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These days, when privacy issues are becoming the most talked-about subject matter, no one can feel totally secure. This is especially true with hidden video cameras that have been reported all around vacation rentals, Airbnbs, and other private spaces.
Spotting a hidden cam stuck in an everyday object you’d never suspect, staring right at you, is a downright scary and violating thing to go through. But the best weapon against them is arming yourself with knowledge of where and what to look for, in order to feel a little safer.
Bored Panda compiled a list of cameras hidden in the most innocent-looking things and talked to Lina Survila, a global tech PR and chief editor at Abstract Stylist. Lina shared some useful tips on spotting hidden cameras and building self-awareness about your privacy in the interview below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Found A Hidden Camera In Airbnb Disguised As A Charger
RELATED:
#2
Hidden Spy Camera In A Screw Head
#3
Photo Frame Camera
In an interview with Bored Panda, the global tech PR Lina Survila said that with rising concerns on hidden cameras in Airbnbs, the cybersecurity industry is facing a big challenge in this grey area. “People's concerns about being watched in inappropriate situations may lead to new regulations.”
However, Lina said that until then, “there's not much that we can do when it comes to rentals.” The tech specialist suggests building self-awareness about the issue on your own. For example, “if you have a suspicion of being watched in private areas like the bedroom, bathroom, or any other areas (Airbnbs, hotels, etc.), look for hidden cameras first.”
#4
In "Oh, That's A Thing Now" News, A Colleague Of Mine Thought It Odd That There Was A Single "Motion Detector" In His Airbnb In The Bedroom And Voila, It's An Ip Camera Connected To The Web. (He Left At 3am, Reported, Host Is Suspended, Colleague Got Refund.)
#5
Family Discovers Hidden Camera Livestreaming In Airbnb, Husband Was The Man Who Found The Stream
We just found a camera hidden in a smoke alarm case in the private living room of a listing. We were travelling with children.
The host admitted to the concealed camera over the phone, only after presented with our irrefutable proof.
#6
A Visitor Found An 'Air Freshener' Spy Camera In A Shopping Mall Bathroom In Russia
Lina said there are a couple of tactics to do so, like “turning off your light and looking for blinking small dots or searching for radiofrequency disturbances during calls.”
She also warned people to be aware that hidden cameras can be found attached or integrated into objects like chargers, lamps, frames, shelves, and mirrors. “Usually, if these cameras are not using wi-fi, you can find an SD card placed inside the camera.”
In case you spot a hidden camera, Lina recommends reporting the incident to your Airbnb, hotel, or other rental provider. “You may find many free apps that help you find hidden cameras, but when installing them, be careful not to give unnecessary permissions, which might lead to exposing all your information to a third party.”
#7
Found This Camera Disguised As A USB Charger In The Woman's Bathroom At The Starbucks I Work At. It Was Plugged In Directly Across From The Toilet. Please Keep An Eye Out!
#8
Couple Found Camera Hidden Inside Clock At Rental Apartment
#9
A Camera Hidden In A Fake Screw Head
#10
A Couple Who Rented A Home Through Airbnb Say They Were Horrified When They Spotted A Number Of Hidden Cameras Recording Their Every Move
#11
This Hidden Camera Disguised As A Clock In My Airbnb
#12
Camera Hidden In Pen Holder, With The Lens Seen In The Centre Of The Green Sticker
#13
Tying Up Stuff In The Hospital Ceiling, Nice Spy Cam Mr. Data Guy...
#14
Hidden Camera Spy Cam Notebook
#15
Water Bottle Hidden Camera
Kevin Donegan 5 years ago
Why didn't someone use the bottle of water? What, did they put a sticker price of $19.99 on the bottle of water if opened?
#16
Be Careful When Purchasing An Airbnb
Lauren Caswell 5 years ago
And it's dirty as, did they install it in a dirty smoke alarm shell, or has it just been there a creepily long time
#17
A Micro Camera Hidden Inside An Electric Socket
#18
Coffee Cup Lid Hidden Cam Dvr
Admiral_Turtle 5 years ago
Didn't Mark Rober use one of those in his "Stealing Baseball Signs" video?
