Tips to protect yourself from hidden cameras

10/15/2015 5:05 am PDT

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"Peeping Toms" have been around for centuries. But with technology they are now able to be in more places and violate privacy at a more frightening pace.

Here are tips to prevent yourself from being secretly videotaped.

Renting an apartment or home? Make sure your lease does not include permission for the landlord or property manager to install hidden cameras on the property. This goes for vacation rentals as well.

In areas where you think your privacy may be compromised, check vents, bookcases, stuffed animals, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.

You can also purchase a hidden-camera detector, which sells for around $100. There are also apps for mobile devices, like the Hidden Camera Detector for iPhone or Glint Finder for Android.

Be aware of innocuous items such as pens, key fobs and computers in the room.

For a low-tech solution, darken the room and put a paper-towel tube over one eye and close the other as if looking through a telescope. Shine a flashlight around the room and watch for small light reflections, indicating tiny lenses.

If you do find a camera that has been hidden in your bathroom or home, police ask that you don't touch it (for fear of wiping fingerprints) and call the police immediately.