Latest news with #Ring
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
'Beyond unhinged': Mum sends flurry of furious texts to babysitter who ordered DoorDash while watching her kids
A babysitter has shared a brutal text exchange with a furious parent after she was sacked from a job for ordering food delivery during her shift. The young woman, who has chosen to keep her identity private, took to social media platform Reddit to share a text exchange with a client after a recent babysitting job. Sharing screenshots of the messages in the popular forum 'Am I Overreacting?', the babysitter wanted to know who was in the wrong in the scenario. "I ordered DoorDash while babysitting because I hadn't eaten since lunch and was getting a headache and they were two hours late,' she wrote. 'The kids were asleep, the food was left on the porch, and I stepped outside for 10 seconds to grab it. "The mum told me she was uncomfortable that someone came to the door and that I 'left the kids alone'. 'When I got home I was told they can't trust me anymore and I was fired.' Screenshots from the exchange reveal the moment the babysitter's late night munching was exposed via the home's Ring camera security system. "Hey, our Ring just showed someone at the door. Was something delivered?" the mum asked. "Yes, I didn't eat dinner so I ordered DoorDash," the babysitter replied. The babysitter then explained that they opted to order the meal because the mum, who was originally set to return at 8:00pm, changed her ETA to 11:30pm at the last minute. "Okay, we'll talk when we get home, but I'm really concerned that you would do that without asking first,' the outraged parent shot back. 'I would never be okay with a stranger coming to the door while my kids are sleeping. I really wish you had asked me before doing that.' The mother said she 'got why' the babysitter was hungry but suggested she should have 'eaten from the cabinet' instead. Despite the mother's concern about her children's safety, the babysitter revealed that the concerned parent had originally contacted her for work via Facebook. 'Mind you, this is someone who found me on Facebook, barely asked me anything before hiring me, and had no issue leaving her two kids under two with a total stranger but a food delivery on the porch is somehow a big deal?,' she wrote. Hundreds of commenters responded to the exchange with the overwhelming majority of users siding with the babysitter. 'They are majorly over reacting. You didn't leave them alone while you got your food, you opened the door, grabbed it, and then locked everything behind you,' one supporter wrote. 'That's beyond unhinged. I wouldn't sit for them again and I say that as a mum and former babysitter,' another user agreed.
CNET
4 hours ago
- CNET
11 Tricks and Technologies to Keep Your Home Safe From Intruders
From summer vacations to evenings of play, you'll want to make sure your home is safe when you're away. And that certainly includes your yard and front porch, where CNET surveys have found that 1 in 6 adults have been victims of porch theft. But the right home security has a say about that, too. The right smart devices, tips and home practices can keep all intruders at bay and stop break-ins before they happen -- prevention, after all, is the best strategy. Here's what I suggest to stay one step ahead with your home security and keep trespassers from causing any harm. 1. Set motion detection lights to stun Floodlights can watch over backyards, driveways and similar spots. Blink Look for a security camera that's equipped with a spotlight or floodlights. You can set these lights to trigger via motion detection, and thanks to recent advantages, camera sensors are now smart enough to ignore cars and focus on people, among other useful tricks. The lights will let determined trespassers know that there's a security system, and even indicate that a camera is currently recording them. That's a powerful reason to get away if intruders have ill intent! Remember, apps from popular smart home brands like Arlo, Ring, Blink and many others allow you to set zones and control motion sensitivity so your security lights only turn on when a person gets close, instead of lighting up a dozen times a night. Read more: I Thought I'd Hate AI in Home Security. I Couldn't Have Been More Wrong 2. Put up a security system yard sign Security yard signs discourage many thieves. Kangaroo You may have already suspected it, but studies do confirm that burglars -- around 83% surveyed -- are scared off by signs that an alarm system is present, and one of the most straightforward is a literal sign or window sticker. We suggest avoiding cheap, fake signs, which are usually easy to recognize by someone already thinking about a break-in. Fortunately, real signs come included even with common DIY security systems like those offered by SimpliSafe. And if you're worried about a burglar using a sign to learn too much about your home security system, these sorts of hacking tales hardly ever actually happen. 3. Install a video doorbell for front door protection Kasa's very affordable doorbell can keep an eye on all kinds of front door events. Kasa It's hard to miss a video doorbell when approaching a front door or porch. From Google Nest to Arlo, Ring and Aqara, these doorbell cameras make it obvious that someone's watching. They come equipped with two-way audio and quick replies that can hold brief conversations, and if visitors recognize a video doorbell, they probably know it's already sent alerts to the owner about front door activity. Those qualities make doorbells an excellent method to deter porch pirates and other troublemakers. We also recommend planning for video storage so you have a way to save and download or share video clips when necessary. 