Terrifying ‘peeping Tom’ style masks have been banned from stores in Canada after a flurry of complaints but are still available on Amazon in the UK.
A quick search on the site reveals numerous variations of the creepy Halloween product, most which have a hooded face with a leery expression and hands cupped around the eyes.
There is even one mechanical version on sale for £39.99 which taps on the window when it senses movement.
Terrifying: Masks have been banned from stores in Canada after a flurry of complaints but are still available on Amazon in the UK. Pictured above, the Scary Peeper is on sale for £83.99
‘Alarming’: Dozens have complained about the masks online, arguing they make light of serious issues such as stalking and harassment
The definition of a ‘peeping Tom’ is a person who derives sexual pleasure from secretly watching people undressing or engaging in sexual activity.
In Canada, masks across the country were pulled from Home Depot after shoppers were disgusted by the product they said ‘glorified’ and ‘trivialized’ inappropriate behaviour.
But in the UK, the decorations and fancy dress can be easily purchased on Amazon despite outrage online.
On one post on LadBible, a woman wrote: ‘I’m all for scary decorations but this one could be really damaging for some. Many people deal with stalking at some point in their lives and this could be very hurtful for them and bring back issues such as PTSD.’
Creepy: This mechanical version on sale for £39.99 taps on the window when it senses movement
While another added: ‘Well besides causing traumatizing fear in children, elderly or people with health conditions, people outside, walking, in homes or driving by might get shot when someone shoots that face.’
But those who have bought the masks online have left rave reviews, with one man proudly writing it ‘put the willies’ up his better half.
Giving the product five stars, he said: ‘This is one scary feller, with the kind of face you seriously do not want to see hanging around your house at night, or at any other time of day.
‘Got him as a surprise for my BH, and she loved it when opening the door laden with shopping! Well maybe not, and I’m sure she’ll speak to me again at some stage.’
And another man said the prop helped him complete ‘one of the best pranks’ he had ever done.
I fail to see the humour in it. It makes light of a very serious crime. Voyeurism is a crime in Canada
Writing to Amazon as he left his five star review, he wrote: ‘I put it in the bathroom of a friend pinned inside the shower curtain so it looked like a person was behind the curtain when they closed the bathroom door and they could see it in the mirror.
‘She pretty much lost it. It was a huge hit. I plan on using it over and over again in different ways. I would definitely recommend to any pranksters out there.’
Not everyone has viewed the product with the same hilarity. The woman who complained after seeing the item on sale in a Home Depot branch in Canada explained her decision to a local radio station.
She said: ‘I fail to see the humour in it. It makes light of a very serious crime. Voyeurism is a crime in Canada.’
The inventor of the original prop toldThe Sun: ‘The overwhelming public support in favour of our products has been incredible.
‘One of the reasons we are now supplying product to this market is due to the fact that we had so many fans reach out from the UK and other European countries asking how they could buy a Scary Peeper. Because of this, we decided it was time to open up distribution so that the supply would be there to meet the demand.
‘We are very thankful for all of our fans from the European markets and are excited that they will be able to easily access our products through online retailers like Amazon and in many brick and mortar store locations across the region.’
Amazon has been contacted for comment.