More creeps are using small hidden cameras – How to spot them

It seems like every week, there’s another disturbing story in the news about hidden cameras. Spying on unsuspecting victims is nothing new, and, thanks to today’s tech, these creeps have taken their creepiness to a whole new level. Unfortunately, it’s easier than ever to get away with these crimes. Here are some recent ones we know about.

In a church bathroom

Will Johnson, a pastor in Michigan, admitted to placing a hidden camera in the church bathroom stall and recording people for the last two years. Johnson confessed everything to police, who are now trying to find where all these recordings ended up. I bet it’s probably some sicko porn site.

In a doctor’s office

In Pennsylvania, a chiropractor was caught using hidden cameras to record patients as they undressed. Police found a hidden camera in his office disguised as a working digital clock.

In a Starbucks bathroom

A Starbucks customer in San Jose, California, noticed something unusual about the bathroom’s baby-changing station. You guessed it — a camera’s tiny lens was strategically placed to record patrons using the bathroom.

In a teen’s bathroom

You’re not going to believe this one. A Kentucky family found a hidden camera in their 13-year-old daughter’s bathroom. A man living in the apartment above them had run a borescope inspection camera through his floor and into the ceiling of the teen’s shower below.

Do a manual sweep for hidden cameras

Today’s cameras are so small, they can be hidden virtually anywhere — lamps, light fixtures, vases, flowerpots, smoke detectors, air filters, vents, decorations, TV remotes and even within water bottles. Here are a few tips for spotting them:

  • Inspect your surroundings: Shine a flashlight on mirrors, smoke detectors and alarm clocks. Hidden cameras often have tiny lenses or holes that reflect light.
  • Use a hidden camera detector: They detect wireless signals or infrared light emitted by many hidden cameras. Here’s one I like.
  • Check Wi‑Fi networks: In hotels, rentals or offices, scan the list of available Wi‑Fi networks nearby. If you see devices you don’t recognize, they could be hidden cameras.
  • Cover suspicious devices: Blocking the view is a simple way to ensure some privacy. Any hidden cameras, though, will probably still record audio.
  • Report it immediately: If you find a hidden camera, don’t tamper with it. Take photos, document everything and call the police.

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Malware warning: Red flags your computer is under attack

It’s Computer Security Day, and there’s no better time to remind you malware is lurking everywhere. From phishing emails to unsuspecting ads, just one wrong click can compromise your personal info or infect your devices.

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Add these to your shortcut repertoire: Use Ctrl + T (Windows) or Cmd + T (Mac) to open a new tab and Ctrl + Shift + T (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + T (Mac) to reopen a recently closed tab. Hit Ctrl + Tab (Windows) or Cmd + Option + right arrow (Mac) to quickly switch between open tabs. Sweet.

🥳 I’m gonna live to 94: That’s according to the viral Death Clock app that’s all over social media, with people sharing eerie “save the date” results. Drawing from over 1,200 life expectancy studies with 53 million participants, the app analyzes your diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, exercise, stress and sleep to calculate your expiration date. PSA: After you answer the questions, the app tries to sell you a membership. Just click the faint gray “X” in the top left corner to see your results for free.

No. 2 most-prescribed drug

For older adults is linked to bone loss. A whopping 23 million Americans take Levothyroxine. A Johns Hopkins Medicine study found it may lead to osteoporosis. Chat with your doc if you take this medication and ask what you can do.

🚀 Speedy scrolling: Ignore the mouse next time you read a long article on a website. Use the spacebar to scroll down and Shift + spacebar to scroll up.

🖥️ A solid CCleaner alternative: Microsoft released a new version of its free PC Manager app for Windows 10 and 11, and it’s way better. You can view your internet speed in real time from the taskbar and delete temp and unnecessary files even faster. Bonus: On Windows 11, you can integrate it directly into your widgets. Go get it, my Windows friends.

⭐️ Thanks, Microsoft: Super-high-res pictures make your Word document or PowerPoint presentation files so much larger. Save a ton of space with this trick: Lower the images’ resolution by compressing them. Word and PowerPoint will do it for you. Just search the program’s help using the phrase “compress pictures.” Lovely.

Skip > the settings > labyrinth: Many Android apps allow you to change their settings without leaving them. Just look for the gear icon or find it in the menu. For example, in Google Photos, tap your profile icon (upper-right corner) > Photos settings, and you’re there.

I know I opened my iPhone for a reason: If you accidentally delete an item from your Reminders app, you can still recover it! Open the app and select Recently Deleted. Find your note, then choose Move To so it goes back to where it was before. Don’t forget: You can only recover reminders deleted within the last 30 days. Now, what was I doing again?

Are you still watching? (No, I dozed off five episodes ago.) Set a timer to avoid unexpected time jumps. For iPhone, open the Clock app > Timer > When Timer Ends and scroll to Stop Playing so Netflix will close when the time expires.

Laptops expire, too: Before you buy, search for that exact model on endoflife.date. If it’s already at its end of life, or EOL, move on. That means it’s not going to get any more security updates and isn’t safe to use. If it’s close to its EOL, you can do better: Check out our latest laptop picks.

🚨 Netflix renewal scam: Cybercriminals are sending fake Netflix texts claiming your account’s about to be suspended. They’ll say there was an “issue processing your payment” or a “failure in your recent payment” and ask you to sign in through a link. It’s just a trick to steal your login details and credit card info. Don’t fall for it.

Google Maps secret: This one’s perfect for planning sneaky surprises like checking out a vacation spot. In the app, tap your avatar, select Turn on Incognito mode and look for the Incognito icon in the search bar. When you’re done, tap the Incognito icon again and select Turn off Incognito mode.

Text-raordinary mistake: RCS messaging makes texting between an iPhone and Android device better, but there’s a catch: These messages aren’t encrypted. Google Messages is encrypted for Android-to-Android, and Apple Messages does the same for iPhone-to-iPhone texts. Between Android and iPhone? No encryption, meaning it’s super easy for a hacker to see your texts.

An allowance for grown-ups: Social Security is upgrading its login system and ditching mySocialSecurity usernames and passwords. Using the mySocialSecurity site? You’ll need to create a new login ID for Login.gov. If you already have a Login.gov account or an ID.me login, you’re good to go. Yeah, it’s confusing, but what do you expect from the government?

📼 Need a weekend movie rec? Hit up MovieWiser.com. Type in the mood you’re going for and it’ll spit out a list of movies that fit the bill. I typed in “festive comedy for the family.” Options included “Elf,” “Home Alone,” “A Christmas Story,” “Polar Express” and “Jingle All the Way.” Nailed it.

Gen Z is paying the price: Around 47% plan to use buy now, pay later services for their holiday shopping, and about 65% like using credit card installment plans — higher than any other generation. But many Gen Zers are spending on things like meals at fancy restaurants, designer goods and first-class plane tickets. This isn’t going to end well.

It’s not just emails: Mark texts as unread so you don’t forget to reply. On iPhone, swipe right on a conversation and tap the Mark as Unread button (it looks like a thought bubble). On Android, hold down on the convo, click the three-dot icon in the corner, then select Mark as unread.

Give your printer some love: Soak a piece of paper with rubbing alcohol (not too much and leave the edges dry), and run that through your printer’s roller. It’ll clean it right up.