#19
WiFi Shampoo Hidden Spy Camera
Kent Fishburn 5 years ago
Without pointing out the lens or inner-workings, what's the point? It could be an apple growing on a tree next.
Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
DIY. Get a small cam, enough instructables on installing it, any brand bottle will do. I suppose those you can flip open to take a bit OR take off the whole top are best --- take whole top off, empty wash and dry, make sufficient hole to fiddle your waterproofed package through and glue to a side where you made the hole, refill with just enough not to throw away, put top back on, hide between fuller/more-upmarket bottles. Now victims will rarely try to use it, and if they do they won't notice as the small flip-open doesn't show your work, which will probably survive.
Load More Replies...
Herb Coleman 5 years ago
Another bad idea depending on where it's stored. I guess it waterproof if it's in the shower but It's still likely to be picked up.
yotebot animations 5 years ago
you could hide it in a forest of better/more expensive soap bottles, and it probably wouldn't be found
Load More Replies...
Andrew Arroyo Kaiser 5 years ago
It's creepy like who wants to see you in the shower but if it has Wi-Fi i'm in.
#20
Inside This Non-Functioning Smoke Detector Is A Hidden Night Vision Hd Camera And Dvr
Lauren Caswell 5 years ago
Replace the DVD with one of a black background white text message along the lines of "illegal files sized for investigation" scare the s**t out of them XD
#21
USB Flash Drive Hidden Camea
Elise Williams 5 years ago
Some duct tape is a good thing to bring along from now on to use AFTER you document it and remove it before you leave.
#22
Wall Clock Hidden Camera
#23
Outlet Hidden Camera
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Falcon 5 years ago
This is f****d up. I can understand if the owner has security cameras for obvious reasons, but these are obviously there for perverted reasons.
Lola 5 years ago
There should NOT be any cameras on the inside of a rental for any reason.
Load More Replies...
Mimi777 5 years ago
These are so disturbing. I’m telling myself I won’t ever stay in an AirBnB but these hidden cameras aren’t just there, they can be in hotels, public bathrooms, changing rooms, etc. and some seem near impossible to spot. Like the one in the screw. You wouldn’t think to check a screw for one or an outlet. I’m creeped out.
Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
You're forgetting offices, as well as your friends and relatives' houses. Things are cheap as chips nowadays...
Load More Replies...
Valentin Iulian 5 years ago (edited)
Seeing as under screen smartphone cameras are just around the corner, this is just gonna get more creepy. Such as a digital photo frame with the camera under the display. As if my current trust issues weren't enough... For the first time in my life, guess I'll go vacationing in a tent. Since I'm too poor to afford an RV.
Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
This topic contains several AirBnB entries but most where not specified are other spaces --- shopping mall cubicles and dressing rooms, etc. So it's gotta be "tent holidays and amazon shopping for all".
Load More Replies...
Elizabeth Stewart 5 years ago
We have cameras in and around our house — but they’re not hidden (if anything they’re kinda large and obvious) and we let house sitters etc. know. Plus they’re never in the bathrooms or bedrooms and we mostly use them to watch our cats.
Amazon QT 5 years ago
We do too, but ours face outside. We recently had all of our windows replace in our condo (along with the siding, roof and gutters) and when the workers had to come inside of our condo to install the windows and do the vapor barrier around the inside sills we couldn’t be in our place while they were working (bc of COVID-19) so we purchased 4 cameras and placed them in plan sight so they knew we were watching them AND recording them. Now they are facing outside to watch people when they are around our cars, our front and back porch areas. Mainly because we like to watch the birds come u to o the bird feeder and hummingbird feeder... but ours are OBVIOUSLY THERE TO BE SEEN!!
Load More Replies...
Martha Meyer 5 years ago
It simply shouldn't be legal to sell hidden cameras. Some creeps will be tech savvy enough to build their own, but most of them are out of luck when they can't buy this crap.
