Everytime we check into a new hotel room or Airbnb, our minds immediately run through various paranoid hypotheticals.
We’ve all seen the terrifying videos and news stories that live online where an unknowing guest discovers a creep camera in their room. It’s practically everyone’s worst fear that their private moments will be secretely recorded and viewed by a stranger.
Luckily, a security expert has shared his best tips and tricks on how you can ensure this won’t happen to you in a recent TikTok video—and everyone should take note.
Marcus Hutchins (@malwaretech) walked his followers through the steps you should take when you first arrive at your getaway home.
@malwaretech Reply to @safarijackza How to find hidden cameras in AirBnBs #safety #travel
“The first thing you’re going to want to look for is devices that are conveniently placed where a creeper would want to look,” Hutchins says at the start of the clip.
These devices can range anywhere from a smoke detector to an alarm clock that surround the bed or shower.
In the video, Hutchins uses the example of a fire alarm placed right above the bed to show how you can tell if there’s a hidden camera.
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“One way to see if the device is a camera is to shine a bright light at it. If you hit a camera lens it’s going to give a blueish reflection. Now you can test this by shining a light at your phone and seeing how the camera looks when placed under a flashlight,” Hutchins explains.
Hutchins also shared that this method works on two-way mirrors.
He noted, “The front facing camera is the only one that tends to work because the back camera has an IR filter.”
“first I have to check for bedbugs, now hidden camera, what’s next” one TikToker wrote in the comments.
“Oh good something else to have anxiety about,” a comment read.
Another joked, “they wanna see me literally do nothing for a couple days? bet.”