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EQUIPMENT REVIEW: Z-EDGE DASH CAM

4/28/2022

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Colorado Springs Private Investigator Dash Cam
Two things everyone wants to know at a dinner party once they find out you're a professional private investigator. One, what kind of cases do we work, with most assuming we're following cheating spouses. Yes, that's part of what we do but a small part. And, two, what kind of equipment do we use? Without giving away all our trade secrets, I'd like to review one piece of equipment today we recently considered adding to our arsenal to replace some outdated equipment we have been using. The Z-Edge WiFi Dash Cam with front and rear cameras, night vision, parking mode, and loop recording. 

When we first started looking for new dash cams for our surveillance vehicles, we looked at several private investigator equipment sites and, as we often do, ended up right back on Amazon. With a listed price of $99.99 we were a little bit skeptical as to how good this camera could be. With over 1,159 reviews and an overall 4.5 star rating, as well as a free return policy, we figured we'd take a chance and if it was a piece of crap just send it back. We've had the first trial camera for a week and have used it on two cases so far with some success.

With full HD, 1080p @30FPS resolution, the video we've captured is of the quality that we could use it as evidence. License plates and people are clearly picked up and identifiable which is crucial in the investigation business. Not only does this camera take continuous video, but say you're sitting at a light behind a target and just want to capture the license plate in a photo that you can then quickly attach to an email to other surveillance units or the office so the plate can be run if you're in the middle of a mobile operation and can't run it yourself. This is easily accomplished by pushing a button on the back of the camera which takes the photo and then goes right back to capturing video. Another benefit of this system is the smartphone app you can download from the Apple or Google app stores. It allows you to connect to the camera via WiFi and monitor what the camera is capturing. We tend to camouflage the placement of our dash cams so they appear like they are part of the rearview mirror and when doing so the back of the camera viewfinder is covered up. By connecting to the smartphone app we can see exactly what the camera is picking up, as well as capture still photos from the app with a press of the button accessible on the app. 

Set up out of the box is very simple and straightforward and the Z-Edge Dash Cam comes with an easily understandable instruction manual. We were up and running within 10 minutes of receiving it from Amazon. 

A few items to note that may be an issue to some users and one issue which was a dealbreaker to us as professional investigators. The dash cam takes video in 5 minute increments and saves them to an onboard SD card. We sprung for the 256GB card which, purportedly, will hold up to 40 hours of video. We don't see the 5 minute videos as an issue as we easily stitched them together in the video software program we use. Video can be recorded with, or without, audio and a date/time stamp can be saved to the video as well which is a must for evidentiary purposes. Just be sure to set the camera to display the date/time stamp instead of the Z-Edge logo which is the default. We noticed that the setting reverted back to the logo display after the first use, but seems to have stayed on the date/time stamp mode since. The camera does start recording the minute you plug in to your vehicle's power supply. This can be a little annoying, but we just delete those video files or don't plug in until we're actually ready to start recording. One major issue that we discovered, which caused our review to go from 5 stars to 3 stars, as well as prompted our return of the camera, is the lack of a working map on the app. Reading the reviews in the app store this has been an issue for quite some time, yet the company hasn't fixed it. For our purposes a recorded map is crucial for evidentiary purposes. If you don't have a need for a recorded map, this dash cam system works fine in all other aspects of operation. 

The camera, as delivered, comes with the front camera with mounting suction cup, which works extremely well and allows for a stable recording, the rear view camera, a 12 ft. charging cable, a 26 ft. cable to connect to the rear camera, a 4 ft. data cable, a dual charger so you can plug the USB cable into your cigarette lighter power port, cable clips, and a cable tool so that you can hide the cables if you're mounting the system permanently. We don't have a need to use this every day so we passed on hiding the cable, and we haven't found a need to use the rear camera on surveillances so far.

I can recommend the Z-Edge WiFi Dash Cam for every day use, but until the map issue is fixed with their app, I can't recommend it for use by a professional investigator and, for that reason, can only give this one a 3-star review on Amazon. Please leave a comment if you have any questions and we'll respond asap.

Lee Walters
President
EXCALIBUR Private Investigation
​Colorado Springs, Colorado

P.S. We'll be reviewing the Rove R2-4K Dash Cam Built in WiFi GPS Car Dashboard Camera Recorder with UHD 2160P, 2.4" LCD, 150° Wide Angle, WDR, Night Vision next week once we have it in hand. It's a front camera system only, but for our purposes that's all we really need for surveillance.

