Airbnb guest felt sick after she says found hidden camera

A woman from British Columbia says she will never use Airbnb again after discovering a hidden camera in an apartment she rented through the platform.

"I felt sick to my stomach. I couldn't believe that someone would actually do that," Zorina Mellis told Consumer Matters.

In April, Mellis rented an apartment in Santa Monica through Airbnb for a six-week stay. It was during the final days of her stay that she made the unsettling discovery.

"I unplugged the carbon monoxide detector that we brought with us and noticed that the smoke alarm was plugged in. Next to it was a USB cord, and I thought that was really strange," Mellis recounted.

Mellis says she realized the smoke detector contained a hidden camera in the living area of the apartment. "I looked on Amazon and found the exact same one, described as a nanny cam," she added.

Using a special app that detects devices connected to the Wi-Fi network, Mellis says she found additional unknown devices. She immediately left the property and checked into a hotel. Mellis reported her findings to Airbnb and filed a report with the Santa Monica police.

The police report confirms that Mellis discovered two cameras inside the Airbnb—one hidden in the smoke detector and another inside a closet, positioned to face the door. However, the closet door was solid, so the camera could not have captured anyone inside the bedroom.

Airbnb investigated the case and provided Mellis with a partial refund, stating in an email, "We've thoroughly reviewed your account and we were unable to confirm that our Community Standards or Terms of Service weren't followed."

"They didn’t apologize. They didn’t even give a full refund. It doesn’t seem like they took it seriously," Mellis said.

After Consumer Matters contacted Airbnb on Mellis' behalf, she received the remainder of her refund. Airbnb stated, "Our policies are clear— all indoor cameras are banned on Airbnb, and issues are exceptionally rare. We have removed this host from the platform and are continuing to support this guest, including a full refund."

Consumer Matters learned that the host had failed to remove a personal safety device from a common area before Mellis' stay. When Consumer Matters contacted the Airbnb property owner for comment, the host declined to share information publicly, and Global News did not agree to the "off the record" request.

Michael Jagger, a security expert from Provident Security, noted that while apps and devices can scan the Wi-Fi network for hidden recording devices, they might not give a complete picture. "You can use a Wi-Fi scanner to see all the devices on the network, but that's assuming there's only one Wi-Fi network," Jagger said.

He recommends physically scanning the room for anything unusual. "Hidden cameras are often placed in objects like smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, phone chargers, and plug-in devices," Jagger explained. He added that many hidden cameras are designed to look like everyday items, such as speakers, plush toys, or alarm clocks. "When you enter a room, scan from top to bottom," he advised.

Although Mellis is relieved to have received a full refund, she says she will not be using Airbnb in the future and will explore other options.