topic Re: RFID Protection in Community Chat

RFID Protection

Krimpette — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:06:53 GMT

My local news just did a segment on the RFID protection items. The security expert said that the only chips they would protect would be those cards that have the wi-fi symbol shown on the card, and that the number of those is infinetisimal (sp?). He said there really isn't any worry that anyone walking by can scan your credit cards that have the chip that most of us have. Seems like I've heard that before. Wonder why so many products are being made with RFID protection, if he's right?

Re: RFID Protection

ThinkOutsidetheBox — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:12:02 GMT

I just saw the same report. I am a little annoyed that the Q, eVine and HSN all hawk the RFID protecting products with no mention of the information provided in this news report. Seems like the shopping channels are preying on fears to seek the product, which is NOT ok. Sell the product, but properly educate the consumer in what the product will protect against and what it will not.

Re: RFID Protection

Carmie — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:18:08 GMT

I have heard that too.

On Saturday, my husband received a credit card bill for a card that he never uses. On It were five charges for $8.95 each from GoShipments and FutureGear.

He asked me if I recognized the charges. I did not We called the credit union and found out the charges are for online gaming. The CS rep asked if my husband played games on line. Funny, he wouldn't know how if he had to, she cancelled his card and he has to wait for a new one.

I immediately had him place his CC's in RFID sleeves. I Don't know how anyone got his information. He doesn't shop on line and only uses a cc when he doesn't have a choice. He uses cash only.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Re: RFID Protection

ValuSkr — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:37:39 GMT

It is a little dishonest for marketers to imply that everyone with a chip card needs RFID protection. In fact, as you said, the vast majority of chip cards (less than 1%) do not have a RFID transmitter.

Here's a good article:

http://www.infoworld.com/article/3023422/security/why-you-dont-need-an-rfid-blocking-wallet.html

Re: RFID Protection

KatieB — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:44:30 GMT

I use the RFID protector cards. I bought them from QVC several years ago. I'd rather be protected than not.....

Re: RFID Protection

blackhole99 — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:46:38 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
It is a little dishonest for marketers to imply that everyone with a chip card needs RFID protection. In fact, as you said, the vast majority of chip cards (less than 1%) do not have a RFID transmitter.

Here's a good article:
http://www.infoworld.com/article/3023422/security/why-you-dont-need-an-rfid-blocking-wallet.html

Thanks for the info, I'm a little surprised the Q would go along with this scam, but I guess it is all about the money. The public needs to be better informed.

Re: RFID Protection

wildlifewitch — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 22:58:29 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
My local news just did a segment on the RFID protection items. The security expert said that the only chips they would protect would be those cards that have the wi-fi symbol shown on the card, and that the number of those is infinetisimal (sp?). He said there really isn't any worry that anyone walking by can scan your credit cards that have the chip that most of us have. Seems like I've heard that before. Wonder why so many products are being made with RFID protection, if he's right?

Some cards can be scanned. Soon it will be out phones, if not already. You can group your cards together,without wallet sleeves/or without a wallet, which makes it harder to scan. Also you can use tin foil, instead of the rfid protectors, but its messy. They are selling fear.

Re: RFID Protection

ALRATIBA — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:03:34 GMT

I keep all my cards in "decorative" aluminum business card holders. I found them at a bookstore for just a couple of dollars each . Kate Spade sells similar for $30.

Re: RFID Protection

libbyannE — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:05:17 GMT

I would rather have the protection than not have it, even though the need is small. The codes change every time you use a card with the new chip cookie in it, so the bank told me that if info were taken, the thieves probably could only make one purchase. But they might be able to use the card number and your name to cause trouble if they are trying to steal your identity.

Things change all the time, but it did not cost much to get the little RFID protection cards for our wallets, just in case.

Re: RFID Protection

Kachina624 — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:59:31 GMT

@Krimpette wrote:
My local news just did a segment on the RFID protection items. The security expert said that the only chips they would protect would be those cards that have the wi-fi symbol shown on the card, and that the number of those is infinetisimal (sp?). He said there really isn't any worry that anyone walking by can scan your credit cards that have the chip that most of us have. Seems like I've heard that before. Wonder why so many products are being made with RFID protection, if he's right?

@Krimpette Obviously to sell more junk with the RFID. What sellers have done in regard to this issue is downright dishonest. Then they have hosts parade by swearing it happened to them. If your CC number is stolen, how would you know how it was obtained? There are a million ways to get them.

Re: RFID Protection

Kachina624 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:04:01 GMT

@Carmie wrote:
I have heard that too.

On Saturday, my husband received a credit card bill for a card that he never uses. On It were five charges for $8.95 each from GoShipments and FutureGear.

He asked me if I recognized the charges. I did not We called the credit union and found out the charges are for online gaming. The CS rep asked if my husband played games on line. Funny, he wouldn't know how if he had to, she cancelled his card and he has to wait for a new one.

I immediately had him place his CC's in RFID sleeves. I Don't know how anyone got his information. He doesn't shop on line and only uses a cc when he doesn't have a choice. He uses cash only.

Better to be safe than sorry.

