How to spot hidden cameras in your vacation rentals
It’s happened to me. You check into a vacation rental, get
settled in and spot surveillance cameras. Even when the cameras are technically
allowed, it’s very alarming.
Prepared to be shocked. Cameras can hide in vents, lamps,
power outlets and even unassuming objects like humidifiers and TV remote
controls. You must see these cameras to believe they exist. Tap or click for 10 hidden cameras so sneaky you’d never know
they were there.
Don’t blab about your trip on social media to keep your home
safe while you’re on vacation. I also use a cheap Amazon Echo to alert me to
any sounds like glass breaking. Tap or click here to learn how to set it up and use your laptop or
desktop to record what it sees while you’re away.
If you’re going on vacation any time soon, it’s essential to
know your rights regarding surveillance cameras in your rental.
It’s easier than ever to spy
Years ago, surveillance cameras were expensive and bulky.
These days, they’re affordable and easy to install and hide. Depending on the
rental service, the owner is within their rights to install cameras.
An Airbnb I rented a few years ago had about a dozen cameras
inside the home. The owner disclosed the cameras using a tiny font at the
bottom of the listing. Now I read rental listings very carefully and ask these
questions before I book:
● What is the exact number of cameras and where are they
located?
● Are the cameras recording?
● What happens to those recordings after my stay?
Airbnb allows security cameras or audio recorders in
“public spaces” and “common spaces.” That means no bathrooms, bedrooms, or
other sleeping areas. For instance, a camera or other monitoring device is not
allowed if the living room has a sofa bed. Concealed and undisclosed cameras
are not permitted, either.
VRBO allows for cameras and other surveillance devices
only outside a property. The one exception: Smart devices that cannot be
activated remotely. Guests must be informed and given the option to deactivate
them.
But is it legal?
Laws on this sticky subject vary from state to state. The
Federal Video Voyeurism Act says you can’t “capture an image of a private area
of an individual without their consent, and knowingly does so under
circumstances in which the individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy.”
It’s important to note that “private area” refers to nudity or lesser states of
dress.
Local and state laws usually permit property owners to
install cameras in “public spaces.” This is an important distinction. Private
areas, like bedrooms and bathrooms, or anywhere anyone would reasonably expect
privacy are off-limits. In a situation where you rent a single room of a house
or apartment, it gets trickier.
There’s another caveat: It’s illegal to record someone for
blackmail or other malicious intent. Audio recording also has much stricter
rules than video. In many states, both parties must be aware that the recording
is taking place.
If you’re renting, check the listing carefully for any
mention of cameras. Whether or not you see a disclosure, it’s your
responsibility upon arrival to check every single room. I’ll show you how.
How to spot surveillance cameras
Larger cameras are easy to spot, but anyone can easily hide
smaller cameras behind furniture, vents, or decorations. A simple way to spot
most types of cameras is to look for the lens reflection.
● Turn off the lights and slowly scan the room with a flashlight
or laser pointer, looking for bright reflections.
● Scan the room from multiple spots so you don’t miss a
camera pointed only at certain places.
● Inspect the vents and any holes or gaps in the walls or
ceilings.
You can also get an RF detector. This gadget can pick up wireless cameras you
might not see. Unfortunately, RF detectors aren’t great for wired or
record-only cameras. For those, you’ll need to stick with the lens reflection
method.
If you can connect to the rental’s wireless network, a free
program like Wireless Network Watcher shows what gadgets are
connected. You might be able to spot connected cameras that way. I do this in
every rental I stay in, just to double-check what’s connected to the network.
Be aware that the owner might have put the cameras on a
second network, or they could be wired or record-only types, so this is not a
fail-safe option.
If a home automation system controls the rental property,
it’s relatively easy to find cameras. Open the system controller’s menu and
look for anything mentioning cameras. Accordingly, you can scan the TV channels
for anything suspicious. I found a lot of cameras in a vacation rental this
way.
What to do if you find a camera
If you find an indoor surveillance camera that was not
disclosed to you, pick up the phone and call the police. Tell them you have
direct evidence that your landlord is spying on you inside your rental home
without your knowledge or permission. Use this exact phrase.
Document the situation with video and photos on your
smartphone. If you’re traveling with others, ask them to be witnesses once the
police arrive. Remind them they were about to be victimized, too. Once you have
your police report, contact the rental site.
This isn’t just an annoyance. It’s a serious invasion of
privacy.
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