4 Ways To Tell If There Are Hidden Cameras In Your Airbnb

Multiple Airbnb travelers have reported finding hidden cameras in their vacation rentals.According to Airbnb rules, hosts must disclose if they are actively videotaping in their homes, and even if hosts do disclose, they are not allowed to use surveillance devices in bedrooms and bathrooms.But what about those undisclosed cameras?

Hidden cameras can be mounted on inconspicuous objects, and many of them are very, very small.Security experts suggest the following are some smart steps you can take to make sure you’re not secretly being watched during your Airbnb stay.

1.Finding unsuitable objects

Jack Praxis is the founder and director of the Kentucky Safety Advisory Coalition.He says travelers can ask themselves, “If someone were trying to film me, where would they put the camera to get the image they want?”

Keep an eye out for unusual places, says Carrie Kerskie, CEO of Griffon Force of Florida, which advises clients on identity theft and personal privacy, such as hidden cameras.”If you see smoke detectors in a place that looks a little strange, if there are two smoke detectors right next to each other, that could be a red flag,” Kerskie said.

2.Capturing the reflection of a lens with light

An easy way to do this is to turn off the lights in the room and then use the light to slowly scan the area where you suspect there might be a camera.The camera has a glass-like lens.If you’re looking at the clock radio next to your bed and you see an unusual spot that reflects more than just its surface, that could be a sign.

If you turn off the lights and shine a light on the suspect device, you’ll likely see the light reflecting off the lens.This is useful, but can also result in false positives, where something shiny in the device reflects light when it’s not actually a hidden camera.

3.Scanning Wi-Fi networks

Barker, an IT consultant, said he found hidden cameras in an Airbnb apartment rented by a family member.In his travel blog, he outlined how the renter used a network scanning application that would list devices connected to the network along with their IP addresses and manufacturers.In Barker’s case, he was skeptical when the manufacturer was named “IPCAMERA”.

Barker uses an Android app called Network Scanner.Other apps, such as Fing, are available for both iOS and Android, and can also scan a Wi-Fi network and list all the other devices using the same network.

“If you see something else there,” Keski said, “it could indicate that there are cameras there.”

Of course, if the hidden camera is powered by a private network that you do not have access to, the Wi-Fi network of the scanning host will not be able to discover it.Understanding that not all hidden cameras operate in the same way is part of the security challenge.

“Not every camera has IP addressing or Wi-Fi capabilities,” Plaxe said.”Some of the smaller hidden cameras will only record video to the SIM card embedded in the device.”

4.Unplug and cover your doubts.

If you suspect you’re being watched but can’t prove it, a simple, low-tech, low-cost solution to this anxiety is to mask the objects you care about.

If you’re suspicious of something in the room, such as the alarm clock, then it’s simple to take a piece of clothing out of your suitcase and put it over the alarm clock.If there was a lens there, it wouldn’t have gotten a picture of you in a t-shirt over your alarm clock.

You can also unplug items that don’t need to be plugged in.Some hidden cameras need to be plugged in to work.

Privacy Risks Inherent in Using Airbnb

Airbnb’s privacy risks are more widespread than hidden cameras.

These types of systems only work if there is a certain level of trust, and Airbnb does take steps to try to ensure that the people posting properties on it have no criminal backgrounds and are legit users.But unfortunately, they don’t conduct in-depth inspections.Therefore, you do take some risks when you use these properties.

But Barker advises against being too paranoid.His family still uses the Airbnb service.

“I think hidden cameras are rare.I know that if a landlord tried to hide a camera, I wouldn’t know it was there and my basic skills wouldn’t help,” Barker said.”It’s a game of risk and reward.I will take the minimum reasonable steps to give me peace of mind.If I spend all my time looking for hidden cameras, I won’t have time to enjoy my trip.”