RFID theft and blocking

[chocolatepuppy]

Do any of you know much about this? My nieces fiance was a victim of this theft. Someone supposedly got his debit card number through his wallet. My brother has a blocking wallet and I just ordered some blocking sleeves for my cards. I honestly don't know if any of my cards, debit or credit, have chips in them. If they don't, I'm sure the next cards will.

[happylabs]

That is scary. I think my American Express card has one of those chips but I only use that for online purchases. I think it is a bad idea to put those chips in a debit card.

[Catty1]

There was a "warning email" going around about this kind of theft. Wikipedia has a good bunch of information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_identity_theft

Apparently new scanners can read the chips from about three feet away.

Also - credit card manufacturers are on to this and making changes. Might be an idea to call one's card company and see what they have for safeguards.

Nevertheless, after public disclosure of information that could be stolen by low-cost jury-rigged detectors which were used to scan cards in mailing envelopes (and in other studies also even via drive-by data attacks), the design of security features on various cards was upgraded to remove card owners' names and other data.[1][10] Additionally a number of completely unencrypted card designs were converted to encrypted data systems.[1][10]

[Karen]

If you are worried, you can just wrap your debit card in aluminum foil for now, it's not quite as effective as the official blocking wallets or mesh sleeves, but better than nothing!

[chocolatepuppy]

Thanks Candace and Karen. My cards all have the magnetic stripes so I'm guessing no chips, still, I want to be safe.

[Grace]

We have enhanced driver's licenses - and received special sleeves for them. I think our credit cards don't have the chips as yet, but we bought some of the protective sleeves - to be on the safe side.

[lizbud]

Can't you tell if the card has the chip by the "blink )))" emblem on the
back of the card?

[chocolatepuppy]

Can't you tell if the card has the chip by the "blink )))" emblem on the
back of the card?

My one credit card has that "blink )))" on it and a raised spot on top of the card right above it! I suppose that means it has a chip?

[lizbud]

My one credit card has that "blink )))" on it and a raised spot on top of the card right above it! I suppose that means it has a chip?

I checked to be sure but I was right. I have the chip on my credit card
but not on my debit card. Chase claims the card is secure, but I'd rather
not have the chip. I really wish stores still checked ID on all credit card
purchases.


http://www.idtheftcenter.org/artman2...it_Cards.shtml

[chocolatepuppy]

I hope my sleeves come in the mail today. I don't like this at all. Thanks for the link Liz.

[pomtzu]

OK - call me stupid - but how the heck do you tell if it has a chip or not??? And what is a blink???

[lizbud]

OK - call me stupid - but how the heck do you tell if it has a chip or not??? And what is a blink???

Blink is just the name (made up by the card issuer) for the process the card goes through. It does need to be swiped, just waved at the reader to work.

Check the back of your credit card, if it has the blink ))) on it, it has
a reader ID chip.

[phesina]

I wrote "PHOTO ID REQUIRED" on the backs of all my credit and debit cards. Usually they ask, but not always.

[Grace]

I checked to be sure but I was right. I have the chip on my credit card
but not on my debit card. Chase claims the card is secure, but I'd rather
not have the chip. I really wish stores still checked ID on all credit card
purchases.


http://www.idtheftcenter.org/artman2...it_Cards.shtml

liz, on the back of my credit card, where your signature is supposed to be, I have written ask for photo ID. That works every time. My driver's license has my picture, and my correct signature.

[pomtzu]

No blink ))) on any of mine, so I guess there's no chips. I also write "photo I.D." on mine in place of my signature, and so far, I've always been asked for my driver's license too.