Scottsdale Airbnb found with hidden camera, renting family files lawsuit

Scottdale Airbnb sued for having hidden cameras

Renters at a Scottsdale Airbnb sued the owners of the home they were staying at and the company after discovering a hidden camera in the home. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas has more.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A newly filed lawsuit claims a family visiting for spring training found a hidden camera in their Scottsdale Airbnb. 

To make matters worse, it was where the camera was mounted that they found extremely disturbing. 

Why you should care:

Imagine renting out an Airbnb, going about your business like you would in a hotel but when you get to the bedroom you find something unusual: a hidden camera right above the bed. 

"They were there a couple of days before they realized the camera was there. And then they vacated the property immediately," said Joseph Brown.

Brown is representing the Young family who rented a Scottsdale Airbnb near Shea Boulevard and 124th Street in March of 2024. 

A few days into their stay, they noticed what turned out to be a hidden camera in a fake smoke detector. 

"They're just laying there, looking straight up in the morning," said Brown. "They woke up and they're like, 'that's a very odd place for a smoke detector.' And then they were suspicious. They're like, ‘why? Why would you have a smoke detector right there?’ And then they climbed up there and they opened it and found the camera inside." 

Dig deeper:

The family from Arkansas is suing the owner of the property and Airbnb. 

We knocked on the door of the home on Silver Spur Street, but nobody answered. 

Airbnb told Fox 10 that hidden cameras have always been banned on Airbnb properties. They suspended the host last year and are ready to work with law enforcement. 

"So we filed on March 11th. We're waiting on answers from the defendants and there's two different defendants: the owner of the home, as well as Airbnb," said Brown. 

"Airbnb has been in contact with us as early as today, We also learned through Scottsdale Police and the city of Scottsdale the address on Silver Spur Street has never been registered with the city as a short-term rental."

Watch FOX 10 Phoenix live:

What we know:

According to Scottsdale Police, the hidden camera had an SD card. 

Recordings had a timestamp with dates between September and November 2020. They say it appears no renters were on camera, just the homeowner and his acquaintances, before it was rented out as an Airbnb. 

Brown says if a smoke detector looks out of place in a rental, odds are it isn't a smoke detector. 

"You, you're paying a lot of money. I mean, and you're staying in a nice place. And I think you expect that you're going to get the same type of treatment and safety you would have and a resort or a hotel. And I think you're expected that and you should be, you know, given that. Is this an issue? I hate to think it might be." 

Scottsdale police say they are still investigating this case. 

They are asking victims who may have been recorded at the same home, to come forward.