Hell hath no fury like a false allegation

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Protect Yourself Electronically

Body-worn video / audio recording | Portable Transmitters | Phone call recording | Fixed video

In the current political climate, almost any accusation a woman makes against a man is given great weight, and she is believed. Any false allegation can result in a swift arrest, followed by a devastating restraining order. Many accused men incorrectly assume that they enjoy the presumption of innocence unless convicted. But the truth is that no such presumption exists from the time of arrest. The legal concept of "innocent until proven guilty" only exists at a jury trial!

The trouble is that men who bear a false allegation doubt that they can survive until (or prevail at) a jury trial, faced off against the unlimited resources of police and prosecutors (not to mention a restraining order, which tends to stifle an effective defense). Their attorneys push them to accept plea bargains for a lesser sentence, partly because a trial is expensive to the attorney, and possibly because a victory at trial is unlikely. Accused men then succumb to the "plea bargain pressure." Upon sentencing, they go on with their lives wounded, and permanently tarnished by a criminal conviction.

Shoddy Investigations

Determining the truth of an accusation is "nominally" the job of police investigators. But these investigators often rely chiefly (or solely) on the word of the accuser as evidence. Police arrest men as a matter of routine, even when eyewitnesses (such as kids) refute the allegations!

A Solution

What can be done to defend men who are falsely accused by women? They are obviously at a great legal disadvantage. If even eyewitnesses cannot refute a false allegation when it is made, then accused men must rely on evidence that exceeds the reliability of eyewitnesses. The most reliable and unbiased evidence is surveillance.

No credible jury can dismiss the utter neutrality and effectiveness of clear video footage. Even an audio recording could provide enough evidence to warrant a "not guilty" jury verdict, if not an outright dismissal of charges. But to be truly effective, surveillance must be subdued and non-threatening to a woman who would falsely accuse a man. Preferably, the surveillance should be unknown to her. Those who deploy surveillance should be aware of privacy laws designed to prevent unlawful spying. But men should not be afraid to utilize surveillance if they suspect impending abuse and/or false charges against them, regardless of these privacy laws. Surveillance should be used to exonerate the accused, without regard to a false accuser's privacy.

Below is a categorized list of surveillance products -- some portable -- that can easily refute many false allegations if used properly. Some of it is expensive!   But think of the thousands of dollars you could waste on lawyers while fighting false allegations, armed only with your word. Investing a few hundred dollars now could really pay off. Also, your freedom is worth it!

When you need to secretly record video footage wherever you go, mobile video surveillance is the solution. This means you carry miniature video equipment around with you, on your clothing, instead of installing permanent surveillance in a fixed location. This could be useful to help document abusive behavior against you, or a loved one. It can also flatly debunk baseless allegations against you by someone who is trying to manipulate the police and the courts.

The essentials

To record video while walking around, you need three things:

1. A hidden video camera
2. A miniature recorder
3. A means of storage for the captured video

Below are some links to buy the above equipment (note: to comparison shop, go to any search engine and enter the phrase "button cam" in quotes).

Button cams - Button cams are hidden video cameras built in to buttons that you sew onto your clothing. Some button cams record both video and audio. The camera is powered by a 9-volt battery. It can either transmit a wireless signal to any recorder within range, or connect with a wire directly to a miniature recorder in your pocket. Buying a button cam usually includes several other identical-looking buttons (besides the one with the camera attached), to ensure a consistent and uniform look.

• $99 button camera (VFMStore.com)
• $269 button camera (PIMall.com)

Miniature recorders - These are tiny electronic video recorders, small enough to fit in your pocket. They store video either to a tiny hard drive (more expensive), or to a tiny storage chip called an "SD card" (very affordable, and thus recommended). The video is stored as digital files that can be offloaded from the mini-recorder and onto a computer for permanent storage.

• $119 video recorder by MachSpeed - Records and plays video and audio, takes digital pictures (5 megapixels) (TigerDirect.com)
• $94 video recorder by MachSpeed - Records and plays video and audio (TigerDirect.com)
• $25+ video recorder by Tiger Electronics - made for kids, but perfect for recording surveillance and very inexpensive. Perfect when you need to prove child abuse by an adult (including parental alienation tactics by bitter ex-wives against non-custodial fathers), but cannot do so without the child's assistance. In the hands of a child, this recorder will seem (to unknowing adults) like a harmless toy. In the hands of an adult, it could be a potent tool in exposing the truth of an abusive woman. This recorder is almost twice as large as the ones listed above by MachSpeed, but the low price might be sufficient to compensate. Due to its larger size, it may be more convenient to use with a wireless button cam that transmits video footage to it. This would allow the recorder to capture the footage while safely hidden in another room. Its official product name is the TV Now Portable Video Recorder (buy at eBay.com, or in person at Wal-Mart)

Storage chips - If your portable video recorder does not contain an internal hard drive, you must store your recorded video to a small chip called an SD Card. This is actually preferable to storing video on a hard drive, because a storage chip is much less expensive, and it is removable (and thus convenient). The recommended capacity for an SD card is at least 2gb, which should allow you to store several hours of video recording. Prices for a 2gb SD card can range from $7 and up.

