A mom from South Carolina warns others of the risks of connecting a baby monitor to the internet after someone invaded her privacy in the most intimate way through the device.
Fredi Baby Monitor
Jamie Summitt thought she had the perfect baby monitor that makes it convenient for her to check on her son. The Fredi monitor connects to Wi-Fi so she can control it remotely from her phone. She can move the camera 360 degrees just by dragging the fingers across the phone screen. Other family members can also access the device through the phone app.
However, the new mom was horrified to learn that a stranger had gained access to her baby monitor and used it to spy on her. She realized that the hacker had been invading her privacy and checking on her while she breastfeeds her baby.
Horrifying Truth
Summitt learned that a stranger hacked her baby monitor while she was in the living room with her sister-in-law and husband, Kevin, the only other two people who have access to the app. She was watching baby Noah sound asleep in the bassinet in their bedroom when to her surprise she saw the camera moved to the exact spot on her bed where she breastfeeds Noah every day. The camera then moved back to the baby when the hacker noticed that Summitt was not in bed.
The mom also recalled one morning when she saw the camera faced their bed when she last left it facing the baby. At first, she thought her husband used the app as he occasionally does when at work so he can check on the baby. However, Kevin admitted that he has not touched the app all day.
"My heart immediately sank into my stomach ... I feel so violated. This person has watched me day in and day out in the most personal and intimate moments between my son and I. I am supposed to be my son's protector and have failed miserably," Summitt shared in a Facebook post.
Summitt unplugged the monitor and alerted the cops who tried to get access to the hacker through the baby monitor. However, the person had locked the users out of the app. Worst, the company's phone number is not in service anymore, and she could not leave reviews of the product on Amazon.
"I would have never, ever bought something if I thought it was this easy of a security risk. When I was making my baby registry, nobody warned me — no other mom said anything. It's not common knowledge," Summitt tells NPR.
The new mom has since upped her Wi-Fi security and changed logins following the nightmare. Summitt admitted that she honestly does not want to go back to her room anymore. However, she hopes that her story will inspire others who own the Fredi monitor to do the right thing and throw the device right away.
Photo: Domoalert Smart Life Quality | Flickr
