7 craziest places people have found hidden cameras

Airbnb recently dropped a big announcement: They're putting an end to indoor security cameras in all their spots worldwide. It’s a big deal because it touches on something most people value – privacy, especially when we’re away from home. Turns out, despite most Airbnb homes being camera-free, there have been a few creepy discoveries of hidden cameras by guests.

But here’s the thing – it’s not just vacation rentals where this is a problem. Hidden cameras are getting sneakier and showing up in places we’d least expect--disguised as the most ordinary things, like pens or smoke detectors. It’s a bit unsettling to think about, but that’s why it’s become super important to keep our eyes peeled.

So, how exactly do you spot something so well-hidden? While the news has been buzzing with stories of cameras found in rentals, that's just the tip of the iceberg. We need to be aware no matter where we are – because, honestly, hidden cameras have popped up in some pretty bizarre places. Let's dive into the seven most jaw-dropping spots people have actually found hidden cameras and then check out our guide on how to find a hidden camera.

By a hot tub

A couple rented a private hot tub room to get some rest and relaxation at a hot tub spa in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The spa rents hot tubs out by the hour, and each tub is in a private room surrounded by plants, rocks, and sculptures. Instead of getting rid of their stress, the couple got a shock when they discovered a hidden camera stuffed into the base of a wooden sculpture in what was supposed to be their own private hot tub room. They contacted the police, worried that footage of them would end up online. "We should be safe," the man told a local TV news station. "We're in a private area."

On a cruise ship

A passenger on a cruise ship was using the bathroom when they spotted a hidden camera in a restroom on the top deck of the ship. The cruise ship camera was installed overlooking the toilet in a bathroom located near a bar and surfing simulator on the ship. The Federal Bureau of Investigation got involved and arrested the man who had used the camera to spy on his fellow passengers.

In a vacation rental

A group of 15 friends were staying in a Vancouver, Canada, vacation rental to celebrate a 30^th birthday when one of the women got a feeling they were being watched. She began searching the house with a flashlight and found an odd electrical outlet facing the shower. Inside: a tiny hidden camera. The women called the police and checked out. "The moral of the story is always check your outlets for cameras... ," one of the women said on TikTok, "And always listen to your super paranoid friends."

In a massage room

Getting a massage is supposed to put you in a relaxed state, but you may get the opposite experience if you discover you're being watched. A woman who had booked a massage in a Singapore spa got undressed for her treatment before she looked up, saw a hidden camera and screamed. The owner claimed he didn't know about the camera and asked the client not to report the incident. "We ignored the pleas and called the police," the customer told a news reporter.

At a tanning salon

A woman wanting to get a healthy glow instead got an upsetting surprise when she discovered a hidden camera, pointing at her tanning bed in a tanning salon in Folsom, California. The camera was disguised to look like a cube phone charger. A man who did not work at the salon later turned himself in to local police. The woman got a lawyer, who told a news reporter that his client "wants to warn others about these types of covert cameras disguised as ordinary everyday items."

In a coffee shop

Hidden cameras have been discovered in many coffee shops across the country, usually in the restrooms. One example: in an Atlanta-area chain coffee shop, a woman found a hidden camera taped to the bottom of the baby changing station in the women's bathroom. The woman removed the camera, spoke with the manager, and filed a police report about the incident.

On a shoe

A pizzeria owner was sued for affixing a hidden camera to his shoe to record up-the-skirt footage of female employees in his shop. He required hostesses and waitresses to wear skirts and used the hidden camera to record video footage pointing up the skirts. The pizzeria owner pleaded guilty to six counts of criminal activity and received probation after more than 1,900 videos were found on his cell phone. These videos "include many sickening images," the victims' attorney stated.

Hidden cameras have been discovered in some unexpected places, and that means it's a good idea to keep an eye out for these devices, especially when you're expecting privacy. If you do spot a hidden camera, notify the company and file a police report right away.