Wal Mart is Watching You

[Sweetpumper 10,604]

Man Finds Surprise

In Wal-Mart Shirt

Unknown News

Posted by Underground Panther in the Sky

1-27-4

 

A couple of years ago, I bought a workout shirt from Wal-Mart. Mom was getting something there and I decided to go because I needed a new shirt to sweat up at the gym and I had nothing better to do.

 

Because I buy men's stuff, I find more often than not the armholes are too big. Since I liked the shirt anyway, because it was long enough I decided I'd get it and modify it. Shirts are always made too short for me (even men's, sometimes). I am tall, so shirts usually do not fall where I like them to fall on my hips. So when I find a long enough shirt I try to get it. Because I can sew (not at an expert level or anything, just basic stuff) I decided to take up the armholes in a rather cool manner and alter the design by installing "panels" in the pits to hide parts that need not be showing. (it turned out pretty cool looking too, I got compliments on it)

 

Well, I laid the shirt on the table. I started to cut where I needed to cut. As I cut my shirt, I hit something hard in the fabric, embedded in it. It was a little less than about a quarter inch big. It made a faint noise as the scissors banged into it. I put down my scissors, picked at the fabric and found a computer-type chip.

 

I tried to pull it out with my fingers and I got a small shock. I had to cut more into the shirt to cut around the damn thing to get it out. I pulled the fabric apart, and sure enough a thin metal/plastic tag was there between the layers with very tiny metal prongs holding it. Prongs you wouldn't notice easily at all without a strong light and knowing exactly where to look. I banged the metal casing apart with a ball peen hammer, and the thing cracked open. It had very tiny circuits on a plastic dot.

 

Back at whatever place they receive the information from that tag, whatever people were listening, I wonder if their ears got screamed off by the feedback of that chip meeting scissor, or some computer network crashed when those scissors cut into the truth that big brother was here -- hiding in the left armpit of my workout shirt.

 

I guess Wal-Mart doesn't expect people to know how to alter the clothes they sell.

 

Well, my workout shirt is tag-free (I hope) and it fits me now. But I still wonder whether there are other tags in it. I have considered cutting my shirt into tiny strips to see if there are any more tags because I'm curious. And I will do that when that shirt gets crappy and old.

From Rense.com

Thought maybe we should all start checking our new apparel and see if anyone finds anything similar. Or, considering this story happened a couple of years ago, have you already found something like this?

[shrapnel 0]

Sounds like it was an anitshoplifting device. It is intriguing to think of the possibility that it was an active transmitter designed for other purposes but it is highly improbable. Here is a site with a lot of information and details of antishoplifting devices. See if it resembles anything on here. http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/anti-...ing-device2.htm

[<bleeding_heart> 0]

Theres been a lot of talk about stock tracking devices that do transmit information, but only to a handheld from about two feet away to check levells and whats in their boxes is what its supposed to be (labour saving apparently). To get any info they would have to follow you wherever you go with the shirt.

[hamellr 1]

Exactly - what people who post these kinds of things fail to take into account is a dose of elementry physics.

First off, the transmitter would have to have a really amazing power source, that was small, put off virtually no heat (human skin can tell temperature differences up to 1/8th of a degree,) and didn't need refueling. Whoever can figure that out has a Nobel Prize coming.

Secondly, the transmitter can't transmit more then a couple of feet at the most without a directional antenna at a minimum. The antenna would have to be made of incredibly high-grade, pure metals, and somehow "boost" the signal once it left the antenna for it to reach more then a couple of hundred feet. You could just give it more electricty, but we're talking a fairly large source - more then any battery on the market could give, even in parallel.

Third - has anyone been reading the articles where Walmart is putting RFID chips in all their products now? They've been all over the news for the last several months. I personally don't shop at Walmart due to their numerous HR violations, and the fact that they rape local stores' buisness, but still based on the number of items they move, counting by hand does not cut it any more.

Rick

[AncientLight 16]

Exactly - what people who post these kinds of things fail to take into account is a dose of elementry physics.

First off, the transmitter would have to have a really amazing power source, that was small, put off virtually no heat (human skin can tell temperature differences up to 1/8th of a degree,) and didn't need refueling. Whoever can figure that out has a Nobel Prize coming.

Secondly, the transmitter can't transmit more then a couple of feet at the most without a directional antenna at a minimum. The antenna would have to be made of incredibly high-grade, pure metals, and somehow "boost" the signal once it left the antenna for it to reach more then a couple of hundred feet. You could just give it more electricty, but we're talking a fairly large source - more then any battery on the market could give, even in parallel.

