Where to Look for Hidden Cameras
If you're concerned about your privacy and want to know where hidden cameras are installed or placed, below I'll cover the places to look.
There is always the possibility of an installed hidden camera either in a hotel room, a store, or in the street.
The locations are many, some of which you would never expect.
General Places Hidden Cameras Can Be Concealed
- In smoke detectors and air filter equipment
- In decorative items (wall and table furnishing)
- Behind mirrors
- In objects with gaps
- In electrical sockets and devices
- In a doorbell or on the roof
- In a hotel or public restrooms
I'll go into more detail below.
Getting Started
The primary purpose of a hidden camera lens is to capture the whole room. Thus, the most probable locations would be a room's corners. They provide a wide angle of the area, making every action visible. Even though the corners can hardly hide a camera, one can easily create a small space to hide it.
The techniques are neverending.
Smoke Detectors and Air Filter Equipment
The small holes and gaps on such devices make perfect locations for a hidden camera.
We usually place smoke detectors on the ceiling. That creates the perfect angle for a hidden camera to record the whole room. A small camera can fit in a gap in the device. A slightly larger camera can replace the mechanisms in the detector.
Air filter equipment is not any different. Located on the highest shelves in a room, they provide a clear, wide picture of the space. One can drill a mark in the item and place a spy camera inside.
You do not need a hidden camera detector app to suspect the existence of a surveillance tool:
- If you find a room with two smoke detectors, there is a possibility that one of them veils a camera.
- If a room has multiple air freshener devices, maybe one of them is a hiding spot for a camera.
Decorative Items
The multiple colors of an art piece or its abstract texture can camouflage a recording device into an everyday object.
- House plants (real or fake)
- The eyes of a stuffed animal
- Clocks
- Paintings and picture frames
- Books
- Television and remote controls
- Other items (i.e., tissue boxes, lava lamps, pens, etc.)
If you suspect someone is spying on you, we recommend you look into the list mentioned.
In between the leaves of a plant or the petals of a flower, you may spot a little hole that shouldn’t naturally be there. A pot can also hide spy cameras either in the dirt or among its decorative parts (i.e., carvings).
The glossiness of a stuffed animal’s eyes or the glass of a clock is quite similar to that of camera lenses. If you are not attentive enough you may think it is a cute addition to the room's decoration. But if you check again, you may find it has a camera installed.
In a room full of books, one can easily be fake or tampered with. You may discover a recording device if you check among pilled books or on their backs.
Televisions and remote controls use signal transmitters. If you notice, you may find they look like cameras and can easily consist of one.
The easiest way to track down the cameras without using a camera detector app is to close all lights and scan the room with a flashlight. If there is indeed a camera inside the room, you can see small reflective lights.
Mirrors
Double-sided mirrors are specially built to split their two sides. The front of the glass creates a reflection. The back side is see-through and allows simultaneous observation of the person in front of the mirror.
You can recognize them by placing your finger on the surface. If you see a small gap between your finger and the reflection, that indicates that the mirror is real. Whereas, if the two seem to touch, then a camera possibly lies behind the glass.
Objects with Gaps
Cameras can be as small as a pinhead and tucked into a veiled or out-of-suspicion hole. You can find one in:
- Screws
- Wall holes
- Fans
You can examine if a spy camera is installed in a screw or wall hole. Simply shut the lights and close the curtains. If you see a red or green light come out of the spot you are testing, the most probable scenario is the existence of a hidden camera.
In case you spot oddly placed wires or power outlets connecting to such an object, your best option might be to unplug them.
Electrical Sockets and Devices
You can find these items almost everywhere in a room.
Their consistent usage makes it natural for them to exist in several somewhat odd places. Yet, some unconventional locations of electric objects can have no explanation whatsoever. On these occasions, someone may have placed a hidden camera inside.
- Electrical outlets
- AC adapter and power strips
- DVD cases
- Night lights
- Laptops and Computer mice
- USB sticks
- Charging plugs and power banks
- Car keys
- Fitness trackers
Similar to the category above, if you see uncommonly located lenses, adapters, or plugs, you may have to get them off their position and hide them in a drawer.
Another method to verify the presence of a surveillance device is noting sounds. Motion sensors often make a slight buzzing noise while operating. If you move around inaudibly in a silent room and listen to such a sound you might find a spy camera.
On a Doorbell or The Roof
Such locations are ideal for checking people entering or exiting a house or hotel.
When a doorbell faces a person nearby directly, it can record each of their actions and collect facial recognition data.
A glint detector app is an option that shows the location of a camera through your phone. All you need to do is open the app and pay attention to your screen. If a red light shows up in that spot, there is a hidden camera.
The roof provides a different lookout at the environment of a building. A surveillance tool can expose all passers-by, visitors, and residents.
To find out if someone hid a surveillance kit on your roof, you might need to test if any frequencies are emitted. You can spot the radio frequency of a camera by using a specialized detector.
Hotel or Public Restrooms
Most people can agree that what happens in a restroom needs to stay in the restroom.
Other intruders may disagree. They may put a surveillance kit in a hotel or public bathroom. Wrong as it may be, we have discovered it happens. So, we simply advise you to follow these steps:
- Start a phone call with someone.
- Move your hand around while holding your phone and scan all the surfaces.
- You know there is a hidden camera somewhere in the room if a radio frequency interrupts the call.
That happens because such devices produce a unique frequency that disrupts the phone’s signal.
References
How to Detect Hidden Cameras Within Minutes? Take This Step-by-Step Guide - Elvia, from the link: https://reolink.com/blog/how-to-detect-hidden-cameras/#What-to-Do-If-You-Detect-Hidden-Spy-Surveillance-Cameras-at-Your-Place-What-to-Do-Next-
How To Find A Hidden Camera In Your House Or Airbnb Or Anywhere - TJ McCue, from the link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2019/10/30/how-to-find-a-hidden-camera-in-your-house-or-airbnb-or-anywhere/?sh=3c8bc4ff1860
How to increase your chances of finding a hidden camera - sixfortwelve, from the link: https://sixfortwelve.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/how-to-increase-your-chances-of-finding-a-hidden-camera/
Video References
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