Help with bad product.

@randy7d44b4​ I apologize for this experience. When purchasing one of our cameras second-hand, the previous owner needs to remove the camera from their system first before another user can install it.

Our Support team can talk about next steps to take, but unfortunately our agents cannot remove that camera from the previous owner's account as part of our security protocol. This is to protect our customers, as we would never want to run into a situation where someone was able to steal a camera and add it to their system.

@captain11​ there are lots of Simplisafe Indoor cameras for sale on eBay, including some that are refurbished and actually sold by Simplisafe! It makes no sense to me that so many cameras are sold and for sale that no one else would post that they had a problem and had to return the product? The seller was great and will send a refund, but his company bought a bunch of them from some consolidator...so no path back to the "previous owner." The camera was new, cord had never been unrolled. Not sure how it was assigned to someone's account, but perhaps they ordered it and didn't use it. I was hopeful when the rep offered me a discount. I paid $36 for the new camera from eBay, Simplisafe sells them for $99. They offered me a $9 discount. Missed that by a mile. I'm just upset it took 30 min to get a "no." Don't say contact us for further help when you won't help. With 6k messages, safe to assume you work for Simplisafe?

@randy7d44b4​ I have been asked that many times before and, no, I do not work for Simplisafe, just an avid fan and customer since March of 2012, but if you do a search I do routinely call SS out on the carpet when I think appropriate, and more than you would think.

That said, I have placed by recommendation over 36 systems (stopped counting) and they are spread across family, friends, neighbors and former coworkers ( I am an old fart retired) and even absolute strangers. I was in Boston in 2018 during my retirement "road trip" and (God bless my wife) included a visit to SS HQ.  Before you write me off as a "SS plant", you will note that I asked SS to confirm my theory on your issue and you, and others, needed a response to this asap.

I said what I said as a neighbor bought a Simplicam on eBay and couldn't install it as it was still registered to a system. In that instance SS clearly gave him instructions, which he followed, and the seller contacted SS to "deregister it" and he was on his way.

I have a SS3 system, six cameras, including two outdoor, three indoor SA cameras and the doorbell pro plus and 30+ other sensors and the system is rock solid.  I can assure if you if anything does goes south on any of the systems I recommended (including my daughter's, her inlaws, my two brother in laws, three nieces,  5 neighbors, etc, I hear about it if SS doesn't come through.  In one instance, my friend's son had three (3) smoke sensors fail and I called in on their behalf, had their code word and worked my way up to the director of customer ops who tested the 4th himself and then sent it out. Spoiler alert: it worked.

So, SS isn't perfect, but they have always come through for me, although feature requests are slow coming, or not coming at all. Overall, SS IMO, is the best value and effective solution out there.

Finally, your comment on "so many" issues with cameras. SS has over (I believe) 4 million customers now.  It is a small % that posts in this community, but please note, when a customer posts "SS sucks" or some other complaint, their post (expect for personal attacks, profanity etc) is not deleted or filtered by SS in any manner.  They take the hits they deserve, and from my experience, attempt to make good.  In your particular issue, they need to confirm what I told you and then assist you to resolve it. Let's see what tomorrow brings.

If I can be of any assistance, feel free to contact me in the direct chat area.

Good luck.

Update: As my father used to say, when all else fails, read.  I just reread your post and now I realize you are returning the camera you purchased and you can't contact the former owner it is registered under. My apologies for the oversight.