EXCALIBUR Private Investigation is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program and may earn a small commission on products sold through links in this article.
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Single Image captured by the Z-Edge
All automobiles or other captured images were in the public domain and were not subject of any investigation being conducted by EXCALIBUR - Private Investigation. This photo captured only to show the capabilities of the Z-Edge WiFi Dash Cam.
Mobile video captured by the Z-Edge
All automobiles or other captured images were in the public domain and were not subject of any investigation being conducted by EXCALIBUR - Private Investigation. This video captured only to show the capabilities of the Z-Edge WiFi Dash Cam.
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Oh No, Not A Fake QR Code!! Be On The Lookout

4/25/2022

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This story recently released by the FBI and ABC7 News in Chicago caught our attention and we thought we'd pass it on so everyone can be on the lookout for it:
 
"QR codes are everywhere. You can quickly scan them with your phone to read a restaurant menu, get a new app, or go to a website. But there are QR con artists using the new tech to get your banking information or hold your smartphone hostage.

"They can get into every account you have if they have enough time," says FBI Special Agent Siobhan Johnson. 

The FBI issued a QR code warning that says criminals are putting stickers of fake QR codes over the real ones on restaurant tables or flyers. They're also sending them out via email claiming to offer deals or promotions.

"You might find this malicious QR code on a menu or on a flyer someone's put out for people to see," Johnson explained. "And once you use that QR code, it takes you to a malicious website that's been designed to mirror a real one."

That first QR code scam leads you to fake websites which phish for your personal and financial information. Some sites can be made to look like your bank or phony parking payment platforms.

"One of two things could happen - one is, you're just sending scammers your parking meter money, which that's actually the best case scenario," warns Mashable Technology Journalist Matt Binder. "The worst-case scenario is when you input your information to pay, and you're not actually paying, you're just sending over your credit card information or banking account information to the scammers."

The FBI says a second QR code scam can lead you to websites which can then download malicious malware to obtain information on your phone. That malware can also allow scammers to hold your device hostage and demand payment. If this happens, you should report it to the FBI and never pay the ransom.

"If your phone downloads that malware, you're at the mercy of the scammers, they could hold your information for ransom. Or they could just shut your phone down. They could steal photographs that are on that phone. You have a lot of vulnerabilities, our cell phones our lives right now," Binder said.

So what can you do to spot QR con? First, don't open codes sent from strangers.

"Treat QR codes like you treat suspicious phishing emails, or text messages from people you don't know," advises Binder.

Even if your friend sends you a QR code, confirm that it was really them sending it. If it's an e-mail with a code from a business, call the company or go to their website. And after you scan, inspect the web address before you click.

"Just double check the URL and where it's going to send you," Binder added. "If you don't know who they are, I would definitely not click it."

If printed out, look for any signs of the QR code being tampered with, or keep an eye out for a sticker over it.

"There have absolutely been reports of people being victimized with bad QR codes," Johnson said. "And the key thing here is that it doesn't have to happen."

The FBI also says to beware of phony QR code apps claiming to help read QR codes as they can also be a scam. If you download them before researching, they can be gateways for criminals to access your phone and information."


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HELP. SOMEONE STOLE MY IDENTITY!!!

4/12/2022

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Identity theft in Colorado
From 2018 - 2020 there were 1.66 million cases of identity fraud reported to authorities. Who knows how many went unreported because the victim was too ashamed or embarrassed to admit they had been a victim of identity fraud. What can the average person do to keep their identities from being stolen? Here's a couple of ideas that we recommend to clients as well as friends and family:
  • Initiate a freeze on your credit. It's very easy to do and makes it much more of a challenge for a cybercriminal to steal your identity. Each of the three main credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion have information on their main website page that explains how you can place a freeze on your credit. Make sure to place a freeze on your kid's accounts as well as cybercriminals know those accounts are very rarely reviewed by the owners or their parents.

  • Place fraud alerts on your credit accounts. Anyone can place a fraud alert with the three aforementioned credit bureaus. You only have to place the alert with one of the three and then that credit bureau will instruct the other two to do the same. This will require a business to verify your identity before opening a new line of credit in your name.

  • Enroll in two-factor authentication. We know this can be a pain, but it's something you should enable on all your accounts when it's presented as an option. With this option, you'll have to enter your credentials and then follow up with a code, usually, that's texted or emailed to your known telephone number or email address. 

  • Review your accounts closely. Even with all of the above in place, you should monitor your credit reports and account statements closely. Don't just throw those unopened statements in a drawer thinking everything is fine and be sure to review your credit reports at least once a year, I recommend quarterly, to make sure nothing is amiss.

With a little precaution you can help ensure that you don't become a victim of identity theft. If you feel like you may have become a victim of identify theft, please give one of our Colorado-based private investigators a call for a free, no-obligation consultation. 

Lee Walters
President
​EXCALIBUR - Private Investigation
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