by Administrator
15. February 2010 18:20
Every day hundreds of mobile workers become the victim of theft - in fact, a staggering 228 mobile devices are reported stolen every hour in the UK.
The Home Office have decided enough is enough and is now backing new mobile technology in a bid to tackle the problem. The Home Office Design and Technology Alliance and the Design Council have teamed up to launch the Mobile Phone Security Alliance. The aim of the scheme is to protect mobile phone users against crimes such as mobile identity fraud, which rose by 70% last year.
The scheme is backing three new developments which are designed to act as a deterrents to would-be criminals. They have received support and funding from the Technology Strategy Board.
The first device is called the "Tie" which requires a PIN when the SIM is replaced. This is already a feature of some mobiles but is rarely enabled.
The second device is an alarm which emits a high pitched wail when the handset travels more than 10 metres away from its owner. It's called an "i-migo" and it's hoped the sheer volume of the alarm will be enough to make criminals think again.
The last device which has won backing is the "TouchSafe" which requires an Oyster-style swipe card to make transactions on the device. It's believed this technology should help to cut the risk of "M Commerce" transaction fraud which is one of the biggest problems currently facing the 75 million mobile users in the UK today.
Working prototypes of the three devices will be on show at this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
"Overall crime has fallen since 1997 but as new technology creates new opportunities for the user it can also provide criminals with opportunities as well," said Home Office Minister Alan Campbell. "This is where designing out crime can make a real difference and we are leading the way by using technology to protect the public."
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