In recent months, there has been an increasing amount of news that people are finding hidden cameras in their rented apartments on Airbnb. The company obliged the hosts to inform guests about the presence of cameras in the house, but it is far from the fact that everyone obeys this rule. Here are some tips on how to check for a hidden camera in your Airbnb or rented apartment.
Visual Inspection
Even if you arrive at the room tired from the road, it will not be superfluous to look around carefully. Pay special attention to any suspicious (for example, smoke detector, remote control, speakers, clock) or unusual things (socket with LED in the shower) in sight.
Pay attention to small items
The modern hidden camera can be hidden even in the head from the bolt. Therefore, you should pay attention to various rivets, eyes of soft toys, buttons, etc., which are in the line of sight.
Flashlight helps you locate the camera lens
The camera lens is usually made of glass and is built into some kind of device. The glass reflects light well, so you can easily find the hidden camera by shining a flashlight around the room. If you notice any shine, carefully examine the found device.
Smartphone Apps
Several apps can help you spot a hidden camera. A perfect example is the Hidden Camera Detector available on the App Store and Google Play. You can also use applications like iNet and Fing to detect cameras connected to a specific Wi-Fi network. They will provide you with information on all devices connected to the network. This makes it easy for you to find the camera. It is helpful in situations where you are unable to find the app by yourself.
Buy an RF detector
Fing and other apps only show devices that are connected to the same network as your smartphone. But what if the host has connected the hidden camera to a closed network? In this case, the only solution would be an RF detector.
All wireless devices emit radio waves and this gadget will help you detect them. Usually, the detector costs about $ 30-50. But it’s worth it if you are seriously concerned that the host might be spying on you.
MAC Address Lookup
Usually, hidden cameras are connected to the router via Wi-Fi to transmit the recording to the owner. And this connection can be easily detected using apps like Fing, which show all wireless devices connected to Wi-Fi.
It is not always possible to understand what a particular connected device is. Have you found a hidden camera or just a printer? However, the application can show you its MAC address, by which you can guess the essence of the gadget. You need to enter it on the MacVendorLookup.com website. This way you will find out the manufacturer of the device and what it does.
What to do if you find a hidden camera
The first thing you need to do is tell the host and Airbnb about it. You can write a statement to the police (depending on which country you are in and what laws are in effect there regarding hidden cameras).
If the host is not responding and you decide to stay in the rental housing for a while anyway, simply unplug the camera by unplugging the power cord or block it with something.
In general, you should be wary of not only hidden cameras but also eavesdropping devices, for example, built into a smart speaker. Remember that speakers like the Amazon Echo always have a microphone
