CNBC Monday June 27th 2022 01:32AM EDT “Three easy ways to find hidden cameras in hotels and rental homes” by Chelsea Ong “Fears over hidden cameras in hotel rooms and rental homes are not unfounded, according to security experts who say there are high- and low-tech ways of finding spy cameras while away from home”
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Summary by 2244
Worried about spy cameras while staying away?
You are not alone as “nearly 60% of Americans” when surveyed in 2019 cited such a concern and “11% of vacation home renters said they had discovered a hidden camera during a stay.”
Surprisingly, “Airbnb hosts are allowed to have cameras in their houses, but they must inform guests and the cameras must not be placed in private spaces…”
Ways to spot a spy camera
Start your search in bathrooms and bedrooms
According to Kenneth Bombace (Global Threat Solutions), “almost all covert cameras are concealed in household devices, such as lights, thermostats, and plugged clock radios.”
Most are “connected to an electrical source…” (Solution: unplug suspicious devices like “clock radios and put them in a drawer.)”
Shine a flashlight to identify small reflective surfaces associated with even the smallest cameras.
“Look at the Wi-Fi network.” “A hidden camera must be connected to a local Wi-Fi network in order to be viewed remotely.”
“Wi-Fi scanning apps like ‘Fing’ can identify devices on the network that are cameras.”
Also, use an app called ‘WiGLE’ “to find devices that are ‘broadcasting some sort of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi network name’.”
“Buy a spy camera detector.” These are available from Amazon etc. but only detect when cameras are “transmitting data.”
Some devices just contain memory cards that are manually recovered.
You found a camera now what?
Disconnect, report to the hotel, report to Airbnb etc., report to police even if just to document and consider checking out and finding other accommodations.
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