• Compare prices for SD cards (Nextag.com)

Using a combination of button cam, mini-recorder, and storage chip, you can record hidden video anywhere you go. An eyewitness to the scene of an alleged crime is no longer absolutely necessary to exonerate you of false charges. Now, your own mobile video surveillance can prove your innocence conclusively.

These all record audio in digital format on various electronic devices. The advantage of audio recording is that it does not depend on an unblocked "line of sight," as video does. An audio recorder can be out of sight, and can still record sound perfectly. Whether hidden, obscured, or in plain sight, audio recorders can be highly effective in exposing a false accuser.

• Wrist Watches - Highly recommended. These are voice recorders embedded into a wrist watch. They usually play MP3 files, and are not specifically surveillance devices. They can record enough for 2-4 hours of audio, either continuously or in separate files. The recording quality is 16 bit audio, about the same as a tape recorder. Its biggest advantage is that it is body-worn and therefore always available. Watches that record sound in this way are manufactured by only one company, Xonix, but are often sold under other brand names (like BMW - also see BMW's very informative watch tutorial).
  • View these watches on the manufacturer's Web site. Note: some of the watches shown on this site are MP3 players only, not voice recorders; if you're buying, make sure you're getting a voice recorder watch!
  • View this watch (resold on Buy.com, and for $66.99 it is very affordable compared to other audio-recording watches)
• Pens - These are real pens that write with ink but also record audio. They are stainless steel, with a few buttons down the side. They might be especially useful when in plain sight, in close range of a sound source. You retreive the audio by taking off the top half of the pen and plugging it into the USB slot on your computer, where it becomes a virtual hard drive containing audio files.
  • View this recorder
  • View this recorder
• Digital Voice Recorders - Unlike voice recorders embedded in cell phones and MP3 players, these types of recorders are industrial strength. Some can record in excess of 90 hours of audio. Many are equipped to record only when sound is detected, and some may be scheduled to record days or weeks in advance. They are not spy devices since many people use them for common purposes, like recording meetings, lectures, news events, etc. The best recorders are made by a company called Diasonic.
  • MobiBLU - This is an MP3 player/recorder that is extremely small (about 1 inch cubed). The recording quality is outstanding (64 kbps and higher), and it has at least 8 hours recording capacity. It also records FM radio, which could be especially potent as a surveillance device if combined with an audio transmitter (see below). For secret recording, it can be attached to a necklace and then hidden under your shirt.
  • View these recorders. Note: One of the recorders at this link (the 19-hour one) can be activated with a separate wireless remote control (supplied). You can thus activate the recorder from a distance, even through walls or floors.
  • View this recorder
  • Eagle 8/8A Audio Recorder - Audio recorder used by law enforcement. Did you know in some states (like California), officers wear audio recorders to the scene and record your every word? This is one such recorder.
  • Telesystems Model A Series - Also for professionals. The main selling point is that the oldest audio gets progressively overwritten when the recorder reaches its capacity, so you can plug it in and leave it to record all the time, and still always have the last several hours worth of audio.

Transmitters do not record audio or video; they just broadcast it over a radio signal to any "tuned-in" receiver within range. The receiver can then be hooked up to a recorder to preserve the footage.

• There are pens (here and here) that transmit both audio and video back to a receiver up to 150 meters away. This could be especially useful if you wear it, and if you record the footage, during a period of time that you may be falsely accused of a crime. This goes great with a pocket-sized digital video recorder, which lets you carry the footage while you record it.
• There are many other types of audio transmitters, hidden in a wide variety of common household items.

Please be aware of your legal risks, especially when using audio transmitters. We assert that a legitimate use is crime prevention (such as exposing false allegations, which are crimes), and the prevention of injustice. When in doubt, consult an attorney.

