How To Spot Hidden Creeper Cameras Or Microphones In Your Airbnb
by
Nathan Ord
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Sunday, September 05, 2021, 01:20 PM EDT
Hidden cameras in a private space, such as a bedroom or bathroom in an unfamiliar place like an Airbnb or other rental property, are a nightmare for most people. However, hacker and cybersecurity researcher Marcus Hutchins, better known as MalwareTech, posted a short video to TikTok explaining how to detect hidden cameras within an Airbnb or hotel. Using his simple tricks along with some of our own, it is easy to keep your privacy at home and away.
Earlier this week, Hutchins posted a short video explaining “How to find hidden cameras in AirBnBs” as part of his TikTok Q&A series. The first tip Hutchins mentions in this video is that you should keep an eye out for devices that are “conveniently placed where a creeper would want to look.” His example is a suspicious fire alarm directly above a bed, which should be checked for hidden cameras.
Hutchins' Examples Of Hidden Cameras In Various Devices
To ensure there are no cameras, anyone can use a bright flashlight and keep an eye out for a blue-tinted reflection which would come from any size of camera lens. Another option is to turn out all the lights and use the front-facing camera on your phone to look for infrared LEDs that are used for night vision cameras. In his video demo, Hutchins utilizes this trick to spot some IR lights on an alarm clock, where the camera can also be seen shining a bright light through the reflective cover.
Inexpensive Tools To Help You Scan For Spy Cams And Audio Devices
Besides these tricks that Hutchins presented, there are other handy tactics you should be aware of, such as dedicated tools for finding hidden cameras and microphones. These tools, which run anywhere from $15 to $150 on Amazon, use the same principles for finding cameras and can also detect RF signals from radio transmitting microphone bugs. You can see what using one of these would be like in the Modern Rogue video above, where they test a budget recording device detector like this one that costs just $18.99.
Though all of this may seem like spy technology, recording equipment is becoming smaller and more easily hidden, especially in a large bedroom. Furthermore, anyone can buy a hidden camera embedded in any gadget, like a fire alarm or charging brick, through Amazon at incredibly low prices. Thus, being on the lookout for hidden recording devices outside of your home is never a bad idea when your privacy and dignity are at stake.
