1. thesundaymail.com.au
thesundaymail.com.au SPECIAL INVESTIGATION NEWS 11
Crooks
be in your face target
rich for
scams
POINTS OF RECOGNITION
Facial recognition software uses an
algorithm, or mathematical process, to
More than 20 nodal points,
based on facial features,
More than
400 metrics
Cameras will Kay Dibben
follow our
produce a “face print’’ that can be matched are selected. The distance Crime
are used to
against a database or used to collect between nodal points is interpret
statistics, such as by a retailer wanting to then measured to produce a gender, age FOREIGN criminals have
know the demographic of its shoppers. matrix of numbers. and mood. been caught with ‘‘target lists’’
of Queensland scam victims,
Computer software can
assess the overall texture
of skin to help determine
Eyebrow shape key
to determining mood
every mood
Kelmeny Fraser Wales can interpret the mood
compiled from marketing in-
formation bought from Aust-
ralian companies.
Queensland fraud detec-
tives are tracking down the
of person.
age. Can also detect Consumer affairs of shoppers as they move multiple victims of a cell of
moles and other features. about a store. Nigerian fraudsters who re-
A GROUP of teenage girls Mathematical formulas cently were arrested in Spain.
enter a shop. As they pass based on the distance be- The Nigerian crooks were
Jewellery can help
through the doors, a camera is tween and shape of facial found with target lists, includ-
software determine
activated. features are used to collect ing extensive details of Aust-
gender.
Their images are not re- valuable data, giving infor- ralians, purchased from
corded, but facial recognition mation about a shopper’s database companies.
Searches for shadows software linked to the shop’s gender, mood and age. Superintendent Brian Hay
and wrinkles to help camera fires up, spitting out a Another application about of Queensland’s Fraud and
determine age. stream of interpretive data. to be rolled out in clothing Corporate Crime Group said
The girl on the left with the outlets across the country can the crooks in some cases posed
braces is recorded as female, be used to help shoppers as lawyers buying marketing
young and slightly sad. The choose outfits. lists ‘‘for charitable reasons’’.
smiling girl beside her rates The MiMirror terminal en- ‘‘Some of the lists I saw had
Software reads shape of high on the happy chart. ables shoppers to try a series people’s age, earning potential,
lips to determine mood Shadows cast by As the group moves around of outfits, save pictures of occupation, addresses, email
and gender. hair used to determine the shop, the readings are each and share them with addresses and phone num-
gender. used to change the digital in- friends via Facebook for bers,’’ he said.
store advertising to target the feedback. Supt Hay said that in one
shoppers. When the MiMirror case lists of Australians over
And the retailer at the end session expires, usually after the age of 50, with investment
of the week has a concise set 15 minutes, the images are portfolios worth more than
of demographic data of its erased from the system. $250,000, were wanted. In
shoppers, with an accuracy Facial recognition could another case lists of senior
rate of higher than 85 per also help shoppers avoid the mining industry executives
cent. deli counter queue by using a were sought.
Sound like a vision for touch-screen to make an or- ‘‘If they have information
shopping in the future? It’s der, which is then linked to a about a person’s occupation,
already in use and could soon photograph of their face. age, earning capacity, invest-
come to a store near you. Another camera at the ment portfolio and demo-
The brainchild behind the checkout scans faces to match graphics, they can then see if
facial recognition software is orders so they’re delivered the person is in a good or bad
Brisbane-based firm Yeah- before it’s time to pay. area by doing a Google search.
point, which has already at- ‘‘They then can go to
tracted the attention of lead- Facebook and LinkedIn and
ing top-five technology com- prepare a dossier and develop
pany Toshiba, which this year a story they know will appeal
WHAT THE TECHNOLOGY WHAT FACIAL bought a 12 per cent stake. to a person and send them an
WILL BE USED FOR RECOGNITION Yeahpoint CEO John email or letter or phone them
FOUND Anderson said the improved to scam money.’’
Facial recognition is already in use at major airports reliability of facial recognition Queensland University of
and there are plans for it to be used for public Gender: Female technology had opened up Technology senior lecturer in
surveillance to reduce crime and to improve border Age: Young Adult possibilities in retail. business Dr Larry Neale said
security. Queensland’s new smart licences are ‘‘It is now coming of age there was a huge business in
Angry: 0
equipped with facial recognition. The technology is and a cost where it is becom- selling marketing lists, created
Happy: About 85 per cent ing commercially viable,’’ Mr from personal information
also being used to improve customer service in the
retail sector. Future uses could see it used instead or Sad: 0 Anderson said. provided when people filled in
Face facts: John Anderson.
as well as a PIN number at ATMs to reduce fraud. Surprised: 0 One Yeahpoint application lifestyle surveys, entered com-
Picture: Mark Cranitch
being trialled in New South petitions or bought products.
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JUNE 26 2011 Page 11