Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Pickpocket Defense

 beat thieves at their own game
  (+7, -1)
(+7, -1) 		  [vote for,
against]

What if you could ask your bank/lender to issue a "fake" credit card, that when used for transaction immediately signaled fraud? The fake "account" of this card could be linked to your real account(s) and when accessed would prevent access to your real account(s) automatically. Access could prompt notification to cardholders of unlawful use of their card- helpful if the owner didn't realize the credit card/wallet/purse had gone missing. While credit card companies do offer fraud liability for their cardholders, this could be another line of defense. Card could be used as general defense, or when going out and traveling light.
—mmmgood, Jan 03 2009

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       I think you could bake most of this yourself by getting two cards and then saying one (the platinum one) is stolen, but this is a good idea. (+)
—MisterQED, Jan 03 2009
   

       Aaaaw!. I wanted mousetraps and crabs located in coat pockets!
—gnomethang, Jan 04 2009
   

       Thanks for the comments. Good point, you would have to prevent against the cardholder abusing the system. Mousetraps and crabs could work too!
—mmmgood, Jan 12 2009
   

       add razors to the edges and throw it at fraudsters - aiming mostly for the neck/face area - for even more defense
—benfrost, Jan 13 2009
   

       [gnomethang] good ideas, but for serious anti- pick-pocket systems, why not a sharkskin (farmed, of course--they are already stressed out by tourists and tv producers) wallet with the teeth still in?   

       For the dainty evening-out clutches, use (farmed-- ibid) piranha for a toothy lining and clasp (well- flossed).   

       The serious traveller can have a passport/tickets holder with a special pop-out feature, triggered somewhat like air bag systems, algorythms (sic) involving speed and direction change above accepted norm set by owner; the pop out featured will have been slobbered on by a komodo 'dragon' (ecologically sound, no live capture--just careful swabs taken from normal left-over saliva around habitat. There might have to be registry for ownership on this, since komodo dragon drool is basically bacterial warfare...
—Bungeebeader, Sep 19 2010
   


 

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