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Wealthy Mexicans Getting Chipped in Case of Abduction

Posted by samzenpus on from the human-Lojack dept.

Because the number of abductions in Mexico has jumped almost 40% in the past 3 years, the wealthy are getting subcutaneous transmitters so they can be tracked when kidnapped. Xega, the Mexican security firm which makes the chips, has seen a sales jump of 13% this year. The company injects the crystal-encased chip, the size and shape of a grain of rice, into clients' bodies with a syringe. The chip then sends radio signals to a larger device carried by the client with a global positioning system in it. A satellite can then be used to find the location of the missing person. Things must be a lot worse in Mexico than I thought.

8 of 306 comments (clear)

  1. Please make it stop by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Oh.. the humanity...

  2. Wonderful by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Great. Now when you're kidnapped the first thing they'll do is cut off a chunk of your flesh. Or even just stick you in a metallic sack so that the radio signal can't escape.

    1. Re:Wonderful by Freeside1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The chip then sends radio signals to a larger device carried by the client with a global positioning system in it.

      Or they can just smash the 'device' to bits. I fail to see the utility of this system.

    2. Re:Wonderful by noidentity · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Think "watchdog timer". It's like all you sysadmins who can tell when a system goes down, not because it sends a "Hey, I just went down" signal, but because it stops sending a "hey I'm up" signal.

  3. Hmmm, what could be the problem here? by SengirV · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The chip then sends radio signals to a larger device carried by the client with a global positioning system in it.

    Call me crazy, but I think I found a flaw in their system.

    --

    Prof. Farnsworth - "Oh a lesson in not changing history from Mr I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!"

  4. All aboard the clue train. by ElectricTurtle · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Things must be a lot worse in Mexico than I thought.

    Somebody hasn't been paying attention. Kidnapping is an entire industry in countries south of the Rio Grande, especially in Mexico and Brazil, and has been for at least a decade.

    --
    I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
  5. So exactly what is the implant for? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you need to carry a "larger device" with you to send the signal, why do you need an implant?

  6. What happens when... by pwnies · · Score: 5, Insightful

    a common thief finds a way to access the positions of all of these rich people. Seems to me an easy way to establish targets, not protect them.