4. Use alerts to call an audible Two-way audio features also let you call out trespassers. Ring/Amazon All the top home security cams now come with two-way audio features, which are one of the most effective deterrents if you notice something is wrong. Nothing can scare away a trespasser quite like the owner flipping on the speaker and calling out, "HEY! What are you doing?!" Plus, if it's just a very lost postman, you can always apologize afterward without getting the police involved. Two-way audio works well with timely camera alerts on your phone and object recognition so the alerts specify that a human was detected. 5. Set up sirens on home security devices Arming a system with a siren is a great way to scare off trespassers if they get too close. Kangaroo They aren't quite as ubiquitous as two-way audio, but many cameras and most home security kits also include sirens. On today's smart devices you have the option to turn on sirens with the app, or set the siren to sound off when certain kinds of motion are detected and the system is armed. It's a quick addition you can activate during setup, even for the smallest cams like the Blink Mini 2. 6. Position access sensors on windows and backdoors A full security system can watch over multiple access points at once. Abode/Amazon Access sensors enable a bunch of the tips we listed above if someone actually enters your home. They send alerts that allow you to immediately look through live views from cameras, use two-way audio in a shouty way or sound off a siren/flip on a floodlight. If you're worried about burglars breaching points like these (especially if you've had it happen before), the top home security system kits include sensors for exactly these reasons. 7. Set vacation modes with smart lights and more Smart lights and vacation modes make your house seem occupied even when you're not around. Ry Crist/CNET Smart security systems and home cams have an additional feature to help make vacations easier: They have vacation modes and customizable away modes. You can pair these modes with smart lights and set an activity schedule that makes it look like people are still home when you're away. Vacation modes like these will turn lights on and off to mimic people getting home in the evening, waking up in the morning and other everyday activities. They can discourage thieves looking for empty homes that make easy targets, and give you extra peace of mind on long vacations. These modes also pair very well with cams that let you take a peek as long as you have a reliable internet connection and access sensors that tell you when something went wrong. 8. Keep your garage closed and locked Smart garage doors come in many forms, including retrofits, but they're an excellent way to keep garage doors closed and uninviting to prowling thieves. Chris Monroe/CNET Many burglaries are crimes of opportunity, and one opportunity that can easily attract thieves (and racoons) is a garage door that's been left open. Consider equipping your garage door with a smart door system that can automatically close the door for you, secure it and remind you if the door is left open for any reason. These smart garage doors are frequently backward-compatible with existing garages, especially newer models, but you should always check how they work before you buy a new system. 9. Equip your door with a smart lock Smart locks ensure you never forget to lock the front door. Lockly Forgetting to lock the front door isn't quite as noticeable as leaving the garage open, but it can still attract thieves, who won't be shy about rattling doorknobs to see if entry is easy. A smart lock is a simple, incredibly effective way to monitor your main entry and make sure it's always locked at the right times. Today's smart locks can auto-lock after a period of inactivity, or send you reminders that they're open, so you can make a judgment call yourself. They also come with ways to give friends and family temporary passes to use the lock with their own phones, and options to review your access history. 10. Use an active professional home-monitoring service Professional home monitoring gives you extra eyes on developing situations. SimpliSafe Consider adding professional home monitoring to your security system for the most complete protection. Professional monitoring allows agents to view their alerts and contact emergency responders if necessary, so you don't have to rely on your own notifications. These monitoring plans don't have to be exorbitantly expensive: Arlo's Secure Premium plan offers full family monitoring services for $25 per month. Take a look at SimpliSafe's Fast Protect plan, which offers guides that look at cam live views and use audio to ask questions, for around $30 per month. Monitoring plans can take your home security to the next level if you don't mind the extra expense. 11. Add a delivery lock box to your porch Package lock boxes are a very old solution to a very modern problem. Felikuk A package lock box is a very simple, very effective addition to your home that shuts down porch piracy entirely. It works a lot like public package drop-offs, with one area where delivery people can drop in a package, and a holding area only accessible to the owner via key or keypad. Thieves can't get inside at all. Advanced models like Loxx Boxx also give you app control, remote access and alerts about when you get a delivery. This could be the perfect deterrent if you have porch-pirate problems in your neighborhood and get packages frequently. What about guard dogs as a security bonus? Many sources suggest getting a guard dog as a home theft deterrent. We do not recommend getting a dog specifically for security purposes, even if they're effective. It's not very fun for the dog, and it's difficult to train one to be wary of the wrong kind of strangers (and not, say, cousin Jimmy who's never been to your home before). Also, dog attacks regularly lead to trespassers suing homeowners for their injuries, and some states have liability laws that can encourage such lawsuits. Since staying safe is already on your mind, you can check out our recommendations for the top DIY home security systems, as well as ways to save money like turning an old phone into a security cam. And if you live with roommates, you'll want to peruse our guide on the best tech to keep your own room safe.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Your Ring cameras weren't hacked over the weekend — here's what actually happened
