Don't Let Airbnb Owners Spy on You. Here's How to Spot Hidden Cameras in Your Rental

Traveling during the holidays has become more common, and plenty of people opt to snag a local Airbnb instead of bunking at home with their parents. However, while you might be hoping for peace of mind, you could have unwelcome eyes on you. Voyeur cams have been found from California to Texas , and even overseas in countries like Malaysia . These hidden cameras could be watching your movements, and destroying your sense of privacy. My first advice is to immediately contact Airbnb if you discover anything like a spy camera: They'll arrange for other accommodations and take the necessary steps. But how do you know if cameras are there? Fortunately, today's tricks and tools are easy to use and only take a few minutes with your phone when you first arrive. We've tried these techniques at CNET, and here's what we recommend. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source on Chrome. 1. Check out the local Wi-Fi network Most Airbnbs offer some kind of guest Wi-Fi. Log into it and hop into your settings to view the Wi-Fi network and see if you can find all the connected devices. Use the provided login and on-board router passwords or app to look for a section about connected or attached devices. Or if these options aren't available, you can try out a third-party app like the Wireless Network Watcher . (Note for the techies, the arp -a command line won't work here, because it displays only your own computer's cache of connected device info, and the Airbnb owner probably didn't leave their laptop behind.) Now look for any unexpected online devices that don't match up with any of the technology in the house. You may think that voyeurs would avoid connecting their hidden cams to local Wi-Fi networks , but that's giving them too much credit. Watch for surprise online devices and see if you can track them down or tell what they are. 2. Bring up your Bluetooth If cameras aren't connected to Wi-Fi, you can still pick them up with your Bluetooth. Just set your Bluetooth to its pairing mode and see what devices it can pick up. Disregard TVs and smart home technology and focus on mystery devices that you can't otherwise identify. Seeing strange devices on Bluetooth when you're at an Airbnb? They may be worth a closer look. If these devices have strange names, look them up to see if they're a camera product number or similar identifier. Give your Bluetooth a couple of minutes to pick up all available devices and walk from room to room with your phone to see if any surprises pop up. 3. Do a pass with a flashlight Your own eyes and a camera flashlight can do a lot of good work if you're worried about hidden cameras. Even the sneakiest cam still needs a lens to watch from, and where there's a lens there can be a reflection...

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