1 Message
Could I Have just caught someone watching us through our Motion Camera?
Super strange. Wife and I disabled the alarm when we got home a little more than an hour ago. Motion sensor camera is set to briefly open/record when the away alarm is triggered, like when we get home and open the front door, and turns off within a minute of disarming. We’ve been home for about an hour and I randomly look at our motion sensor camera and noticed the camera shutter was open. I stared at it for a few seconds, then got my wife’s attention to look at it too. The moment we both looked at the camera, the shutter closed instantly. Coincidence? Checked timeline history and no recordings were listed. Did we just catch someone watching us or was it a complete coincidence that the shutter failed to close for the hour or so we’ve been home and the moment we both noticed it, and looked directly at it, it closed?
Adding some additional context: My initial thought here was that it was a potential compromise of our account. I do have 2FA enable and have not received any unexpected login attempts. I have since changed our PW just in case. SimpliSafe does not show any other logged in devices besides my phone. Removed the camera and will monitor for the next few days. Again, could be a total coincidence that the shutter malfunctioned (for the first time?) and failed to close after the initial minute recording, remained open for more than an hour unnoticed, and just so happened to close when my wife and I both noticed it and looked directly at it. Just makes me feel uneasy.
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emily_s
Community Admin
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3.4K Messages
2 years ago
Hi @Larrgjr,
This could have been an instance where the Smart Alarm Indoor Camera's Privacy Shutter got stuck open after you came home.
Did you notice a flashing LED light on your camera when its Privacy Shutter was open? A flashing blue light means that a user activated a recording or live stream, and a flashing amber light means that 24/7 live guard protection is enabled, there is an active alarm in progress, and one of our monitoring agents is currently looking at a live stream.
I also want to ensure you that no one at SimpliSafe has at-will access to your camera feed. The only time a monitoring agent can see a live stream or video footage is if 24/7 live guard protection or Video Verification is enabled and there is an active alarm in progress.
Since you mention that you were not notified of any recent login attempts and you do not see any other devices logged into your account, that only furthers my hunch that the Privacy Shutter happened to be stuck open. However, to be completely sure, I've escalated your case to our Specialist team. A senior specialist will reach out to you soon, so keep an ear out for their call.
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dlpsr
1.6K Messages
11 months ago
@emily_s
Who and why was someone Simplisafe logged into my system?
Evidently a long time. I deleted them.
(edited)
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eo123
1 Message
11 months ago
Honestly, I I found this post because I am noticing the same thing & searching online. I do not often use my alarm and never use home mode. Been noticing the last couple months that my camera shutters will open randomly at night. I’ll start staring at it and it will close. This made me really uncomfortable because I kept checking my settings and nothing indicated that my cameras should be active. I started putting Post-it notes on my cameras because they keep turning on for no reason. It seems like there might be something funny going on and it’s not a good look for the company. It feels like someone is watching me that shouldn’t be.
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jessicablair89
1 Message
5 months ago
Same thing just happened to me as well. Very concerning. No flashing light. Will change pass word as that's a good idea. Have you had any other occurrences?
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dicktashiro
1 Message
30 days ago
My issue is a bit different, but my camera has recorded me twice recently. When I disarm the system, the camera always turns on and records for a minute. That is how the system normally operates. But twice, the system disarmed again a few minutes later and the camera came on. I had not rearmed the system. It does make me feel like someone is tampering with my system just so they can watch the camera.
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dlpsr
1.6K Messages
30 days ago
I made a personal choice long ago, since the Ring $30 million dollar privacy lawsuit. Look it up, what a debacle. And that I just don't trust any business these days with our privacy.
No SS indoor cameras for me. My choices.
The ones that are looking inside are in the basement and garage. And are not Simplisafes. Several other brand cameras are in stuck in window mounts looking outside.
The other brand had their previous privacy quirks too but have since tightened up security. So they say.
They could record sound but that's turned off and confirmed they do not record.
I can't speak to the SS indoor cams.
I can speak to the outdoor version 1 white cameras, I have 5. Even during times where I didn't have a recording plan they were recording and sending videos up to the SS servers.
CEO Escalations sorta admitted it on my account, called it a one off mistake and blew me off with excuses.
SS has never supplied proof & never will whether they stopped doing it, that it was actually just a single mistake on us or just plain negligence and/or lazy programming. I do believe they're not doing it in purpose or maliciously, but if my evidence is valid, it shouldn't be happening at all. Period
It is a violation of Wiretap laws in Pennsylvania which are strict. Amd other States. Ignorance or ignoring the law is no excuse.
SS recorded audio and video. Audio at least requires warning & verbal person consent or a sign which I have. Just in case.
You're on my property, you will be recorded vidio & audio, so people are warned by me. Even if unnecessary. My property.
How do I know it happened? I was on self monitoring since on or about last Decemberish 2024 when I cancelled.
What happened? Signed on May 8th 2025 free trial for self with recordings.
A previous 30 days of recordings, pre May 8th 2025 which shouldn't have been recorded, came streaming into the timeline.
Which of course I took screenshots and saved the audio recordings as proof. Indisputable evidence.
I can't verify what goes on the server side obviously, whether it was actually a one off or not. I'm not making accusations of any thing other than what I have evidence of.
What I can do to see if they just record forever is sign up again for self with recordings and see if it happens again, or not. I might. What's $10?
What I know, the cameras are not supposed to be recording us if we haven't got and pay for a free trial, or a recording plan that obviously make recordings.
And per privacy, only as indicated in how they operate with a recording plan.
You can draw your own conclusions.
Trust but verify. To the degree that's even possible. What actually happens server side only Simplisafe may know.
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