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If you noticed a flurry of unauthorized devices logged into your Ring account recently, you're not alone and no, you weren't hacked. As reported by BleepingComputer, Ring, which makes some of the best video doorbells and home security cameras, has revealed that a bug in a backend update led to customers around the world believing their accounts might have been hacked. In a post on Facebook, the company explained that it was aware of 'a bug that incorrectly displays prior login dates as May 28, 2025.' Ring also updated its status page, explaining that the bug led to information being incorrectly displayed within the Control Center in its app. The company also went on to say that 'we have no reason to believe this is the result of unauthorized access to customer accounts.' In addition to fake login entries, some Ring customers reported that they saw unknown devices, strange IP addresses and even countries they've never been to in their Authorized Client Devices list. As BleepingComputer points out, this led many of them to believe that these entries couldn't just be previous logins. To make matters worse, it took Ring a lot longer than many customers believed it would to reverse the faulty backend update that led to all this confusion in the first. In fact, even after three days, some users are still seeing logins from unrecognized devices. Likewise, some users reported seeing live view activity when no one within their household had accessed the app. At the same time, other customers reported that they didn't receive security alerts or multi-factor authentication prompts when new devices were added to their Ring app. How to keep your Ring account safe from hackers Seeing unauthorized devices access your video doorbell and home security cameras is certainly the kind of thing that can leave someone shaken up. It could also indicate that your account was hacked which is why this backend update bug led to an uproar online from Ring users. If you're worried about unauthorized devices accessing your Ring account, you can open the app, head to Control Center and then to Authorized Client Devices. There, you'll see a list of all devices and logins. If there are any there you don't recognize, then you should remove them immediately. Although Ring has done its best to assure users that this was not a data breach, it's still a good idea to change your password if you haven't done so recently. Just like with the rest of your online accounts, you want to ensure you're using a strong and complex password in the Ring app. If you have trouble coming up with passwords on your own or even just remembering them, then you might want to consider using one of the best password managers. Not only will they generate strong and unique passwords for all of your online accounts but a password manager also stores all of your credentials securely in one place so that they're easy to find. In addition to changing your Ring password, you should also set up two-factor authentication for your account if you haven't done so already. That way, anyone who tries to login to your account will also need a single-use code to gain access to it. I've reached out to Ring in regard to this recent backend update bug and will update this story accordingly if and when I learn more. In the meantime though, an incident like this one while scary could be the wake-up call you needed to start taking your online security more seriously. It's one thing to lose access to an account and it's another to potentially have strangers watching your every move online. When it comes to the best home security cameras, you always want to make sure that you keep their apps updated and that you're using a strong and complex password that you aren't using for any of your other online accounts. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. More from Tom's Guide How to enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for Ring cameras Which Ring Video Doorbell should you buy? Ring backtracks, lets cops once again request video from your doorbell and security cameras
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Babysitter Orders Food From DoorDash, Unprepared for Message From the Mom
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A babysitter who briefly stepped outside to grab a DoorDash order was unprepared for the backlash from the mother when she got home. In a post on Reddit's r/AmIOverreacting thread, u/South-Eagle-300 said that the mom discovered, via a Ring doorbell camera, that someone had approached the door. The visitor was a food delivery driver, summoned by the babysitter, who said they hadn't eaten since lunch and was developing a headache. The children, both aged under 2, were reportedly asleep at the time. Stock image: A mom shouts at a babysitter in a home. Stock image: A mom shouts at a babysitter in a home. shironosov "The mom told me she was uncomfortable that someone came to the door and that I 'left the kids alone'," the Reddit user wrote. The post included screenshots of the text exchange with the children's mother, showing a rapid shift in tone once the food delivery was discovered. Initially, the sitter asked for an update on the parents' return, noting they were already over two hours later than expected. The mother replied: "We are taking the 10:30 train so