BUG DETECTORS BUYERS GUIDE
Counter surveillance is just like it sounds; it is a process of countering spycraft surveillance to protect your privacy. These wireless bug detectors and camera finders are the spy equipment you need to help you locate GPS, wireless video cams, transmitting bugs, and spy cameras. It's become too easy to monitor someone these days secretly, but these anti-spycraft devices are here to help.
What Does A Bug Detector Do: Bug detectors are sensitive to radio frequencies, not just from spycraft, meaning they look for specific ranges of transmitting signals from electronic devices. We have several options for bug detectors with different specialties. Our bug detectors start at an affordable price range of under one hundred dollars up to eight hundred dollars. Higher-end models will generally have a wider detection range. They can also distinguish between distinct types of signals, which becomes essential when you scan an area and detect radio frequencies that would usually be present, like WIFI signals from your router or Bluetooth from your wireless speakers.
Why Using a Hidden Camera Detector is Important: Recently, it has become more commonplace for people to find spy cameras in hotel rooms and vacation rental properties. Board rooms and medical offices are a great concern where spycraft can help steal intellectual property or personal information. These bugging devices can be so small and discreet that bug-detection devices are needed to identify their location. Our professional bug detectors would detect signal transmissions from a wireless camera or listening device in the room. Hidden camera detectors use the physics of the visible spectrum, flashing lights to reflect against even the smallest pinhole camera lens and identify it to the user. It is unlikely there will be a wireless bug or hidden camera, but a quick check is a good idea, especially if you already have that gut feeling.
When you walk into the room, look around. Scan the room, and stay alert for anything that seems out of place. Once you scan the critical areas, like the office, bathrooms, and bedrooms, you want to do a more targeted search of ordinary objects like smoke detectors, televisions, coffee pots, power outlets, and other places that could hide a small spycraft bugging device. Some of our RF detectors have a camera finder built inside or come with a camera detector attachment. With these bug detectors, you have the tools needed to find and locate threats.
Why Scanning Your Home or Office is Important: Many people work remotely, making a home office a necessity. When working remotely, companies have more business meetings, making privacy important. You want to use the detector during the busiest times to prevent the bugs from picking up sounds, though some RF detectors have silent verification modes, like vibration, to prevent tipping off anyone that might be listening that you're on to them. Perform a sweep at your home or business by waving the RF detector in an S-pattern over the walls and all objects in the room.
First, look for things that seem out of place, but be aware of regular signal transmissions, like those from microwaves or cell phones, or WIFI. Next, start in one room, breaking it into sections and eliminating known signal sources. If you have access to devices that output a wireless signal, unplug them until your sweep is over to help reduce false readings. Higher-end models, such as the Professional Digital RF Wireless Bug Detector, can distinguish between different signal types to help you determine if you're finding WIFI, Bluetooth, or cellular signals. Its big brother, the Professional Multi-Frequency Wireless Bug Detector, has six different signal strength indicator bars for twelve types of transmissions, including WIFI, Bluetooth, and a variety of cellular frequency bands.
How Secure is Bluetooth from Listening Devices: Bluetooth connectivity on our smartphones has made hands-free communication effortless and commonplace. If you use a Bluetooth headset, your phone wirelessly transmits the phone call to your Bluetooth headset, but it's still sending the data in all directions.
How Do I Keep My Bluetooth Conversation Private: Some Bluetooth devices can connect with multiple transceivers, some that may be spycraft listening in on your conversations. The Camera Finder with RF bug Detector, an entry-level bug detector, would show the strength of any signals present, but you would not know what signal. Higher-end models, like the Professional Digital RF Wireless Bug Detector, will show the signal you are detecting is in the Bluetooth bandwidth, which can be worrying if you're scanning in an area with no known Bluetooth devices. A bug detector that can tell the difference between frequency types can help keep your conversations private. Protect yourself from hackers by keeping Bluetooth devices non-discoverable and using unique or complex pins and passwords.
How to Sweep for Hidden Cameras: Our hidden camera detectors are perfect counter-surveillance devices; it does not matter if the spy camera is turned on or off or transmitting or hardwired. Our camera finders look for the red light they emit to be reflected by a camera's lens; it's just physics! Camera lenses are built to collect and funnel light down into a receptor at the center, which causes it to reflect any direct light to the area of the camera's field of view. Look through the red film of a camera detector or at the screen of the Camera Detector with LCD IR Finder to cut out all colors other than red so you can easily find that pinprick reflection of light. Once found, weave side to side to try and find the edges of the camera's field of view to take note of everything the camera had been able to see. If you can find that reflection from any extreme angle, it's more likely an LED bulb rather than a camera lens.
Where are Spy Cameras Frequently Hidden: Almost anywhere you go, you will see a security camera; most of these are right out in the open. They are found in department stores, banks, outside on street lights, offices, and many other places. But what about spy cameras placed in areas that invade your privacy? The smaller the equipment becomes, the easier they are to hide. For example, there have been reports of spy cameras placed in restrooms and changing areas where you want to feel safe and have privacy. When searching to find hidden cameras, you want to make sure the area is dark; this helps detect any spy camera that may be hidden. Camera finders emit a light that reflects against any camera lens or glass surface and have a red film to look through that cuts out all other colors to make the reflection easier to see.
For Those Extra Sneaky Hidden Wireless Cameras: The unique Camera Detector with LCD IR Finder has a built-in camera that can see any infrared night vision emitted from IR LEDs, which would usually be invisible to the naked eye. It will show these invisible lights on the LCD screen as a bright flashlight, making this a top-shelf counter-surveillance product. When using hidden camera detectors to sweep for transmitting listening devices or hidden wireless cameras, start with the outermost corner of the room, working your way around the area. Pay particular attention to any areas where a spy camera could easily hide. Check places like stuffed animals, vents, curtain rods, cracks, and crevices. With technological advances, you can purchase spy cameras that appear to be USB wall adapters and alarm clocks.
Not all Surveillance Devices are the Same: When choosing the correct equipment to search for hidden surveillance devices, it is essential to compare their features. For example, some eavesdropping equipment emits a wireless radio frequency while others only save to internal memory and hold onto it until someone comes to retrieve it; a radio frequency detector cannot find devices from the latter category. Some surveillance devices are placed on your vehicle and use GPS to track your location. These are not always easy to find because of the number of hiding places in a vehicle; look for a GPS bug with a device that can detect cellular signals like our Multi-Use RF Bug Detector.
In Conclusion: Chances are you will never find anything during these searches, and if you see something, it is likely, from an everyday device that belongs in your home, but you can attain that peace of mind knowing that your privacy is protected. Spend some time thinking about how you feel your privacy is vulnerable, and then you can choose your first piece of anti-spycraft to ensure your personal privacy.
Of course, if any surveillance device is ever found, immediately take them to the authorities.