A wearable tech firm has joined forces with Norton to develop a new pair of jeans that prevent “digital pickpockets” from scanning your credit cards and passports as you walk by.
The pockets in Betabrand’s “Ready Active Jeans” are lined with a specially designed fabric that blocks RFID (radio-frequency identification) signals, which are used in a growing number of credit cards and passports to enable secure wireless scanning. Betabrand, however, says identity thieves armed with handheld scanners have exploited the technology in upwards of 10 million heists a year.
“That’s why we partnered with with global information-protection authority Norton to create the world’s first RFID-blocking jeans,” Betabrand wrote in an announcement of the new jeans.
The jeans are currently selling for $151, and can be purchased with a matching, RFID-repellant blazer. Machine wash cold.
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