My mom believes that a relative may have placed a hidden camera or microphone in our house. I just want to put this issue to rest by either finding proof or showing there’s nothing there.
Is there any way I can check for hidden devices? Would a metal detector help? Any specific tools you’d recommend?
Background:
After my father passed away in late 2022, his niece (in her 40s) stayed with us for a few days for the funeral. She later tried to sue us over inheritance, even though she wasn’t in the will. My mom is convinced that during her visit, she may have planted a hidden recording device.
In early 2023, I had an argument with my mom at home in front of three witnesses. Months later, my cousin accused my mom of being shady and described the argument as if she had been there. My mom thinks this is proof that she was listening in somehow. My guess is one of the witnesses told her, but my mom keeps insisting there was a hidden camera or mic.
To add to this, my cousin’s husband works with security cameras, which makes my mom even more suspicious.
At this point, I just want to settle this. If there’s a device, I want to find it. If there isn’t, I need strong proof to convince my mom that she has nothing to worry about.
That sounds simple enough, but just so I understand—would this work because a hidden camera might rely on WiFi to transmit data?
If you log into your router, you should be able to see all devices that have connected to your network. If something looks unfamiliar, it could be worth investigating.
Turn off all power in the house and check if any strange WiFi networks still show up. If a camera has its own network, you might spot it this way.
Use a radio frequency (RF) detector to scan for signals from wireless devices.
Check for unfamiliar objects in the house—things like clocks, chargers, or smoke detectors that weren’t there before. A lot of hidden cameras are disguised as everyday items.
One last thing—your mom could be jumping to conclusions. If she won’t accept any proof that no camera exists, you might need to figure out what would make her feel reassured.
You can’t prove a negative. Meaning, you can’t 100% prove that something isn’t there, only that you haven’t found it.
That said, the simplest explanation is usually the right one. There were three other people in the room. One of them probably told your cousin what happened. No need for secret cameras.
Roberto said:
Log into your router and check the list of connected devices. If there’s anything there you don’t recognize, that’s a red flag.
Exactly. You should also see the MAC address of each device, which can help identify what type of device it is. If you find something suspicious, you can even try typing the IP address into a browser—some cameras have built-in configuration pages.
There are devices that scan for any wireless signals in the area—Bluetooth, WiFi, even cellular signals. If you’re serious about checking, you might want to get one of those or find a professional who has one.
An RF detector is your best bet, but good ones aren’t cheap. You’ll need to turn off all other wireless devices while scanning so you don’t get false positives.
Before assuming the worst, consider that one of the witnesses may have just recorded the argument on their phone or repeated it later. That’s way easier than sneaking in a hidden camera.
Honestly, the most logical explanation is that someone who was there told your cousin what happened. Hidden cameras make for great conspiracy theories, but this doesn’t sound like one of those situations.