Wife home alone about 10am. Older woman comes to our front door and rings my Ring Doorbell. She is holding what seems to be her phone at her chest. Right after she rings the bell my camera goes off line. My wife tells the woman she is on a work call and can’t answer the door. Woman just walked off. Never introduced herself or where she was from or who she represented. Never offered to come back at a better time, nor did she leave any materials. She did not solicit any of my neighbors either. Weirdest, and most suspicious part is the camera came back on line as she was walking down my driveway. I just got home and had my wife call cops as I have my suspicions. Your thoughts please. Thanks.

Are you sure she was holding a cellphone and not a portable WiFi jammer?

Can you post a picture of what she was holding? Most wireless security systems can be jammed with a $30 baofeng. A flipper or similar device will also do it.

Lady rings your doorbell, you wife tells lady she can’t come to the door, lady walks off.

If it where a wifi jammer, the lady wouldn’t have heard your wife. Assuming the audio goes through the Ring device.

^That's true, but the OP didn't state his wife's response was through the Ring. She might have called through the door.

Sorry I didn't clarify that, she spoke through the door, yes. On hold with Nest support to see if the camera was jammed via outside influence, or otherwise, doubtful if you ask me. I'll have a pic of her up shortly as I'm using me cell for the call and I'm afraid to multi-task an loose the call. Item in her hands seems to more more of a tablet size. Her car is parked front in, in front of my house, but camera resolution is not good enough to zoom without loosing legibility.

Still still got me on hold, but rep said she checked my wifi and there were no disturbances on my end. Hmmm? She can't check the actual footage, but more like tech stuff. I was hoping they could zoom into the plate, but ng.

to be honest, nobody should use wifi security cameras.

wifi is pretty easy to jam these days.

Could you at least tell if the device had antennas, and how many?

Might be she jammed the camera from access to the wifi not the whole wifi system.

Guess it's a phone with some other crap too. Could even be a guy I suppose.

That does look like just a cellphone, but...

what I'm bothered about is that's the position people put phones when they are recording what's ahead of them.

In this case, your house.

That alone would make me not open the door.

was there a car that the person was associated with? anyone waiting in the car?

Car parked right in front of my house. Couldn’t see occupants or zoom into plate.

I wonder if it might make sense to file a report. Not that the police will look for the person, however, this might have happened to others in your area.

Silent

BTW is there something in this person’s left hand?

That’s how I hold my phone when I’m using the speaker phone or looking at maps on the screen, or aliens are about to burst from my chest. I don’t think you can read much into the way she’s holding her phone.

If she truly had a wifi jammer, she needs a better one since it seems like the camera got a decent picture.

Since your wife was on the other side of the door, it is weird the woman didn’t say anything at all.

The camera cutting out is weird. I don’t know how recording works with a Ring camera. Is there recorded video? Are there built-in diagnostics or logs that would tell you anything? Does your wireless access point have any logs that would tell you anything?

We have a lot of people knock on our door: alarm, solar, bug, windows, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc. This wouldn’t bother me much. I also have wired cameras including two different views of the front door.

We did get a police report fwiw. Wife also posted issue on neighborhood watch social media site. ETA- Looked at tape, nothing on the left hand in the left hand. I wish I were home. Looks like some range time for her and her Dan Wesson this weekend!

“Since your wife was on the other side of the door, it is weird the woman didn’t say anything at all.” Possibly leading me to think male?

I’ve got to go through my logged on wifi users to see any new activity. There is recorded video but almost immediately after she rings the camera goes off-line. Comes back on-line about 20 seconds later as she walks down my driveway. I’ve lost the camera before, but this seems too coincidental.

If I don't know or recognize you at my front door, I not only don't answer the doorbell or knock, I don't speak a word. You'll think no one is is home let alone me ready to "repel boarders."

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
If I don't know or recognize you at my front door, I not only don't answer the doorbell or knock, I don't speak a word. You'll think no one is is home let alone me ready to "repel boarders."

After checking threat potential, I’ve answered the door to strangers with my P220 behind my back.

Why is he dressed like that? It's still cold in NY? Yeah, totally legit, I'm sure.

Btw, the assholes will never be able to jam shit at the Q's household.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
If I don't know or recognize you at my front door, I not only don't answer the doorbell or knock, I don't speak a word. You'll think no one is is home let alone me ready to "repel boarders."

Bingo! You don't see me, but I see you.