Concerned about the service of "turning" sockets, light bulbs, and shampoo bottles into hidden cameras

(Dan Tri) - With the camouflage camera design service still showing no signs of cooling down, many people are afraid because even the most seemingly harmless items can become a threat.

Every object can "grow extra eyes"

An electrical outlet, a light bulb or even a toilet cleaning bottle are items that rarely make people wary.

However, in the disguised camera market, almost any familiar item can become a device to secretly record images and sounds of others.

Just by searching for phrases like "disguised camera", "hidden camera", users can immediately see a series of results from websites, groups, and social network accounts.

The common point is that camera products are advertised in many forms such as fire alarms, tissue boxes, electrical sockets, battery chargers, light bulbs, Wi-Fi transmitters, electric fans or even bottles of shampoo and air freshener.

More worryingly, the market does not stop at selling available models. Some accounts also design and install cameras on appliances according to customers' requests. The buyer only needs to make an offer, and the seller will design it so that the camera is in the most difficult to detect position.

As noted by Dan Tri reporter, products are often sold at prices ranging from 1 million to 1.5 million VND.

To find out more information, the reporter contacted a TikTok account with nearly 18,000 followers specializing in selling these devices.

The account owner said customers just need to mention what they want to make, and the store will be ready to advise.

For example, when a customer wants to buy a camera disguised as an electrical outlet, this account will introduce a price of 1.4 million VND and come with a series of incentives such as a free high-capacity memory card and a one-year warranty.

Along with that are commitments such as sharp image quality, stable use and difficulty detecting because it can be used like a regular electrical outlet.

In particular, this person also attached a video description, detailed instructions and product testing.

But when asked if he could come and see it in person, the seller immediately refused and stated that the ordered samples would be made and then sent to your door.

In essence, cameras are used to protect property, watch over children, the elderly or monitor activities in public areas.

However, when a device is intentionally hidden in a household appliance and not recognized by the person being recorded, it poses a completely different risk.

In recent days, on social networks, many people have seen videos introducing camouflage camera design services and expressed concerns about personal privacy issues.

Quynh Hoa (22 years old, Hanoi) said she accidentally saw a video introducing disguised cameras while surfing social networks.

In the video, the seller takes turns testing camera models hidden in electrical sockets and phone chargers, and at the same time emphasizes that it is very difficult for outsiders to detect.

Previously, she only thought that hidden cameras were placed in hidden corners at best, but after watching the video, she realized that even nearby objects could be turned into recording devices.

"That makes me more worried every time I stay at a hotel or use a changing room at a store because I don't know how to check for hidden cameras," Quynh Hoa shared.

Also accidentally coming across a video introducing hidden cameras in shampoo bottles, Ngoc Mai (22 years old) said that these products are becoming too accessible.

And what makes her most insecure is that the objects attached to cameras are very familiar and often appear in bedrooms and bathrooms.

"When the seller emphasized that the camera could be viewed remotely and received customized designs, I felt that this was no longer like a normal security device," Ngoc Mai said.

She is afraid that when the products are misused, anyone can become a victim of secretly filming in the most private spaces.

Can people trade in camouflage camera equipment?

In fact, camouflage cameras are not a commodity that can be arbitrarily produced, assembled and sold to individuals.

According to Decree 66/2017/ND-CP, disguised devices used for audio and video recording are audio and video recording devices that are manufactured to disguise themselves as common devices and objects.

There are only three types of establishments allowed to sell this type of equipment, including:

- Business establishments under the Ministry of Public Security are granted a Certificate of satisfaction of security and order conditions by a competent agency of the Ministry of Public Security.

- Business establishments belonging to the Ministry of National Defense are granted a Certificate of satisfaction of security and order conditions by a competent agency of the Ministry of National Defense.

- Business establishments that are not affiliated with the Ministry of Public Security or the Ministry of National Defense are granted a Certificate of satisfaction of security and order conditions by a competent agency of the Ministry of Public Security.

Notably, even when granted a business license, camouflage devices are only sold in cases where the law allows the use of secret audio and video recording methods.

These are specialized agencies in charge of protecting security and social safety, and agencies responsible for implementing secret audio and video recording measures according to the conditions, authority, and procedures for special investigative and procedural measures prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code.

That means that stores cannot openly sell hidden cameras to any individual just because this person needs it.

Even if the seller has a license but does not check the object and purpose of use, there are potential legal risks.

From May 25, Circular 72/2026/TT-BCA officially took effect, regulating in more detail the issuance, renewal, re-issuance and revocation of certificates of satisfaction of security and order conditions for camouflage equipment business activities.

In particular, according to the Circular, business establishments that are granted Certificates need to submit quarterly reports on the situation and results of implementation of regulations on trading in disguised equipment and software used for audio recording, video recording, and positioning.