Third - has anyone been reading the articles where Walmart is putting RFID chips in all their products now? They've been all over the news for the last several months. I personally don't shop at Walmart due to their numerous HR violations, and the fact that they rape local stores' buisness, but still based on the number of items they move, counting by hand does not cut it any more.

Rick

Not unless there using alien technology

[Duofrost 0]

I use to work at walmart and i think that they have a system set up for people that come in there more then once a day to make sure that they do not shop lift and stuff however they are a corrupt bunch anyway

[thepsychoticseaotter 1]

I use to work at walmart and i think that they have a system set up for people that come in there more then once a day to make sure that they do not shop lift and stuff however they are a corrupt bunch anyway

Not wanting to give away much here but I was an ISLP there for awhile. I left the job recently and still have friends doing that job. Trust me if they did have such a system we would have been the first to know.

[geeohn 0]

anitshoplifting are also placed in books. it looks like a piece of thin strip of foil. usually placed somewhere in between the pages of the book. anitshoplifting devices are everywhere on a product.

[Xenojjin 10]

[thepsychoticseaotter 1]

anitshoplifting are also placed in books. it looks like a piece of thin strip of foil. usually placed somewhere in between the pages of the book. anitshoplifting devices are everywhere on a product.

Your talking exceptionally high end stuff there. Things you won't see in the common discount store for years if that. Most book stores have a higher loss count due to anti shoplifting devices. Mainly the tag detroys part of the book creating a problem for collectors. The book is returned for one w/o the deivce if possible. If not the company is hit twice for that books price.

Libraries have a system but it's still a rather large micro-chip unable to be embedded betwen pages.

The closest thing I Hvae seen to what you describe is an alumininum alloy thread sewn into clothing that dissolves on the first washing. Practically undetectable. But as I stated your looking at years maybe even a decade before it hits places like wal-mart.

[geeohn 0]

thin strip of foils are usually found in educational textbooks, I usually see them in College/University bookstores.

[thepsychoticseaotter 1]

Yes but that is considered higher end. You won't see them in local Bookstores, etc for awhile and the only chain I know of that has that high of a system is Barnes and Noble. But as always this is for the southern Missouri region.

I wouldn't know about anywhere else.

[geeohn 0]

I have never encounter the "alumininum alloy thread sewn into clothing that dissolves on the first washing". I will look for that, but most of the clothing I have seen in stores have that white big plastic thing which is pinned to the clothes or the ink plastic thing(if you take it out of the store it will explode ink).

the alumininum alloy thread on clothing are most likely for high end clothes.

interesting..

[thepsychoticseaotter 1]

You'd be surprised what I have picked up here and there and yes it is for high end clothing....

[Sweetpumper 10,604]

Exactly - what people who post these kinds of things fail to take into account is a dose of elementry physics.

Or, I didn't take anything into account and posted it because it was an interesting story. Sheesh.

[buggyelfmaiden 0]

I actually hate the ones they have for books. the stupid little sticky tabs..

The manga I buy (Japanese comics) have them in them and if it's been sitting a while they're a pain to get out of the page and it ruins the print

You'd think that Americans would be more trusting.....

[geeohn 0]

I didn't even know walmart sells japanese cartoons...that is so world-y of walmart.

[moe eubleck 1]

didnt you know? Walmart is a front for the new world order.

beware! The Eye of Wally world is upon you!!

[buggyelfmaiden 0]

I didn't even know walmart sells japanese cartoons...that is so world-y of walmart.

they don't.. but the same tags are at Borders

*Knows because she compaired notes with a friend who worked at walmart*

and I worked at borders

And how dare you call aneme Cartoons... Anime (for the most part) doesn't suck like disney

[geeohn 0]

hahaha.

[geeohn 0]

anime is cartoon in japanese, so cartoon regardless of different nations are considered.

[thepsychoticseaotter 1]

I didn't even know walmart sells japanese cartoons...that is so world-y of walmart

Newsflash!! You can even buy Dungeons and Dragons books on Wal-Marts website...that's where I have been buying mine....

[geeohn 0]

thanks for the info, i didn't know Dungeons and Dragons were like japanese anime/cartoon. hahaha

[thepsychoticseaotter 1]

Unfortunately 3rd editions artwork is a sick blend of Anime and western styles that we on WOTC's MSB derrogatorily call Dungeonpunk.....If you've ever played any edition of it before look at the art diffs betwen 2e and 3e big nasty nerd controversy....