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Airbnb guest mistakenly thought there were hidden cameras: Here’s how you can check

airbnb hidden cameras
airbnb hidden cameras

A woman took to Twitter to warn the public after becoming concerned that there could be hidden cameras in her Airbnb.

Twitter user @foxytaughtyou shared the below thread to document her experience at an Airbnb in Philadelphia. She claimed that the Airbnb had excessive sprinklers placed throughout the house, which she and her friend later thought were hidden cameras.

But after an investigation by Airbnb and the Philadelphia Police Department, turns out that sometimes a sprinkler is just a sprinkler.

“I’ve never seen a sprinkler on the wall,” a Twitter user replied.

The woman also clarified specific facts of the story within the Twitter thread.

“The Airbnb was listed under a business name and we never met the owner. Every time we tried calling them, even at our arrival, they’ll never answer the phone,” @foxytaughtyou tweeted. “They only respond through message, so we do not know how they look, sound or if it’s a male or female.”

“We have thoroughly looked into this allegation as we do for all safety reports,” Airbnb spokesperson Benjamin Breit told In The Know by Yahoo via email. “Yesterday, we spoke directly with the lead detective from the Philadelphia Police Department who responded to the complaint and investigated the property. He confirmed that he did not find any hidden or undisclosed cameras and that the fire sprinklers had regular sprinklerheads. The detective also confirmed that they plan to close this case.”

That said, while Airbnb has strict rules about the use of cameras and recording devices, followers can learn how to check for hidden cameras in an Airbnb or hotel — if that is a concern — and how to stay safe.

@malwaretech

Reply to @safarijackza How to find hidden cameras in AirBnBs #safety #travel

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The woman claims that after she and her friend returned to the Airbnb from a late night out, they fell asleep on the couch; the two realized that a camera was placed on the ceiling above the sofa when they woke up and noticed a suspicious object above them.

“We were absolutely creeped out when we saw this. It seems like they tried to hide it, but I don’t know. It just looks weird. It’s a hole in the ceiling with a camera,” @foxytaughtyou said. “I don’t know how anyone in the past didn’t notice this camera, but we did.”

@foxytaughtyou then explains how she and her friend looked through the rest of the house to find anything else that raised red flags. She claims the two conducted “flash tests” with their phone cameras on some of the sprinklers.

A flash test is a safety tactic where people shine their flashlights over any object they might consider to be hiding a camera to see if blue or red light is reflected — indicating a camera lens.

Later in her Twitter thread, @foxytaughtyou claimed that Airbnb allegedly placed her and her friend in a different Airbnb.

“We were so creeped out that we just packed our s*** and left,” @foxytaughtyou said in her TikTok. “Please be careful at these Airbnbs. Please pay attention. Make sure there’s no cameras in there.”

While the @foxytaughtyou’s safety message is worth keeping in mind, the Airbnb rep reiterated to In The Know that the Philadelphia Police Department did not find any cameras on the property. He also says that they reimbursed her for her stay.

“Regarding our guest, we appreciate how she felt and we will continue to provide her with our full support, including with a refund,” he added.

The post Airbnb guest mistakenly thought there were hidden cameras: Here’s how you can check appeared first on In The Know.

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