Imagine checking into your hotel room or holiday rental and finding a hidden camera. It happens more often than you might think. In fact, one 2019 survey found that a whopping 11 per cent of respondents had found a hidden camera in an Airbnb.
Protect yourself from a horrifying invasion of privacy by learning how to check for hidden cameras in your vacation rental or hotel room.
How to look for hidden cameras
There are three different ways to check for hidden cameras – scanning of radio frequencies, lens detection, and physical search.
Many handheld devices that can scan for radio frequencies (RF) or detect camera lenses are available on the commercial market for less than $100.
However, it’s important to note that no single method is guaranteed to be 100 per cent accurate.
For example, RF scanning will only help identify a hidden camera if that camera is actively transmitting. If the camera is a store-and-retrieve type, where the collected data is saved on an SD card to be retrieved later, then RF scanning won’t be very effective. The same is true if the data is transmitted only at intervals; in this case, an RF scanner probably won’t be of much use.
Lens detection is very effective if used properly, but you need to use the right technique and be patient. If you’re too far from the lens, at the wrong angle, or you sweep the room too quickly, you probably won’t see the lens when it reflects light from your own light source.
A physical inspection can be the most effective method but it requires time and you may not be able to access certain places.
If you can’t pry open smoke detectors, and get inside other fiddly or important items, then you won’t be able to complete a full and proper physical search.
It’s best to try all three search methods when looking around the room or space. You may not be able to achieve 100 per cent confidence that the space is clear of hidden devices, but you’ll be a lot closer than you were when you first walked into the room.
Where to look for a hidden camera
To find a hidden camera, start by thinking about what someone would want to record. Cameras typically need a clear view of the subject to get the best images. A visual scan of the main rooms may reveal clues that lead to the discovery of covert devices. For example, an unusually positioned object in a room may warrant a closer inspection.
Be extra cautious in office spaces and desks as they are common targets. Cameras often try to capture computer screens to find out login details and passwords, bank account information, personal browsing habits, and all sorts of other valuable information.
A properly installed device will leave little to no outward sign that it has been put in place. Most off-the-shelf hidden cameras are now so small that they can come prepackaged in commonplace items that would appear innocuous in most settings.
Signs of a hidden camera
Look for any signs that something seems out of place. This may include a small hole in the wall, a strange object that looks like it could hold a camera inside, or a cord that is running to a different room or area.
Check for a red light
If you see a small red light in an area where you suspect there may be a hidden camera, this is a sign that the camera is active. This light may be dim, so it is important to look closely.
Use your phone to scan for a lens
If you have a phone with a flashlight, you can use it to check for a hidden camera. Simply turn off the lights in the room and hold your phone up to the area where you suspect there may be a camera. If you see a reflection of a camera lens, this is a sign that there is a hidden camera in the area.
What to do if you find a hidden camera
Hiding hidden cameras in hotel rooms is illegal and a violation of most hotels’ policies.
Cameras in holiday rentals have to be disclosed and only be in certain areas. Make sure you check a holiday rental listing carefully for any mention of a nanny cam in the living room before you make a reservation. If you do find an undisclosed recording device in your vacation rental, leave immediately and report it to the company.
If you encounter a hidden camera in a hotel room, immediately ask for a room change. Turn objects with suspected hidden cameras such as radios, clocks and lamps around so that they face in a different direction. If that is not possible, cover the items with a towel.
Do you check for hidden cameras when you stay in hotels? Let us know in the comments section below.
Have never checked because I could not care less.
So your wife/girlfriend or significant other isn’t worried about the cameras in the bedroom and bathroom?
I don’t think major hotel chains would go down that road, I am ex flight attendant International, and only stayed at brand named hotels.
If one off hotel I would be checking.
My wife doesn’t think like that.
We’re not paranoid.
Same here. I’m not paranoid.
I’ve never thought of it to be honest but I’ll definitely look next time.
I know people want their accommodations to be in the same state as they offered them to us but that is disgusting to put cameras inside.