TechHolidaymakers beware: How to spot hidden cameras in rented rooms

Holidaymakers beware: How to spot hidden cameras in rented rooms

How to find a hidden camera in a room?
How to find a hidden camera in a room?
Images source: © Unsplash | Kool C
Karolina Modzelewska

3 June 2024 11:14

The vacation season is approaching. Some travel to various destinations and stay in hotels, rented rooms, apartments, or houses. Upon arriving, it's worth checking if the owner has placed a camera anywhere. Although such practices are not particularly popular, they still happen.

Vacations are associated with relaxation, a break from work, and a break from daily life's hardships. Most of us set aside problems during a holiday and try not to think about them. In such moments, we also forget basic safety principles, including checking if the owner has placed a camera in the room, house, or apartment we've rented. None of us would want to be recorded without knowing about it, especially since you never know how the acquired video materials will be used.

How to detect hidden cameras in hotels?

How can hidden cameras be detected in hotels, rooms, and other vacation properties? Upon arriving at the selected location, you should thoroughly inspect it and check if you notice hidden cameras, such as motion sensors. Such devices are readily available, and their price is around £65, so a cautious or curious owner might invest in them. Motion sensors with built-in cameras are usually mounted on walls.

If we have any doubts about the purpose of a device we notice, we can use the image search option. It is a simple and easy way to resolve our doubts quickly. Just take a picture of the object in question, go to the Google search page, click "Images," then click the camera icon. You can find it on the right side of the search bar. There will be two options— "paste image URL" or "upload an image." Choose the latter and upload the selected photo from your smartphone or computer.

It is worth remembering, however, that small-sized cameras can be hidden virtually anywhere. Where to look for them? Earlier this year, we described various possibilities. The Sekurak service noticed a hacker had created an exciting video on TikTok.

The material suggests that cameras, such as in a clock set near the bed, an opposite electrical outlet, or a smoke detector, can be hidden. Recording devices can be identified easily; you only need a flashlight—you can even use the one on your smartphone. An illuminated lens will give away its presence with a bluish reflection.

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