Oskar vanZandt 5 years ago (edited)
Regardless if some of the examples are fake, the fact that there are people out there who get off spying on others is undisputed. Always a good idea to have a good look around a rented place... and remove any gadgets you don't use. Will definitely be scrutinising any unknown place I find myself in with an even more wary eye!
cassiushumanmother 5 years ago
I've seen worst in an air bnb: being woken up in the middle of the night by 3 armed policemen yelling in my room! YEAH! The excuse of the tenants: "it's just an appartment mistake, it happens all the time". Yeah sure. Just after they ask kindly to enslave me: staying for free next time if i teach english to the woman and a kid, take care of garbage, cook and clean their kitchen floor to ceiling before they repaint it (for a 20euros room). I'm pretty sure that the police wanted to find their criminal son. Air bnb with free heart attack and enslavement options, very rare in the market.
Sent From The Slytherin House 5 years ago
These people are so gross. If this ever happens to you, just do something really weird and creep them out!
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
I now want to take blackout tape with me *everywhere* and create a faraday device to jam all wireless signals...
Blackheart 5 years ago
imagine that. creepy people taking advantage of airbnb. services like uber and airbnb are excellent methods for creepos.
Henry Cheves 5 years ago
@Si, yes, anyone can place a secret camera with enough know-how. Are you implying that women are not smart enough to, which some are, just like men, or are you implying women would have no reason to spy, which they might, because women can be perverts and gay, just like men.
Load More Replies...
Louloubelle 5 years ago
So, how do you find out if there is a hidden camera? Some of these, you'd just never know. So, you don't stay at an AirBnB. But what about hotels?
Hermione Granger 5 years ago
I understand putting one in your air BnB to have proof if something was damaged or stolen but you NEED to DISCLOSE THAT TO THE GUEST BEFORE HAND!
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
NO, I do not understand that at all. It should be illegal and in any case, it is totally creepy. Freaks that feel the need to install hidden cameras to spy on their paying 'guests' really ought to rethink renting their places. Jeeez.
Load More Replies...
Henry Cheves 5 years ago
Soap is right. Most of these places would not normally be looked at. Why is he/she downvoted?
Load More Replies...
Johnny Black 2 years ago
APD does this & Albuquerque PD bee lines to my property,harasses me with my families n my 30 yr old personal papers. POS that why live overseas over half last 18 yrs ..
Johnny Black 2 years ago
Had APD Albuquerque PD listening & watching my every move ,my front door is same as revolving door.. Sad after robbing my deceased sister ..n well who knows .. Bee line to documents in my home for 18 yrs ,Swatted me overseas ,and sob's 2% are just fine with this BS ,part of the reason I've lived ovérseas for 1/2 those years .
Sawn Medrano 4 years ago
we found what we thought was one in a nice rental-----just waved at it and kept enjoying the space......nothing is gonna ruin my holiday!
Wim Cossement 5 years ago
That's what you get with AirBnB and all other half regulated market disruptors...
Kent Fishburn 5 years ago
Many of these look like ads for the product. Not something "discovered" in a rental.
Kitty_Deku 5 years ago
Honestly this is just rude and disrespectful. Having a hidden camera somewhere to watch others is just rude. Like, I don't understand what good in life it'd get somebody somewhere, it's just a waste of time and money and effort to put a hidden camera somewhere to watch others.
IrishGirl 5 years ago
This is especially scary to me now because I have an airbnb reserved for next month... I'll be paranoid as hell all month. 😔
Stannous Flouride 5 years ago
So basically you need to always pack a roll of black electrical tape and get an app like Detectify (Android only) that uses your smartphone's built-in magnetometer to find potential spy bugs
Ivana Bogdan 5 years ago
Can someone explain me how people find these cameras? I mean in most of them are almost invisible.
