Spanner Cams: Find and Report Hidden Camera

In the hotel, in the public toilet, in the AirBnB holiday apartment, in the new private apartment, in the changing room and in many other places, one unfortunately has to ask oneself: Is there a camera here that is being used to monitor me? Because the forbidden filming of people, especially in private and intimate situations, is no longer a rarity. Small surveillance cameras and the criminal need of some people to take and store recordings of others and make them available to third parties result in an unpleasant threat situation. If you want to preempt this, there are a number of ways to find and deal with hidden cameras.

A spanner cam, i.e. a small hidden camera, can be used in the holiday apartment, in the hotel, in the public toilet, etc. to spy on private or intimate situations. Here you will find tips and tools for finding hidden cameras. Always report them to the police!

Chapter in this post:

1 Where to look for hidden cameras?
2 different ways to find peeping cams
3 Search without technical aids
4 Scan with the smartphone camera
5 Search for network devices and cameras using the Fing app
6 RF detector or similar device to find surveillance cameras
7 Why are cameras hidden and strangers filmed?
8 I found a camera. What should I do now?
9 Legal basis for action against hidden surveillance cameras
10 related posts here on the blog
11 Similar posts

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Where to look for hidden cameras?

If you are moving into a holiday apartment, a hotel room, a hostel or similar for your vacation or business trip, then you should first have a careful look around. Because of their small size, surveillance cameras can now be everywhere - in electrical outlets, in decorative items, in DVD cases and books, in smoke detectors, in mirrors, and so on. On various advice and news pages, these places / objects are mentioned in particular:

Smoke detectors and motion detectors
Lamps (on the ceiling, on the wall, on the table, etc.)
Night lights, emergency lights and signs
sockets or power strips (distribution boxes)
Chargers and power banks lying around
Pictures, picture frames, wall decoration, etc.
Stuffed animals and decorative items of all kinds
Flower pots, artificial plants, etc.
Radios, Stereos, Intercoms
Weather stations, alarm clocks, game consoles
Pens, folders, monitors, etc.
Larger devices or their housing (washing machine, microwave, computer, etc.)
Drilling holes in the wall, cabinets, shelves or other furniture
And in many other places

Another important question is: From where can you see certain places? So: From where can the entire bed be seen? Where can you look into the shower or the bathtub? Where could there be a camera meant to be pointed at the toilet, couch, sauna, etc.? With a look in the directions in question, you can already find a few possible hiding places in addition to the generally wandering gaze.

Different ways to find peeping cams

Now let's look at the different measures that can be taken to find a hidden surveillance camera. The individual approaches cover a whole spectrum of anomalies - i.e. the optical detection of camera lenses, checking the WLAN network for individual devices, locating hidden electrical devices, and so on. For individual measures, the smartphone can be used with its camera or a specific app. Others require additional hardware.

Search without technical aids

Of course, you don't have to assume that every accommodation is being spied on. Unfortunately, in today's high-tech era, it's easier than ever to hide cameras for clamping. So if you want to be sure, first look for possible hiding places that can see large areas of the room or apartment. Lamps, smoke detectors and the like should certainly be inspected first.

Search with smartphone camera

This trick can be found everywhere on the subject: use the smartphone or other mobile phone camera to locate infrared light. To do this, darken the room and turn off the light so that any night vision lights on the camera are activated. Then see if you can find any flickering with the main or selfie camera. But beware: Some cameras have a filter against infrared light. You can test this with an old-fashioned remote control (without Bluetooth or WLAN) by pointing its transmitter on the front at the camera of your mobile phone.

Search for network devices and cameras with the Fing app

This is also a common tip. For a future post, I have decided to look for cheap or completely free Fing alternatives. But first of all, here is the reference to this extensive app, which you can use to scan the network and, with a 7-day trial subscription, to search for hidden cameras. So if you are logged into the WiFi of the accommodation, Fing will list all devices in it (your mobile phone, your laptop, possible cameras, etc.). You can find the Fing app in the Apple App Store as well as in the Google Play Store. It also offers many other network tools, such as an Internet speed test.

But there are a few things to consider: If your accommodation has smart home functions, then there are probably many unknown devices in the network. You will only discover cameras if they are clearly named. Importantly, tech-savvy peepers could rename their cameras so that they could appear on the network as routers, air purifiers, vacuum cleaner robots, and so on. So I see the Fing app more as a support than as an individual solution that you can fully rely on. Especially since cameras can also transmit data without WLAN, i.e. wired.

RF detector or similar device for finding surveillance cameras

There are various devices on the market that fall under the term RF detectors are offered and can help to find unwanted cameras. Those devices that fulfill several tasks at the same time are interesting here. Some bring a viewfinder with red LEDs behind it. Camera lenses should be able to be found in darkened rooms. Depending on the range of functions, the devices also detect WLAN and mobile phone signals, GPS trackers, magnetic fields, etc. It is worth reading the product descriptions and reviews carefully. During the search process, your mobile phone should be switched off in flight mode and all other devices in the accommodation should be switched off if possible.

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Why are cameras hidden and strangers filmed?

What goes on in the minds of some people is anyone's guess. However, hiding surveillance cameras in rooms used by others is prohibited, regardless of the intention. At the very least, consent is required, for example if you want to install a security camera in the shared apartment or other shared facility.

So if you rent an AirBnB or run a hotel, you can’t excuse yourself with anti-theft protection or the like. Presumably, people are supposed to be filmed with peeping cameras when they are naked, engaged in intimate activities, using the toilet, etc. Whether for personal use or for uploading to adult sites, it's all forbidden.

You don't have to accept a surveillance camera in a holiday apartment (Graphic: Mid).

I found a camera. What should I do now?

Looking for a hidden surveillance camera is one thing. But what do you do when you find a peeping camera in your hotel room or holiday apartment? I have outlined a possible process for you below. However, if you feel you are putting yourself in danger by finding the camera (because the person monitoring might prevent you from reporting the find), then first find another safe place. Here is a possible process after the camera find:

Make a note of the place, date and time in order to be able to trace the camera find (for law enforcement) in detail.
Note the spot where the camera was found, as precisely as possible (e.g., "smoke detector in the bedroom, facing the bed and the mirror next to it").
Take a photo of the site and, if possible, the recognizable camera lens.
Call the police and ask them to come by and see for themselves and file the report.
Report the case to the next higher authority, i.e. in a hotel to the hotel management, in the case of a holiday apartment to the platform you used to book it, etc.

Don't attempt to dismantle or destroy the camera (for now) - instead, curtain it up, block your view, and/or move to another room. After the police have recorded the case, you should of course look for other accommodation. You can also call the police from outside the holiday home or rented room and then only enter the accommodation again if accompanied by the police. That way you don't make yourself vulnerable in the meantime if someone is watching live.

If you find a hidden camera with friends, at a private party or in another situation where you cannot predict how a direct confrontation on the subject will end, then leave their apartment first and then call the police. In any case, always report such tensions, even if it is an unpleasant subject. In this way you not only protect yourself, but also everyone else who could be affected by the hidden camera.

Legal basis for action against hidden surveillance cameras

I am not an expert when it comes to legal matters. You can imagine that filming people without their consent is illegal. It is stipulated, among other things, in Section 201a of the Criminal Code, with a prison sentence of up to two years. You should ask the police or a law firm for everything else. Compared to their assessment, the statements published here are only lay information.