RFID-Blocking Blazer and Jeans Could Stop Wireless Identity Theft

An anonymous reader writes A pair of trousers and blazer have been developed by San Francisco-based clothing company Betabrand and anti-virus group Norton that are able to prevent identity theft by blocking wireless signals. The READY Active Jeans and the Work-It Blazer contain RFID-blocking fabric within the pockets' lining designed to prevent hacking through radio frequency identification (RFID) signals emitted from e-passports and contactless payment card chips. According to the clothing brand, this form of hacking is an increasing threat, with "more than 10 million identities digitally pick pocketed every year [and] 70% of all credit cards vulnerable to such attacks by 2015."

Comments

while you are at it

[ruir]

Why not trousers+condoms all built-in...this has to be the more stupid informercial I have seen here for a while.

Re:Hope it works better then my wallet

[Dr_Barnowl]

I found the el-cheapo cardboard sleeves with a foil lining to be entirely adequate. 5 in a pack for a few dollars. I've not replaced the first one yet (I only have one NFC capable credit card).

Re:signal blocking

[Anonymous Coward]

If you build radio signal blocking into all of your pockets, doesn't that also screw up your cell phone from getting a call?

Yes and no.

If the signal blocking is wide-band it will screw up your cell phone. It will probably increase signal strength to get through and drain the batteries more than necessary.
The thing is that RFID typically works on the comparably low frequencies 125 kHz and 13 MHz while cell phones works higher up on 800 MHz and above.
That means that you can create a grid that blocks the lower frequencies while letting the higher frequencies through.

Re:Calling it fraud could stop identity theft

[ArmoredDragon]

You know what could completely stop identity theft? Holding banks responsible for the loss when they were tricked by some thief pretending to their customers. You will see them tightening their authentication and fraud detection overnight.

This is how it already works in the USA. By law, customers can only be held liable for up to $50 for credit card fraud, and almost all banks just offer the courtesy of reducing the liability to zero (you have to be with an incredibly shitty one and/or have a VERY shitty credit rating for them to not do this.)

And if somebody steals your identity by taking out loans in your name, it's on the lender to prove that you were the one who actually took out the loan to begin with. It's inconvenient as hell granted because of all of the shit you have to go through to sort it out, but at the end of the day you don't have to pay anything to the banks if you're the victim, and the banks are the ones that lose.

Identity theft still happens anyways because whether the thief steals from you or the bank, they still make money out of the deal (unless they get caught.)

Re:Calling it fraud could stop identity theft

[drinkypoo]

And if somebody steals your identity by taking out loans in your name, it's on the lender to prove that you were the one who actually took out the loan to begin with. It's inconvenient as hell granted because of all of the shit you have to go through to sort it out

And that's why you're wrong. It's on YOU to prove that the loan is fraudulent. My identity was stolen by an illegal mexican who "bought" a car. Now that's on my record until I go to court and prove that it wasn't me.