Usually when I’m writing about something shared on the r/whatisthisthing subreddit, it’s something strange or unusual. Something anyone would be curious about and readers can learn something new that day.
They’re meant to be fun and mildly interesting.
But this story is something different.
Yes, you’re probably going to come out with some new, important knowledge, but this is a more personal story about a Redditor going by the name M-I-G-Y.
As a regular Reddit user, M-I-G-Y knew where to go when presented with an item she couldn’t identify.
In her post to r/whatisthisthing , she asked:
“This was found by a cleaner hidden under my dresser in my bedroom (she told me very discreetly about this which has me concerned), I’ve tried to google it to no avail. Please help, link in comments with all angles.”
The device was clearly some sort of tech, but she wasn’t sure what it was for.
And her cleaner’s reaction to finding it and passing it along so carefully was definitely concerning.
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Besides some standard stickers, there wasn’t much on the item itself to help identify it.
Of course, this is what Reddit is best at and it was quickly identified as a mini sound-activated voice recorder similar to this one .
Many noted that the recorder couldn’t transmit.
Which means whoever put it under the dresser would have to come back for it to manually download the audio data. That meant easy access to her bedroom.
She put the recorder in her medication bag for safekeeping, but it was gone in the morning.
According to her update , she had intended to take it to the library to check the contents while her boyfriend was at work.
Afterward, she confronted him about it and he tried to pass it off for a thumb drive before admitting it was a recorder.
However, he said it was for work meetings.
Sadly, M-I-G-Y didn’t have a lot of options, since she is in the US on a visa and doesn’t have the money to go home to Northern Ireland.
Though Redditors offered to donate money to get her out of the situation, she refused, not wanting her identity to become public.
While getting a few things from the apartment so she could stay with a friend, she found more evidence of surveillance.
A quick skim of his computer desk revealed an instruction manual for a spy camera.
Unfortunately, M-I-G-Y couldn’t afford to stay away for long.
After a few days with a friend, she was forced to go back to the apartment or be left homeless.
This was probably the most shocking for the Redditors following the story.
In her last update , M-I-G-Y said that she was working a part-time job and hiding away money so that she can get away ASAP.
Obviously, this is a horrible situation, but she feels she has no other option.
She also says she found other devices in the home, but he’s been clearly moving them around, since they’re never in the same place.
This is a good example of how much support systems matter.
In her posts, it’s clear that M-I-G-Y doesn’t have people she can turn to in real life.
Since learning about the recording devices, her friends have begun to distance themselves from her, rather than offering aid.
If it weren’t for Reddit, she’d have no support at all.
“TLDR : i am alive, found more devices, still with him until i can save enough. I appreciate everyone’s kindness.”
Hopefully, she posts another update soon with good news.
