself:

  • Where do you intend on placing it?
  • How well-hidden can/will the unit be?
  • Are you familiar with laws pertaining to surveillance of people without them knowing about it and the associated audio recordings?

1HLaws vary from state to state regarding the audio element of a surveillance camera, but on a federal level, the requirement is that one person needs to be aware of the recording. Because this is the federal law, it makes it impossible for any state to allow zero people being aware.

So what this means is that it’s illegal to audio record in the form of eavesdropping. It’s prohibited, for instance, to secretly record a conversation that two people, without them being aware, are having across the room at a coffee house that you’re all in.

However, that federal rule that one person needs to be aware of the recording means that you can get away with “secretly” recording those two people—as long as you’re part of their conversation, sitting right with them. So if those two people learn you recorded them, they can gripe all they want, but you’re protected by federal law since you sat and talked with them.

The law for audio recording isn’t the same as for visual, in which the latter is allowable for publically seen environments. This is where “Dual Consent” comes into play for ANY audio recording. Some states require both parties need to consent to audio recording in order for the recording to commence.

These rules apply to phone conversations as well as cameras, which is why you often get an alert that your customer service call “may be recorded for training purposes.”

Loopholes

  • If one of those two people is informed you’re recording them, then all is well, though once at least one of them knows this, it’s sure to influence the conversation (unless it’s dual consent state).
  • What seems to be a contradiction of that aforementioned federal rule is that you CAN secretly record those two people—provided that you don’t intend to use the recording for any illegal purposes (unless it’s dual consent state).
  • So it looks as though you can secretly record a conversation between your wife and the man she’s cheating on you with, then present it to her later as evidence you caught her. Nothing illegal about that (unless it’s dual consent state).
  • But if you covertly record your boss conversing with his secret mistress, then threaten you’ll give the recording to his wife unless he gives you a $1,000 bonus, then that’s illegal.
  • This is NOT legal advice. Consult your attorney and local laws.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Covert Camera Apps to be aware of

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Have you ever tried to take a picture or video of someone with your phone without them knowing? Sometimes it’s possible, but sometimes it’s not. Well, maybe you knew it was coming: “Ghost apps” are available that let you take images and videos without the target’s knowledge. You can then hide the images and videos in secret folders.

CAMYou can now spy on people with apps like Private Ninja Cam, Stealth Cam and Top Secret Camera. Scary enough, many users of these apps use this technology on sexting and other porny activities.

This spying-type of technology, however, can be put to good use, such as capturing a teacher abusing a student or a spouse doing some cheating. You can build evidence for a lawsuit, for instance, amassing videos at the workplace of various forms of harassment. You can be sitting in your boss’s office, getting chewed out by him over nothing, recording everything without him having the slightest clue.

Be careful though, as some states have laws against these practices when audio recording is involved.

So how do you get away with the spying?

  • The camera can record with a motion sensor.
  • The screen can be made blank when taking a picture.
  • The preview window can appear like a Web browser.
  • The shutter sound can be muted.

You can then hide the loot so that someone who gains access to your phone won’t be able to find it. Such secret vaults include Best Secret Folder and Keep Safe Private Photo Vault.

Snoopers can’t get into them because they require a password. But snoopers may also be tricked into overlooking the vault because the vault can masquerade as another type of application. The vault may also snap a picture of the snooper or sound an alarm.

Imagine all the things someone can do with these apps, such as a man sitting on a subway “upskirting” standing women. But remember, good things can be done too, such as recording a crime, recording being mistreated by a family member, capturing your husband’s boss hitting on you at the Christmas party, and so much more.

Just sayin’

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention.

How to choose a Video Surveillance System

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Selecting a video surveillance system will depend, in part, on the nature of your home: size, layout, number of possible entry points, etc. Before purchasing a video surveillance system, figure out exactly why you need this technology and where you’d like to have the cameras mounted.

2WBut one thing’s for sure; no matter how many cameras you have, they must be able to provide a good view of prominent areas like rooftops, attics, doorways and other locations where intruders can gain entry or hide.

Another thing to consider is the hidden camera, if you want to build evidence, not just deter an intruder. For instance, who keeps stealing your milk? One homeowner wanted to find out who kept taking off with his freshly delivered milk every morning. The hidden surveillance recorded the thief in action: the neighbor’s dog.

A camera in plain sight, though, is a very effective deterrent to potential intruders and vandals.

Camera Types

  • Box camera. Nothing fancy here, but this style is very practical and cost effective, some with the capacity for interchangeable lenses. They’re perhaps the most commonly used.
  • Dome camera. Some makes have interchangeable lenses, and this type can be easily mounted in many locations and are not as bulky as the box type.
  • Bullet camera. This style can vary greatly in size, are good deterrents simply by their look, and can come with the interchangeable lens option.
  • PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) come with more monitoring and installation choices, including a panoramic view just from a single unit. Most are remote controlled.

Indoor and outdoor cameras differ, mainly in that outdoor cameras are bigger and tougher to withstand tampering as well as the elements. However, nowadays higher-end cameras can function for both indoor and outdoor surveillance. Also, some outdoor cameras can be disguised as common items like a hose reel or a rock.

