We can never take enough precautions to be safe in any situation.
There’s always a need to be alert and mindful in today’s world, and doing so can increase awareness and personal safety. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of incidents where a hidden camera is found inside restrooms and hotels, and it’s happening more often than ever.
And these things impact in many ways.
Violates Privacy
A good hotel will always go the extra mile to protect their guests’ privacy, no matter what. In fact, as per law, it is mandatory to do so. A hidden camera inside the room completely goes off-track from that rule and becomes no less than a serious crime.
Affects personal space
There is nothing worse than entering a hotel room or a restroom and being spied on. It is natural to get off-guard in places like hotels and bathrooms, and finding a camera on it affects our personal space big time.
Video footage without consent
A hidden camera in hotel rooms or places where it shouldn’t probably intend to record video footage of your behavior. For whatever it may be, capturing videos of one’s life without consent is equal to threatening.
Some Common Places to Look For Hidden Cameras
Hidden cameras come in very small sizes, which can be equal to the size of a screw. So, you can imagine how easy it is for snoopers to locate such cameras almost anywhere. However, in most cases, these require a power supply connection.
By being alert and attentive at any place, you can spot hidden cameras easily. Here are the most common places that you can look for:
- Air filters
- Wall Decor
- Smoke detectors
- Computer mouse
- Electrical outlets
- Clocks
- Cloth hooks
- Pens
- Shelves
- Charger
- Power strips
- Holes in the walls
- Toys that are stuffed
However, this list is not limited to just these places; due to their very tiny size, they can be installed anywhere. You need to think with an open mind about everything to ensure your security.
What if You Detect a Hidden Camera?
As soon as you detect a hidden camera, the first thing you should do is inform your local law enforcement. Next, you should report the hotel management or the answerable authorities of the premises where you have found the hidden camera.
It is recommended that you don’t try to touch the camera to avoid tampering with criminal evidence. If you have booked the hotel from a hotel booking service, you should also report the incident.
In these scenarios, we can help ourselves by being more vigilant about our surroundings. To help you with that, I’ve compiled this list of intelligent products that will help you detect if there is a hidden camera near you.
Scout

Perfect for AirBNB, Hotels, and Restrooms, Scout Hidden Camera Finder is one tiny device that can detect a hidden camera near you. No matter if it’s a CCTV or a regular camera, Scout can find it with ease because of its LED-powered technology.
It is also straightforward to use. Follow the below steps whenever you want to detect a hidden camera with this device:
- Stand facing the item you suspect to be a camera
- Hold Scout in front of your eyes so you can peak through
- Turn on the LED button on Scout
- Focus your eyes through the aperture towards the suspected item
- If you see a red light shining back at you, it’s a camera
The box contains all the instructions you need, so don’t worry about that.
Fing

As cool as the name, Fing is one interesting app that can scan for nearby networks and devices. It is available on both Android and IOS. To find a nearby hidden camera, you can opt for any of the following two methods:
- Scan the available WiFi network for connected devices
- Find common IP camera names during a brief scan
Both of these methods will possibly help you identify the hidden camera. This app is entirely free and, obviously, highly portable. You don’t have to worry about carrying an extra device with you.
Eilimy

With the ability to quickly detect various devices around you, Eilimy Detector Set is another great option to consider. It has an extensive detection range, which means even if you’re far from the hidden camera, it’ll still be able to identify it.
While still portable, it comes with a set of essentials like a battery, USB cable, power adapter, antennas, and full-range detectors. You can use this device in a hotel, car, restroom, or anywhere. It works as long as you have the batteries intact.
Hidden Camera Detector App

As the name suggests, Hidden Camera Detector is a handy app. It has a set of interesting features like:
- Hidden camera lens detection
- Ability to find hidden cameras via WiFi, Bluetooth, and local network
- Scans nearby devices
- Works anywhere
Though this app does a great job, it, however, is only available on iOS. This means, if you’re an Android user, you won’t be able to use this app. In that case, you can either opt for the Fing app mentioned above or wait until this app is made available for Android.
Anti Spy Hidden Camera Detector

This device is cost-efficient and as well as effective when it comes to delivering what’s required. It can detect illegal spying devices with its wide range of motion, no matter if it’s a camera, Bluetooth, audio recorder, or wiretaps.
Not only that, but Anti Spy Hidden Camera Detector can also quickly identify if your car is equipped with a magnetic eavesdropper or hidden camera. This makes sure you’re safe wherever you go. With a size of 117*56*20 mm, I would say this device is pretty small, making it highly portable as well.
Spy Hidden Camera Detector

Spy Hidden Camera Detector is an iOS app to detect either manually or through the automatic mode. You can also scan nearby electronic devices to find out if it’s anything suspicious in disguise.
Apart from that, it can also detect spy devices via the Bluetooth and EMF scanner feature. Pretty cool for an app!
This app costs £3.99 to download but is well worth it for the price. In fact, I believe you’ll feel the price is a lot lower than what it deserves to be.
Conclusion
Though we cannot control the minds behind these notorious acts, we can help ourselves by being vigilant and sound during these situations. Here are a few actions you can do if you find a hidden camera:
- Unplug the camera wire (if any)
- If in case it’s not plugged anywhere, be sure to cover it with something like a blanket
- Try to record the situation for proof
- Be sure to inform the authorities and provide them with the photos/videos you took for proof
- If the management seems suspicious, leave the place right away
Performing the above actions will at least keep you a step ahead in the matter.
There have been a lot of cases lately about people finding hidden cameras inside their hotel rooms that too aimed directly at the bed. I hope the above helps you be more vigilant and tackle these situations.
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Adnan is a BMS graduate and a senior writer for Geekflare who loves breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand pieces. He has also written for sites like Sparkian and Techkle. Besides work, you can find him on the football turf or… read more