@Carmie Your bank should have told you how this probably happened and it wasn't from card reading. It happened to me 3 times before cards had chips. They try to charge small amounts just to see if it works. They choose numbers arbitrarily.

Re: RFID Protection

Carmie — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:09:51 GMT

I have a card that has the chip in question in it. When I make online purchases, I can use it for many purchases. Why wouldn't someone else be able to use my card or my cards numbers the same way?

My husbands cc card was used 5 times on different days, including Thanksgiving day,

I have heard that the card could only be used once too, but I know it can be done. The thief used my husband's cc for online gaming. If it could only be used 1 time, how did that happen?

Re: RFID Protection

Carmie — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:22:28 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@Carmie wrote:
I have heard that too.

On Saturday, my husband received a credit card bill for a card that he never uses. On It were five charges for $8.95 each from GoShipments and FutureGear.

He asked me if I recognized the charges. I did not We called the credit union and found out the charges are for online gaming. The CS rep asked if my husband played games on line. Funny, he wouldn't know how if he had to, she cancelled his card and he has to wait for a new one.

I immediately had him place his CC's in RFID sleeves. I Don't know how anyone got his information. He doesn't shop on line and only uses a cc when he doesn't have a choice. He uses cash only.

Better to be safe than sorry.

@Carmie Your bank should have told you how this probably happened and it wasn't from card reading. It happened to me 3 times before cards had chips. They try to charge small amounts just to see if it works. They choose numbers arbitrarily.

I asked the credit union and they didn't know. My husband's card is never used and hasn' t been for years. He keeps it for just in case. He was shocked when he received a statement and bill on that account.

On the other hand, I use my cc for everything and use paypal on line and have never been compromised. My wallet is RFID Protected. I keep my passport in an RFID sleeve too. I only have two cards with the chip in question .The RFID Sleeves only cast $5.50 for 14 of them and two passport sleeves. My wallet came with RFID protection. If they are not necessary... fine.They were cheap enough.

Re: RFID Protection

jackthebear — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:33:24 GMT

@Carmie wrote:
I have heard that too.

On Saturday, my husband received a credit card bill for a card that he never uses. On It were five charges for $8.95 each from GoShipments and FutureGear.

He asked me if I recognized the charges. I did not We called the credit union and found out the charges are for online gaming. The CS rep asked if my husband played games on line. Funny, he wouldn't know how if he had to, she cancelled his card and he has to wait for a new one.

I immediately had him place his CC's in RFID sleeves. I Don't know how anyone got his information. He doesn't shop on line and only uses a cc when he doesn't have a choice. He uses cash only.

Better to be safe than sorry.

be even safer to leave the cards you never use at home and out of your wallet.

Re: RFID Protection

Spurt — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 01:11:21 GMT

Well QVC not the only one hawking RFID.....I was in Stein Mart the other day and lots and lots of wallets and handbags with built in RFID protection....Guess other places are selling "fear protection" too.....And one question I never understood couldn't they scam your card when you removed it from the RFID device to swipe or insert your card to pay for something??????????????

Re: RFID Protection

jonbon — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 01:15:42 GMT

Many of the presentations I've heard this season for wallets/bags with RFID protection have been toned down. They've backed off a bit and actually stated that not all of the cards with chips are the type that need RFID protection.

Re: RFID Protection

Moonchilde — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 01:32:48 GMT

@Spurt wrote:
Well QVC not the only one hawking RFID.....I was in Stein Mart the other day and lots and lots of wallets and handbags with built in RFID protection....Guess other places are selling "fear protection" too.....And one question I never understood couldn't they scam your card when you removed it from the RFID device to swipe or insert your card to pay for something??????????????

Technically, yes. But as I understand it, each transaction generates a single transaction PIN (the chipped cards most people have). They may be able to get your info (address) in a few seconds but not be able to charge something, because they won't have a PIN, which generates physically while the card's in the machine - and is only good for THAT transaction.

Re: RFID Protection

Carmie — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:07:37 GMT

@Moonchilde wrote:
@Spurt wrote:
Well QVC not the only one hawking RFID.....I was in Stein Mart the other day and lots and lots of wallets and handbags with built in RFID protection....Guess other places are selling "fear protection" too.....And one question I never understood couldn't they scam your card when you removed it from the RFID device to swipe or insert your card to pay for something??????????????

Technically, yes. But as I understand it, each transaction generates a single transaction PIN (the chipped cards most people have). They may be able to get your info (address) in a few seconds but not be able to charge something, because they won't have a PIN, which generates physically while the card's in the machine - and is only good for THAT transaction.

When you do an online purchase the card is not physically in the machine.

Re: RFID Protection

3suwm5 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 03:47:02 GMT

I've heard RFID protection is good for driver license and passport. If you have a CC with a chip, they are supposed to be safer, as a new transaction code is used for every purchase.??????

Re: RFID Protection

mac116 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 03:53:06 GMT

I was so spooked by QVC that I checked on all of my cards. NONE of them have RFID technology. Some have a chip, but it is not RFID. It certainly affected my trust in QVC, the way that so many of the hosts carried on about how identity theft happened to them because of RFID cards. I don't trust what those particular hosts say about anything anymore!