Worried About Someone Spying on You? This Gadget Finds Hidden Cameras in Any Room

Finding a hidden camera in your hotel, Airbnb, or dressing room is a horrifying experience that no one should go through. While it doesn't happen every day, there have been enough recent cases to raise alarm. In late October, a couple on a Carnival cruise reportedly found a camera in their bedroom, and several hotel and rental home guests have been secretly recorded in the last month as well.

Spy Associates, a maker of surveillance and privacy protection products, has designed a product that will help put worried travelers' minds at ease. The company's SpyFinder Pro Hidden Camera Detector uses LED strobe lights to ferret out the reflective surfaces of various kinds of cameras. The company says the gadget works even when cameras are undetectable to the human eye, and even when they're turned off or non-functioning.

The company recently launched the product on Kickstarter, and it has already well exceeded its $10,000 goal. The battery-powered device is recommended for frequent travelers or people with privacy concerns at work or at home.

"You won't believe how small hidden cameras are these days," the company says in its Kickstarter campaign. "Often no bigger than a pinhole, these tiny spy cameras are concealed inside everyday objects such as clocks, glasses, lamps, picture frames, USB chargers, keychains, desktop fans, outlets, smoke detectors, DVD players, fake water bottles, air fresheners, and so much more."

The SpyFinder Pro is small enough to fit in your pocket and easy to use. Simply look through the viewfinder while pushing the button on top and peering around the room. If there's a camera, the area it's hidden in will start blinking through the viewfinder. There are three different LED settings, depending on the size of the room and type of surface. For example, a low-intensity setting should be used in a bathroom with mirrors to prevent false reflections.

Anyone who pledges $198 by November 24 will receive the SpyFinder Pro at a $50 discount. The product will be delivered (with free shipping to U.S.-based customers) this December. Once the fundraising campaign ends, it will be available on SpyAssociates.com for $248.