Most likely, you heard a couple of stories about how a hidden camera was found where, by definition, it should not have been - in a public toilet, locker room or even a hotel room. There are many legal and legal reasons for installing hidden cameras:
- Protection of your business (retail outlet, distribution points, wardrobes in public places, etc.)
- Protection of a house or apartment (privately owned)
- Property monitoring in courtyards and surrounding areas
- Checking wage laborers working in your home (nanny for your child, cleaning lady or janitor)
And while these (and many others) cameras are installed for completely legitimate purposes, there will always be those who use hidden cameras for vile purposes - first of all, this is an invasion of another person’s personal life. And if you have a suspicion of leakage of personal information, then it is likely that you are being watched using hidden cameras. Below are a few simple tips that can help you find a hidden camera, the so-called “bookmarks” - these are the names for hidden installed surveillance tools.
Begin by physically inspecting the room / premises where you are looking for items that look inappropriate. Cameras are often built into things that may look ordinary and everyday, but they do not quite harmonize with the surroundings. Look at the clock that does not fit into the decoration of a hotel room, a teddy bear accidentally left, or a massive vase in which cameras can hide. Since most hidden cameras require some kind of power source, pay attention to objects near electrical outlets and to the outlets themselves.
Look for the red backlight LEDs from the lens. Infrared cameras for night shooting illuminate objects with LEDs, so if you turn on all the lights sharply, sometimes you can easily see the glow at the “bookmark” location and immediately determine whether or not there is a camera in the area. This method works in small rooms, like bedrooms and hotel rooms, because usually the light from the camera is very weak and close to the red or purple spectrum. In this way, finding a video camera in a house is not easy, but it is possible - you need to be close enough to the light source itself to view it.
Use the camera of your mobile phone. Carefully review the entire room through the camera’s camera lens. IR illumination on hidden installations will give “flashes” of the picture on your phone and you can easily find a hidden camera illegally installed in the room.
Remember, recently someone has given you any electronic devices: flash drives, radios, cell phones and other gadgets. Miniature USB, ballpoint pen or fridge magnet are not uncommon today. Technology development does not stand still and video surveillance tools are rapidly decreasing in size at the same time as the price of them falls. Inspect your “gifts” more closely - perhaps it is in them that the threat lies.
Contact professionals who will make radio frequencies indoors using special equipment. Since the camera recording video must somehow transmit the captured material - usually a radio channel is used for this. Radio frequency scanners help to detect such data transfer. Such a service is quite inexpensive, and if you are firmly convinced that you are being monitored, then you should use it.
If you want to find hidden cameras in your home or if you are hoping to find signs of video surveillance in hotels when you travel, follow these simple tips and you can avoid the threat of potentially becoming a victim of hidden video recordings. Always remember that the organization of video surveillance in a hotel or other public places must be accompanied by information materials (posters, indicating stickers, announcements). If you have not been warned about filming a video, then this is illegal and you have every reason to go to court!