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?