we should be home at 11:30." But, moments later, things escalated when the mom texted to ask whether the sitter had something delivered. After the sitter confirmed it was DoorDash, the mom responded saying that she was "concerned" about doing this without asking her first. "I would never be okay with a stranger coming to the door while my kids are sleeping. I really wish you had asked me before doing that," the text read. The mother went on to request that the babysitter double-check that both the storm door and the door chain were locked, adding that she needed to "fully trust who's here." In follow-up texts, the sitter apologized and said that they had waited until the delivery person left before stepping outside and had locked everything behind her. The sitter also mentioned having babysat for other families where ordering food was never an issue. But the parents remained firm, responding that their concern wasn't about the babysitter being hungry—it was about someone coming to the door without their knowledge, and the babysitter stepping outside without informing anyone. When the parents returned, the sitter was told they couldn't be trusted anymore and was subsequently fired. At the time of writing, the post received more than 31,000 upvotes and over 5,600 comments. Many commenters sided with the sitter, pointing out the double standard of leaving children with a near-stranger while expressing outrage over a 10-second trip to the porch. "People are crazy like if you're THAT concerned about your kids maybe you should take care of your own kids: sorry you lost clients that sucks," one user wrote. "I think the fact that she hired a stranger off Facebook to watch them and left them alone with her speaks volumes and she's a hypocrite to complain about food delivery in the way it was done here," another posted. Parenting consultant Jo Hayes told Newsweek that the babysitter's starvation may put the children at greater risk than opening the door to retrieve her food. "If they haven't eaten since lunchtime, their cognitive functions and general physical energy would be diminished, meaning they're in a less-than-ideal position to deal with any babysitting emergencies, should they arise," Hayes said. A third user believed the mom managed to redirect the attention away from how much later they would actually be arriving home. "At least now you'll be able to spot it next time … because there WILL be a next time. It's how these people move through the world," the user wrote. Newsweek reached out to u/South-Eagle-300 via Reddit.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Rotating camera smart doorbell vs Ring
Imou's Doorbell 2S has a clever trick up its sleeve | Imou This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. It rotates, it tracks, it looks slick – and it undercuts Ring. The Imou Doorbell 2S packs in high-end features like AI tracking, a 2K camera and a smart chime, all for under £80. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It's always welcome to see true innovation in the world of household technology, and the Imou Doorbell 2S is a prime example. Unlike normal video doorbells which have fixed cameras, the Doorbell 2S has a rotating camera. This means it can track people as they move around on your driveway. It sounds really simple, one of those "why did nobody think of that" moments, but is it any good? I've been living with one for a while, and it's pretty impressive. The sensor built into the Doorbell 2S has three megapixels and 2K resolution, and that's nothing to write home about these days, but it does deliver crisp and clear footage. The headline act, of course, is the rotating camera, and it allows for a 180 degree field of view. It's important to point out that, as remarkable as that sounds, a Ring video doorbell has a 160 degree field of view, and I've tested an Arlo doorbell before with 180 degrees from a static camera. An AI system tracks the person you're watching, and moves the lens automatically to follow them | Imou However, quite importantly, the outer extremities of any static camera will be distorted, and you won't get HD resolution in the widest parts of the field - let alone 2K or 4K. This panning system, then, even though it only moves through 30 degrees, allows for crystal clear footage from all angles across the spectrum, and it really can make a difference. It's backed up by a built-in AI system that recognises when someone is approaching and activates a tracking system that moves the lens from side to side. There are other things I like about the Doorbell 2S. It looks really smart. Some doorbells are quite bland and boxy (I'm looking at you, Ring). The Imou's brushed steel, sculpted housing looks premium, and the mirrored button looks fab. The night vision is superb, and there's also a chime included, which doubles as a WiFi extender - another neat touch. The 5,000mAh rechargeable battery should give you at least a couple of months between charges, and the app isn't one of the best on the market, but it's good. Response times are decent enough too. The included chime doubles as a WiFi extender - which is a clever touch | Imou There's no support for Google and Alexa, which is a shame, and the cloud-based features are via a subscription, but you can use an SD card for local storage. You might expect all this technology to come at a premium price, but it really isn't. Currys seems to be the best place to buy one from, and it's currently £79.99. Compare that to a Ring Wireless Video Doorbell, and it's £20 cheaper, despite the fact it doesn't come with a chime, it only supports 1080p footage, and you really do need to pay for a subscription to get the best out of it. So while it might seem like the Ring doorbell is the default choice, you'd be daft not to shop around. And I personally think you'd be mad to overlook the Imou Doorbell 2S. It's very good.
