An Airbnb home in the United States where several hidden cameras were allegedly found has been given the green light after police found no devices at the scene.
A Twitter user called ‘foxytaughtyou’ had taken to social media claiming she had made ‘frightening’ discoveries at a house in Philadelphia.
“BE CAREFUL BOOKING AIR BNBs! My friend and I recently stayed in an air bnb (sic) in Philadelphia with over 10 hidden cameras throughout the house. Including showers and bedrooms. Some were disguised as security systems. sprinklers, but there is a camera lens,β she wrote on Twitter.
Another video on TikTok showed what she believed to be cameras scattered around the apartment.
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Since then, his images have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Philadelphia police were alerted and investigated the property, but found no device.
A spokesperson said the philadelphia investigator that βthe incident has been investigated by our special victim support unit. Detective(s) found no hidden or undisclosed cameras.β
“Fire sprinklers are sprinkler heads.”
Airbnb also confirmed there were no hidden cameras on the property and would continue to support the guest, while offering a refund.
Police say the case is now closed.
foxytaughtyou/TIKTOK
What the guest thought were hidden cameras are just regular sprinklers.
Although Airbnb hosts are permitted to have cameras in their homes to document any potential damage or issues in their properties, guests should be aware of this before booking. The policy also states that they are never allowed in bathrooms or bedrooms, nor hidden away.
Although this case turned out to be a false alarm, there have been times when hidden cameras have been found in an Airbnb rental.
In 2019, a New Zealand family traveling to Ireland found a hidden camera in the living room of their Airbnb listing.
They had found a random Wi-Fi network called an “IP camera” which led them to find a live video feed.
A year before, a Scottish visitor to an Airbnb in Canada wary of a digital clock facing the living room and open-plan bedroom. He found a lithium battery in the back of the clock and, after sliding off the dial, he saw a camera inside.
Last year, a British hacker described in a TikTok Video how to spot hidden cameras.
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