23AClark 5 years ago
This is one of the most disturbing things that I have ever seen. If you have to go through all of this when renting out your house, then you shouldn't rent it out! And the perverts with the bathroom and changing room fetishes, there are plenty of women who will let you see them naked or half naked for free! Go and look for them why don't you, and stop invading others privacy!
Bob Belcher 5 years ago
So we learned today to not stay at an Airbnb. Also, look up USB port skimmers for more fun. You can attach a skimmer to any USB port.
Brian Stanton 5 years ago
It would depend on territory laws. I’ve read in Russia you assume there are cameras, very 1984!
Cammy 5 years ago
Makes me reconsider staying in Air bnbs and well anywhere. So creepy, invasion of privacy and disgusting
Elise Williams 5 years ago
Yes, this is creepy and illegal as far as I know, IF UNDISCLOSED IN CONTRACT ( read fine print.) the solution is simple though. Some duct tape is a good thing to bring along from now on to use AFTER you document it and remove it before you leave.
Falcon 5 years ago
This is f****d up. I can understand if the owner has security cameras for obvious reasons, but these are obviously there for perverted reasons.
Lola 5 years ago
There should NOT be any cameras on the inside of a rental for any reason.
Load More Replies... Mimi777 5 years ago
These are so disturbing. I’m telling myself I won’t ever stay in an AirBnB but these hidden cameras aren’t just there, they can be in hotels, public bathrooms, changing rooms, etc. and some seem near impossible to spot. Like the one in the screw. You wouldn’t think to check a screw for one or an outlet. I’m creeped out.
Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
You're forgetting offices, as well as your friends and relatives' houses. Things are cheap as chips nowadays...
Load More Replies... Valentin Iulian 5 years ago (edited)
Seeing as under screen smartphone cameras are just around the corner, this is just gonna get more creepy. Such as a digital photo frame with the camera under the display. As if my current trust issues weren't enough... For the first time in my life, guess I'll go vacationing in a tent. Since I'm too poor to afford an RV.
Marcellus the Third 5 years ago
This topic contains several AirBnB entries but most where not specified are other spaces --- shopping mall cubicles and dressing rooms, etc. So it's gotta be "tent holidays and amazon shopping for all".
Load More Replies... Elizabeth Stewart 5 years ago
We have cameras in and around our house — but they’re not hidden (if anything they’re kinda large and obvious) and we let house sitters etc. know. Plus they’re never in the bathrooms or bedrooms and we mostly use them to watch our cats.
Amazon QT 5 years ago
We do too, but ours face outside. We recently had all of our windows replace in our condo (along with the siding, roof and gutters) and when the workers had to come inside of our condo to install the windows and do the vapor barrier around the inside sills we couldn’t be in our place while they were working (bc of COVID-19) so we purchased 4 cameras and placed them in plan sight so they knew we were watching them AND recording them. Now they are facing outside to watch people when they are around our cars, our front and back porch areas. Mainly because we like to watch the birds come u to o the bird feeder and hummingbird feeder... but ours are OBVIOUSLY THERE TO BE SEEN!!
Load More Replies... Martha Meyer 5 years ago
It simply shouldn't be legal to sell hidden cameras. Some creeps will be tech savvy enough to build their own, but most of them are out of luck when they can't buy this crap.
Oskar vanZandt 5 years ago (edited)
Regardless if some of the examples are fake, the fact that there are people out there who get off spying on others is undisputed. Always a good idea to have a good look around a rented place... and remove any gadgets you don't use. Will definitely be scrutinising any unknown place I find myself in with an even more wary eye!
cassiushumanmother 5 years ago
I've seen worst in an air bnb: being woken up in the middle of the night by 3 armed policemen yelling in my room! YEAH! The excuse of the tenants: "it's just an appartment mistake, it happens all the time". Yeah sure. Just after they ask kindly to enslave me: staying for free next time if i teach english to the woman and a kid, take care of garbage, cook and clean their kitchen floor to ceiling before they repaint it (for a 20euros room). I'm pretty sure that the police wanted to find their criminal son. Air bnb with free heart attack and enslavement options, very rare in the market.
