Hidden cameras in hotel rooms can be a real buzzkill for travelers. But fear not! We’ve got an easy way to help you detect those sneaky devices and ensure a more laid-back stay.
As shared by CNBC on Tuesday (23/1/2024), those tiny hidden cameras sometimes get used for all the wrong reasons, discreetly recording folks without their knowledge—yep, even in hotel rooms.
Based on interviews and social media chats, these spy cams can be anywhere, from clocks and desk lamps to air fresheners, water bottles, toothbrush holders, and seamlessly blending into the room’s decor.
CNBC’s got the lowdown on various ways to uncover these hidden cameras. They teamed up with the CEO of a tech service company based in Singapore and sneakily planted 27 hidden cameras around a house to test different methods recommended by savvy internet users.
Here’s the down-to-earth guide for finding those sneaky hotel room cameras:
Trust Your Eyes and Gut Feeling
Keep it simple! Just trust your instincts and take a good look around. CNBC’s crew found one hidden in a clock after just 20 minutes of checking. The clock seemed off because it couldn’t get the time right—pretty suspicious, right?
Use Your Smartphone
Grab your smartphone and use a Wi-Fi scanning app like Fing. It can help you spot devices connected to the Wi-Fi network. In their test, they found 22 Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets but couldn’t pinpoint the camera’s location. They also used their phone flashlight to check for camera lenses, a trick they picked up online.
Radio Frequency Detector
This one’s like a handheld device that sniffs out hidden cameras using radio frequencies. It beeps when it gets close to a Wi-Fi-connected camera. Just keep in mind it might not work if the camera stores data on an SD card.
Lens Detection Tool
Get yourself a nifty tool that emits infrared light, making the camera lens reflect as a red dot. It’s handy and costs about 50 bucks.
Advanced Lens Detector
Feeling fancy? Go for the advanced lens detector, priced at around 400 dollars. It looks like binoculars and shoots light onto the camera lens. It works from a distance, so you can spot cameras across the room, day or night. The catch? You’ve got to keep peeping through the lens to find those sneaky cameras.
In their final test with the advanced lens detector, CNBC found cameras in a tissue box, a leather bag, and even one hidden among files under a desk. They uncovered a total of 11 cameras using this cool gadget.
While these methods did the trick and uncovered 17 out of 27 hidden cameras, remember, the whole point of getting a hotel room is to kick back and relax, not spend ages playing detective. Happy travels!