Can Your Credit Cards Be Stolen With A Wireless Skimming Device?
A neighbor informed me recently that while she was up at the corner gas station she saw two men with a laptop computer acting suspiciously. She said they were 'doing something' with their computer and seemed to be closely watching her and other customers (especially as they took out their credit cards to use the pay at the pump option). She believes that they may have been remotely stealing credit card numbers.
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My 71 year old mother mentioned the other day that a friend suggested that she go out and buy a special wallet that will block people from stealing her card information with a wireless skimming device. Is any of this true, or are people just being a little paranoid? The surprising answer: Possibly True.
Why do some credit and debit cards have an RFID chip?
Some card issuers are including this feature to provide a means to use a card without swiping it. In the industry it is called a 'tap and go' checkout. Less than 5% of all credit and debit cards in the U.S. contain an RFID chip (radio frequency identification), but the number is growing. The RFID feature goes by a variety of different branded names (like PayPass and Blink), or in some cases you will see only a special symbol (see picture below).
Yes, it is even true that there are RFID wallets that you can buy on sites like Amazon. The wallets are shielded and block the transmission of data from your RFID cards until you take them out. In recent years, even U.S. Passports have added RFID. If you live in a major city, you may be using a card with RFID technology to use public transportation. Many gas stations credit cards now provide this feature as a convenience - just jump out of the car and start pumping your gas... From my research on this, these high tech cards can do more than simply transmit a modest amount of information. The embedded chip in the card can also be used to hold other data and even perform modest computer functions.
Men's RFID Blocking Wallet (Ladies, They Also Have Purses)
Are these cards really a security risk?
The industry denies that these cards pose a risk. They claim that security measures added in recent years such as encryption, transmitting ranges of just a few inches, etc... make these cards safe from hackers. That all sounds good, but then you read a story like this one and you are not so sure.
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The future of credit cards with RFID technology
The truth is that this technology appears to be rapidly growing, and will likely be added to more and more credit and debit cards. I am also convinced that this kind of a chip will be part of the Mark Of The Beast technology in the end times (as described in Revelation 13). For now, I am personally avoiding any cards with this feature. If I ever do end up with a card like this, there is no doubt I would also buy an RFID blocking wallet as well.
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James L. Paris
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