These allow you to record telephone conversations, even from a remote location. They are especially useful if you expect to receive violent or abusive threats via phone or voicemail. Such threatening recordings could wipe out the baseless idea of a woman as an innocent, peace-loving victim. These products are called "calling cards," but you really don't need any physical card. By signing up, you get a phone number that you can use to make or receive electronically recorded calls.

These cards offer some astounding features. When using your card to call others, some cards let you alter the caller ID number that shows up on the other end. You choose whatever number you would like them to see, even non-phone numbers. One card even offers the ability to alter your voice as heard on the other end of the line. Retrieve recorded calls either by calling your access number, or by logging in to the card's Web site.

Below is a table listing a few calling cards and their known features.

Comparison	Inexpensive?	Can record incoming calls?	Can record outgoing calls?	Can choose any outgoing caller ID?	Can alter your voice?
Kall8	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Call Recorder Card	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Spoof Card	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
GrandCentral	Yes	Yes	No	No	No

The calling cards that record incoming calls are especially unique. This is because you can have your existing phone number secretly forwarded to the calling card, and then re-routed back to any secondary phone line of your choosing. Then just answer the call as usual (on the secondary line), and everything will be recorded for you.

Of course, you don't have to use a calling card to expose threatening calls made against you. Here are some alternatives to calling cards:

• Automatically record all calls on your cell phone.
  If you have a high-tech cell phone known as a "smartphone" (here are some examples), you can have all calls recorded automatically by installing VITO AudioNotes on your cell phone (cost: $19 USD). To store the calls adequately, you should also have a chip added to the phone known as a "mini SD card". VITO AudioNotes lets you record in MP3 or WAV format, at various levels of quality. You can also use VITO AudioNotes as a digital voice recorder to manually record any sounds in proximity to the phone.
  Note:   tablet-based cell phones (known as PDA phones) using Windows Mobile do not support phone call recording; you must be using a smartphone, not a PDA phone.
• Use a digital voice recorder.
  Attach a digital voice recorder (see above) to your phone, and record any call in progress. This can work on both land phones and cell phones.
• Channel phone calls through your computer's dialup modem. If you have a land-based phone line and a computer with a voice modem installed, you can connect your land line to the voice modem and then use software like EZPhone Recorder to record calls onto your hard drive.

The point here is that a woman who would falsely accuse you is herself abusive, and any threatening phone calls she makes should be exposed to prevent her from falsely claiming that she is a victim.

Stalking has become a serious problem, and has both male and female victims. Some men, who have been served with a restraining order to stay away from a woman, are unfairly framed for violating that order (read more). The female "victim" follows (stalks) him as he goes about his business, he being no threat to her. She then secretly spots him somewhere, like a supermarket or a cafe, and calls police on her cell phone telling them that he has stalked her to that location. He is then jailed for violating his no-contact order.

How can men who are peacefully and lawfully obeying their restraining orders fight such insanity? There is a solution. If your stalker is carrying a cell phone that is enabled with Bluetooth technology, you can set your own cell phone to detect when they have come nearby. Your cell phone can then alert you, in time for you to quickly leave the area before you can be framed.

The application is called Bluetracker. It costs $5.50 on Handango.com, and is also available for free on a trial basis.

In order to install this application, you must have a certain type of cell phone called a "Series 60" phone. This means it has the Symbian operating system installed. Here's a list of a few Series 60 phones. Note that the stalker you're avoiding need not have this type of phone; she only needs a Bluetooth-compatible cell phone with the Bluetooth feature turned on. Many newer cell phone models have Bluetooth technology. In order for Bluetracker to work, it must first "memorize" whatever Bluetooth device you're trying to detect. However, the phone being memorized (the stalker's phone) is not notified in any way that it has been "memorized" by Bluetracker.

Since a cell phone's Bluetooth feature must be turned on for Bluetracker to sense that the owner is nearby, you may be interested in ways to increase the likelihood that your stalker will activate Bluetooth. Please also be aware that Bluetracker is not useful if you're trying to remotely track the movements of someone else. Bluetracker is only useful to inform you when someone has come near you (within 10-100 meters), and is therefore purely for your defense.

One thing to also consider:   Some courts permit mutual restraining orders, where both parties are required to keep away from each other. If Bluetracker alerts you to the presence of your stalker (and if she is legally restrained from approaching you), then you may have enough lead-time to report her violation!

Recording video involves a lot more planning and expense than recording audio. Video requires an unblocked line-of-sight from the camera to the target. If you can do this without making anyone feel uneasy or violated, you have achieved a difficult task. It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words; if true, then full motion video is worth a lot more.

