'Look behind you'; Va. family says hackers used Ring cameras to taunt their children
Family says hackers used their Ring cameras to talk to their children (CNN Newsource via WRIC)
PRINCE GEORGE, Va. (WSET) -- A family in Prince George County wants answers after they said their Ring home security system was hacked and the stranger made inappropriate comments to their children and nanny.
The Reed family said a man with a very distinct accent took over their family's Ring security system and began speaking.
Mackenzie Reed, a mother of four, told WRIC she recently went back to work and, after getting a Ring doorbell camera as a gift, decided to get five more in-home cameras to keep an eye on her kids while she was at work.
"It gave me chills and anybody that I played it for said they felt chills up their spine," she said.
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The family's nanny said earlier this month she went downstairs after she heard a strange voice taunting her.
"Why is the door open? I'm in your house now...why is the door open?" the voice said.
She said the voice was coming from the Ring camera in the children's playroom.
"He was saying Mickey Mouse is here. Hello! Mickey is in your house," Reed said. "I felt like he had seen this playroom, noticed it was four kids and that kids were here and he was trying to see who he could get to come to the camera. I don't think my nanny was the target or any of us. I think it was the kids and it makes my stomach turn to think about what he would've asked the kids to do or say."
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At one point it even appears the man says "can you take your clothes off for me please?"
"They could be watching and making note of our schedules. If they are hacking our system, it's registered to our home address so they would have our address," Reed said.
The Reed family said they took the cameras down, but Ring would not allow them to cancel their subscription or return the system.
A spokesperson for Ring said they have no evidence of any compromise in their system, but are aware of some instances of account information being swiped or used in harmful ways.
Ring said customers should enable two-factor authentication on all devices and create strong passwords.