Wired or wireless? No matter what, your camera will need a wire. That wire may be “cat5” which is an internet cable also know as a “networked camera”. Or, the camera will need a power cable to plug into an outlet or hardwired back to a panel. Otherwise wired cameras are generally considered “analog” which means the video signal travels through the cable itself back to a digital video recorder. So one way or another, you have to have wires.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Hidden Covert Cameras found in Woman’s Home

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Nicole Muscara’s alarm clock acquired an alarming feature: a hidden camera placed by a stalker. She discovered something odd when she one day set the alarm; it wasn’t her clock.

CAMStories like this are happening more commonly. Recently a Kansas City, Missouri woman discovered 11 hidden cameras in her apartment—placed there by her landlord.

As for Muscara, turns out a good friend of hers (whom she had initially refused to suspect) had put in the camera clock.

It’s common to not know you’re being stalked, or if you do, not know whom the stalker is. The stalker is an unhealthy person who feeds on the energy of their victim to get through the day.

It’s tough to keep track of the prevalence of stalking, especially with today’s technology, with predators spying via webcams and other schemes.

Consider the following recommendations for protection:

Take note of unwanted attention. Does anyone keep texting you, for instance, even though you don’t like this? Is someone continuing to make unwarranted comments or advances even though you’ve told them to stop? Who has access to your home even though you don’t trust them?

Set up a home security system. They’re now wireless, cheap and portable. Wireless IP cameras can connect to your Internet and you can watch your home via smartphone.

Shield your hotel room’s peep hole with paper. A creep can get a “reverse peep hole” and watch you from the outside in.

Get a wired/wireless camera detector. Cameras that creeps use are tiny and hard to spot visually. A reliable camera detector (costs at least $100) will scan your home/hotel room.

Call the police. If you “feel” someone is watching you, your sixth sense may very well be correct.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Stalker Frames Victim Husband for Child Porn

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OK, this is a weird title for this blog, but you gotta read this.

First, if there was ever a reason for you to invest in a home security system the below article is it.

A Crazy guy broke into the home of a woman who he was stalking. The woman is married, but apparently the guy didn’t care. When he broke into the home he logged onto the victim’s husband’s PC and downloaded child pornography.

Then he took the hard drive and sent it to the local police with a note to the police identifying the owner of the hard drive. The idea behind the scheme was to get his stalking victim husband arrested and give the impression that the victim’s husband was a child predator.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a whacky guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After he sent the hard drive to the police he was quickly arrested. Fortunately, the cops saw through his ruse. After investigating the stalker they found pictures on his computer that indicated he had broke in the house numerous times and snapped photos of the husband’s calendar so he could break into the home whenever he pleased.

And you think you have problems?

Stalking is a whole thing that I will get into in another post. What immediately bugs me about this story is the fact there was NO home alarm, NO security cameras, and the stalker was easily able to enter and exit the home at will, which tells me they probably didn’t lock the home.

It’s 2010 people, and the crazies are out in full force. Don’t think it can happen to you?

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

How to Mess With a Burglar’s Head

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So you follow set guidelines for home security tips and installed all the necessary technologies like a wireless alarm system to prevent the bad guy from breaking in. But Murphy’s Law dropkicked you and all failed for whatever reason and the bad guy is in your home while you are away on business or at work.

Here’s a do it yourself cheap way to have a home security camera system to spook the jerk and possibly get him caught. This is easier than it sounds. But take your time and have fun.

If you are like me, you have old computers in your closest collecting dust that are too slow to actually surf the Net and get things done efficiently. Now is a good time to put them to good and fun use.

1. Clean up the operating system and make it functional. Connect it to the Net and leave it on.

2. Install cheap $10 webcams that have audio and the cam will pan the area, tilt and zoom.

3. Dig out your old computer speakers and connect them to the PC and set them to LOUD.

4. Download and install free Skype. Skype is voice over the internet that also supports webcams. With Skype you can call anyone on Skype and talk to them via a webcam. Make sure your home and work PC has Skype and a webcam or your road ready laptop has Sykpe and a webcam.

5. You need to set up 2 different accounts on Skype, one for home and one for work. Each has a different user name and set them to auto login when the PC starts.

6. Download and set up the dusty home PC or laptop with free “LogMeIn.com” remote access technology software. This software allows you to remotely access the home PC from anywhere. When you log into your home PC from the road you can fully control that home PC like you are sitting in front of it.

7. From work, Skype into the Home PC and call it from your work PC then “answer” the call while remotely logged in.

8. Now you have full control over the web camera on the home PC and you can pan, tilt zoom and your voice now broadcasts over the home PC speakers.

9. Download Korn, Disturbed, MegaDeath, Marilyn Manson, Metallica or my personal favorite, the ultimate creep tune: “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.” Or the Police’s “Every Breath You Take… I’ll be Watching You.” Record a dog barking on a loop. If you’re a movie buff dig out some sound clips from horror movies with lots of blood curdling screams that play incessantly on a loop. Now we’re cooking with gas!

10. When you Skype in and see a burglar call the police. Then start talking to him like you’re in the next room and tell him that the cops are coming to get his sorry self. Then blast the music at level 10 to freak him out. If you really want to mess with him play anything from Yoko Ono. Loud!

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Using Skype and Webcams to Spy on The CW. Disclosures.