Sent From The Slytherin House 5 years ago
These people are so gross. If this ever happens to you, just do something really weird and creep them out!
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
I now want to take blackout tape with me *everywhere* and create a faraday device to jam all wireless signals...
Blackheart 5 years ago
imagine that. creepy people taking advantage of airbnb. services like uber and airbnb are excellent methods for creepos.
Henry Cheves 5 years ago
@Si, yes, anyone can place a secret camera with enough know-how. Are you implying that women are not smart enough to, which some are, just like men, or are you implying women would have no reason to spy, which they might, because women can be perverts and gay, just like men.
Load More Replies... Louloubelle 5 years ago
So, how do you find out if there is a hidden camera? Some of these, you'd just never know. So, you don't stay at an AirBnB. But what about hotels?
Hermione Granger 5 years ago
I understand putting one in your air BnB to have proof if something was damaged or stolen but you NEED to DISCLOSE THAT TO THE GUEST BEFORE HAND!
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
NO, I do not understand that at all. It should be illegal and in any case, it is totally creepy. Freaks that feel the need to install hidden cameras to spy on their paying 'guests' really ought to rethink renting their places. Jeeez.
Load More Replies... Henry Cheves 5 years ago
Soap is right. Most of these places would not normally be looked at. Why is he/she downvoted?
Load More Replies... Johnny Black 2 years ago
APD does this & Albuquerque PD bee lines to my property,harasses me with my families n my 30 yr old personal papers. POS that why live overseas over half last 18 yrs ..
Johnny Black 2 years ago
Had APD Albuquerque PD listening & watching my every move ,my front door is same as revolving door.. Sad after robbing my deceased sister ..n well who knows .. Bee line to documents in my home for 18 yrs ,Swatted me overseas ,and sob's 2% are just fine with this BS ,part of the reason I've lived ovérseas for 1/2 those years .
Sawn Medrano 4 years ago
we found what we thought was one in a nice rental-----just waved at it and kept enjoying the space......nothing is gonna ruin my holiday!
Wim Cossement 5 years ago
That's what you get with AirBnB and all other half regulated market disruptors...
Kent Fishburn 5 years ago
Many of these look like ads for the product. Not something "discovered" in a rental.
Kitty_Deku 5 years ago
Honestly this is just rude and disrespectful. Having a hidden camera somewhere to watch others is just rude. Like, I don't understand what good in life it'd get somebody somewhere, it's just a waste of time and money and effort to put a hidden camera somewhere to watch others.
IrishGirl 5 years ago
This is especially scary to me now because I have an airbnb reserved for next month... I'll be paranoid as hell all month. 😔
Stannous Flouride 5 years ago
So basically you need to always pack a roll of black electrical tape and get an app like Detectify (Android only) that uses your smartphone's built-in magnetometer to find potential spy bugs
Ivana Bogdan 5 years ago
Can someone explain me how people find these cameras? I mean in most of them are almost invisible.
23AClark 5 years ago
This is one of the most disturbing things that I have ever seen. If you have to go through all of this when renting out your house, then you shouldn't rent it out! And the perverts with the bathroom and changing room fetishes, there are plenty of women who will let you see them naked or half naked for free! Go and look for them why don't you, and stop invading others privacy!
Bob Belcher 5 years ago
So we learned today to not stay at an Airbnb. Also, look up USB port skimmers for more fun. You can attach a skimmer to any USB port.
Brian Stanton 5 years ago
It would depend on territory laws. I’ve read in Russia you assume there are cameras, very 1984!
Cammy 5 years ago
Makes me reconsider staying in Air bnbs and well anywhere. So creepy, invasion of privacy and disgusting
Elise Williams 5 years ago
Yes, this is creepy and illegal as far as I know, IF UNDISCLOSED IN CONTRACT ( read fine print.) the solution is simple though. Some duct tape is a good thing to bring along from now on to use AFTER you document it and remove it before you leave.
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