January-20: SECURITY ISSUE
- Posted by CERC India
- Posted in JANUARY
Does my hotel room have a hidden camera?
When you are in a hotel room either on work or on a vacation, the prospect of being spied on by a hidden camera can be unnerving to say the least.
Spy cameras are cheap and can be concealed easily. Cameras may be positioned to take pictures in the bathroom, or focussed on beds and desks. The culprits may be looking for compromising photos to blackmail you, business secrets, or your financial information. Described below are some tips on how to protect yourself.
Survey the room: Look for pieces of furniture or appliances that are in unusual places. Cameras need clear line of sight of what they want to record, sufficient light, and a source of power. Electronic devices are a good option to hide cameras as they have an existing power cable. Common objects used to hide a security camera are: alarm clocks, smoke detectors, lamps, telephones, mirrors, wall clocks, and even soap dishes, toothbrush holders or tissue boxes.
Disconnect the alarm clock: Unplug the alarm clock and put it in a drawer. If it is fixed in a particular place, cover it with a towel.
Cover the peephole: People have used techniques to film inside a hotel room using the peephole on the door.
Be careful where you use your laptop: Cameras may be pointed towards the desk in the room to capture computer passwords and other sensitive information.
Special devices to detect cameras: Basically, there are three methods to check for a hidden camera: scanning of radio frequencies, lens detection, and physical search. Many handheld devices that do RF scanning and lens detection are available in the market but they are not 100% accurate.
A smartphone may be handy: Close the curtains, switch off the lights and use your mobile phone’s flashlight to look for light reflections from a camera lens. You can also use your phone to detect infrared light emitted by cameras or by using certain apps.
If you find a hidden camera in a hotel room, complain to the management and insist on a room change immediately.
Sources: www.rd.com, toomanyadapters.com, www.usatoday.com