As we have noted above, please be aware of privacy laws. Recording video has been allowed by American courts wherever recorded subjects have no "reasonable expectation of privacy." This means you must NOT record dressing areas or bathrooms unless you want to dramatically increase your legal risks.

There are two considerations involved in capturing video:

• Cameras:   What kind will you use, and where will you place them?
• Recorders:   How will you store the video as it is being captured?

Video Cameras and Video Transmission

The presence of video cameras can be obvious, subtle, or completely hidden. Some cameras use wires to send the video to the recorder. Other cameras transmit footage wirelessly. Using wires produces the best signal and quality, but wireless transmission lets you place a hidden camera almost anywhere. If you use a wired camera, you have to stretch a wire from the camera itself to the recorder (making the supposedly "hidden" camera obvious). For this reason, we recommend you go with a wireless solution. Many surveillance cameras have wireless capability built-in. But beware; built-in wireless transmitters often burn out. Instead, we recommend buying wired equipment that hooks up to a stand-alone wireless transmitter. A stand-alone wireless transmitter specializes in only transmitting video, and is far more reliable than a built-in transmitter inside a video camera. This stand-alone transmitter consists of two pieces:

1. A transmitting device which hooks up to your camera
2. A receiving device which hooks up to your recorder

Digital Video Recorders (DVRs)

We've all seen video being recorded to a VCR at local markets and liquor stores. But there is a better, cheaper, and more effective alternative that is slowly replacing the VCR: the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). A DVR is just like a VCR, except you record the video to an internal computer hard drive instead of videotape. DVRs made for surveillance also let you access recorded video from a remote location via the Internet. A DVR's online access could be especially useful if you need to retrieve the video, but cannot do so in person due to a restraining order. DVRs have better picture quality, can store far more video than VCRs, have no moving parts, are quieter, and never have to rewind any tape. Just pick the date and time of the stored video, and a DVR will display it instantly for you. For this reason, we highly recommend using a DVR as your recording device, instead of a VCR.

There are two types of DVRs:

• PC Card: This is a piece of hardware that you stick into the motherboard of your computer. It has video feeds in the back. Hook up your received video to these video feeds, and the video will then be recorded onto your computer hard drive. You'll need a fast computer with plenty of free hard disk space (ideally a Pentium III with 80 GB or higher). The advantage of this setup is that it's very inexpensive ($60-$300). The disadvantage is that you need a well-equipped computer and must know how to use it.
• Stand-alone DVR: This looks more like a VCR or cable box. You don't need a computer, as everything you need is contained within the unit. Just hook up your video feed, a TV or monitor to watch it, and you're done. The advantage to this setup is that you don't have to hassle with a computer. The disadvantage is that these units can cost anywhere from $500-$1500 and up, not to mention they're harder to conceal.

Make sure your DVR supports at least 4 channels, meaning the ability to simultaneously record video from up to 4 different sources (by "sources" we mean video cameras and/or microphones). Ideally you want a DVR with a separate channel devoted just to audio.

Buy Equipment Online

Here are some Web sites that offer video cameras and Digital Video Recorders (DVRs):

• Electronic Security Products, Inc. - Recommended!   FANTASTIC product line.
• Pinecom Surveillance - Recommended!   Excellent prices.
• CCTV Wholesalers
• Eye Spy Video
• TBO-Tech
• Spy Cameras 4 Less
• EZ Watch Store
• Spy Emporium

For a really great deal on a DVR, check out eBay. Just be aware that some of the less expensive equipment is shipped from overseas, and your true costs will involve shipping.

Professional Installation?

If installing video seems too complicated for you to do by yourself, you can still contact any private security firm or private investigator in the yellow pages. These companies are well versed in security camera systems, and can install a reliable system (even a hidden camera system) in almost any setting. The disadvantage of going with a security firm is that you will have to pay a lot more than you would if you did it yourself.

Last Resort

If you don't have much money or time to set up a full video system, you may be able to use your existing video camera. Many video cameras sold today (especially mini-DV video cameras) come with a wireless remote control. If you're feeling like a volatile woman is about to explode into another abusive episode, have your video camera pre-positioned in advance and just activate it to start recording by using its remote control. This is a great solution that does not involve additional expense, and is available on short notice.

Do not get carried away with any surveillance you do. This Web site advocates its use only to refute false allegations. If you are recording perfectly legal, non-abusive activity, be aware that you may be in for significant legal and financial headaches. Legally, even recording abusive activity could cause you headaches. All you want to do is prevent yourself from being falsely accused, so please remember this purpose when you invest in any surveillance technology. Surveillance should be used to exonerate the accused!