Tech Tips for Outsmarting Peeping Toms

July 24, 2009— -- It's the ultimate invasion of privacy.

With even just a cell phone camera and the right amount of stealth, peeping toms can watch and videotape victims entirely without their knowledge.

Since last week, a video that shows ESPN reporter Erin Andrews in the nude has been circulating online, after an unknown predator surreptitiously videotaped her in a hotel room.

And experts say she's not the only victim of such a crime. Although concrete numbers are hard to come by, as the price and size of cameras shrink, they say, the number of video voyeurism cases continues to grow.

In the past year, Skipp Porteous, president of New York-based Sherlock Investigations, said business has picked up substantially as technology has become more advanced.

Some cameras are the size of ballpoint pens. Others are concealed in desk lamps, potted plants, books and tissue boxes. Many are priced between $100 and $200.

"Anyone can buy these spy cameras," he said. "You can buy the equipment on the Internet ... and it's very sophisticated."

But although it's not easy, he and other experts say, it's possible to detect some surveillance equipment and protect against peeping toms, whether you're at home or in a hotel room.

Here are a few of their tips.

If you're staying in a hotel, Porteous advises covering up the peephole in the room's door with a piece of tape. For less than $100, anyone can buy a reverse peephole viewer that gives users an undistorted view into the room.

According to SpyAssociates.com, an online surveillance gear retailer, it was developed with the help of law enforcement to help them assess the hazards behind closed doors.

But someone with more nefarious intentions could easily put a camera up to the opening and capture a clear picture, Porteous said.

Of course, it won't stop determined voyeurs from peering in. (In Andrews' case, some think the predator drilled holes in the wall to create an opening.) But it will make the process more difficult and could deter the less experienced.

"It's a pretty easy-to-use gadget," he said. "[It's] looking for a reflection from the iris lens."

Jurist said the device will identify a hidden camera (whether it's on or off) from up to 15 to 20 feet away and within a range of 5 to 10 feet.

For example, if you wanted to scan a hotel room, he said, you would stand in the center of the room and turn around 360 degrees while looking through the viewing port. If a camera had been hidden in the room, you would see a red blinking light.

For a little more money ($347.50), he said, the Spy Hawk Personal Camera Hunter uses similar technology to identify cameras that are further away and within a wider range.

The Spy Hawk uses two lasers and is the most powerful device of its kind on the market, he said.

For executives and those who worry that someone could be spying on them through other more sophisticated methods, Jurist said he had even more advanced technology.

The Spy Matrix Pro Sweep Bug Detector, for example, can pick up hidden cameras, wire taps, audio recorders and GPS trackers.

The device is just shy of $500, but uses a radio frequency detector to identify the frequency signals being used to transmit audio and video.

It's not for everyone, he cautioned, but added that it covers more ground than most other devices available.

But, ultimately, experts caution that even the most sophisticated technology isn't always enough.

"This is a tough one. It's difficult to protect yourself," Knecht acknowledged, adding that just being aware of your surroundings can help.

If you're at a hotel or out of the house, she said, be aware of people lurking too close or for anything that looks out of the ordinary.

In your day to day life, you might get a sense that someone knows too many details about your private life, she said. If that's the case, you might want to do some checking around your house for cameras or bugs in air vents or fire alarms.

"If people feel that someone might be photographing them, then they need to call the police because it is against the law in most states," Knecht said, although she cautioned that the law varies from state to state.

"This has a really huge impact," she said. "It can really be life-altering for people."