Nothing scares the burglars away more than a camera system, right? That's the tack that the folks at Hammacher Shlemmer are taking with their Faux Security Cameras, which come complete with a blinking red LED (powered by AA batteries) and a fake video cable that make the whole thing look like a real monitoring camera that you can attach to your home of business. The "camera" comes with all of the equipment you need to mount it to your house; it just doesn't do anything except stay attached to your wall to provide the illusion of security. The website claims that "This device authentically replicates the appearance of a genuine, working security camera, allowing you to create the impression of a high-surveillance area without extensive wiring or remodeling," but it leaves me wondering what exactly the point is.

The trouble is, each camera costs about 60 dollars, and for that much money you could probably get a real security system installed, and for more than one fake camera you can pay for a few months of real security monitoring of your home or business. It's also controversial as to whether or not security cameras actually work as a crime deterrent or whether they just boost the ski mask industry, and you might be trading $60 dollars for a nice comfy blanket of denial. Even so, I've heard that people get remarkable results from buying those signs that say "This home protected by ADT," so anything's possible. My advice? Take your money and call a real security company to keep your home and possessions safe.