Stolen camera

You’re talking about it deleting them. Read this:

I address options in a previous post: Stolen camera - #18 by OverWatch

I would prefer the owner to have to knowingly delete the device. It’s two or three steps. I’ve seen too many people answer ‘yes’ without fully understanding and then it’s too late.

Any attempts by Wyze to make it difficult to reactivate a stolen camera will make it even more difficult for the support staff when someone legitimately sells or gives away the camera, driving up the cost. Probably not worth it.

Where do you see the support staff getting involved?

My proposal is that a MAC address has to be deleted by one owner before another “owner” or thief can add it. This would ensure the 14 days of cloud storage, which is what they bought with the camera, is retained by the original owner until they delete the device from their account.

I just did the following experiment with a V2:

  1. Logged app into Account#1 and verified that the V2 connects and that there are event clips for it in the Event list.

  2. Logged the app out of Account#1 and into Account#2.

  3. Pressed the + button on the home page to add a new camera.

  4. Pressed the setup button on the V2 (simulated stolen camera)

  5. Proceeded to setup this camera to Account#2 just as if it were new.

  6. Verified V2 connects for live stream under Acct#2.

  7. Checked Event page for clips for this camera in Acct#2 — no clips exist after refresh and several minute wait.

  8. Switched app back to Acct#1.

  9. Verified that the camera is no longer in the devices list and there are no longer any event videos for it available.

  10. Re-setup the camera back to Acct#1 : the pre-existing event clips are still no longer available.

Conclusions:

  1. A stolen camera can easily be activated to a new account, and if so…

  2. The thief will not gain access to previously recorded event clips, but…

  3. You will no longer be able to view the previously recorded event clips, even if the camera is retrieved.

As I mentioned earlier, Wyze has stated that they hope to modify the system so that the older cloud clips remain available to the original account. I have not heard when this modification may be completed.

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Thanks Rick,

#2 is better than expected, but #3 is the problem and also #1.

Ok, now I’m curious. What if the camera is simply being moved to another wifi under the same account? What will they do? Will the videos remain? I guess, no. What should they do? I say follow the same make them delete the camera and start fresh plan. It’s much cleaner in the long run.

Another experiment:

  1. With a V2 connected to SSID#1, generated a cloud event clip.
  2. Viewed cloud event clip in app.
  3. Without deleting the camera from the app, pressed the setup button and connected it to SSID#2 running on a different router.
  4. Gave the camera a different name.
  5. Viewed live stream via the new setup on SSID#2
  6. Checked Events page: original event clip still present and renamed with the new camera name.
  7. Repeated steps 3-6 but deleted the camera from the app first.
  8. This time, cloud clip is gone.

Conclusion:

You can retain existing cloud clips after setting up to a different wifi SSID, but only if you don’t delete the camera from the app first.

Just so I’m clear: If you setup the camera to a different user account, the cloud clips get deleted from the original account, but if you setup under the same user account, they remain? This is without the original owner deleting the camera from their account?

Correct.

If the camera is setup to a new account: clips are gone.

If the camera is setup to new wifi but same account without first deleting: clips remain.

If the camera is deleted then setup to same account: clips are gone.

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This is the only problem I see, the rest are preferred actions. The problem would be easily fixed by checking for the camera being installed under another user’s account before allowing the setup to continue and certainly before removing the videos from the original owner’s account.

As I mentioned elsewhere, Wyze has said that they plan to change it so that the clips stay with the account even if the camera leaves the account. But I have no idea what the schedule for that change is.

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This is not all entirely true. Without the camera you cannot access old event clips on your account? Even with the camera still on the account (app) but no camera, it uses the MAC address to access videos and the account info? Access seems to be granted through the camera to the assigned account. Lost camera equals lost footage in all areas, both cloud and Micro SD storage. And this seems to be regardless of new account or not. Changing the camera name does not delete or remove event clips. I tried it and event clips are still available under the new name. Same WiFi, new cam name.

Thanx

73’

Tuna

It is the action of setting up the camera to a new account and/or deleting the camera from your account that removes the cloud clips from your account. So a camera that is lost/stolen or simply unplugged will still have the cloud clips available on your account.

I was going to test this, but short of pulling the plug and risking corrupting files on the SD card, I thought I’d wait for some shut down procedures. Might not brick the card, but I’m sure it wouldn’t do it any good.

So, this theory of yours, have you tested it?

Now that shortcuts are working again, I turned off one of my cameras and then unplugged it from the wall power source. All my Events for that camera were still there. I closed the app and then reopened the app. My events are still there. I’m not sure where you’re getting your information, but it doesn’t hold from what I see.

If you notice there is a question mark after the statement(s). I was not certain is the reason for those question marks. I thought the camera was necessary to access video events, but apparently, all you require is,
1.) camera not deleted from your app/account
2.) not re-setup camera/account
3.) deleted video events

According to the mod’s post
I am still learning and find useful info here as well as excellent input and ideas from other users on the forum, as well as Wyze peeps.

Thanx,

73’

Tuna

That is correct. The cloud clips remain available as long as…

Yes, I saw the questions marks, but you started off stating previous statements were not true. Then went on to state “Lost camera equals lost footage in all areas, both cloud and Micro SD storage.”, which wasn’t a question. I don’t think Loki specifically tested with the camera off-line when he looked at this earlier, so I just wanted to look at it again.

In any event, it’s good news that the Event videos are still there even if the camera isn’t.

Actually I did test it myself to be sure.

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Happy Birthday!

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