Community Chat

[10sluvr]

i read on a website that you could just use foil, in your wallet or purse to block the electronic theft, of info. does that seem right or possible, to you? i have concerns but hate to replace wallets-hubby and mine- and or my handbags.

i'm happy to hear any thoughts. thanks.

[Still Raining]

Just because a credit card has a ""chip"" does not mean it transmits a radio frequency and only a few states have migrated to licenses that transmit. Are you sure you need protection? Don't buy into the hype.

[10sluvr]

i was the victim of idenity theft, about 10 yrs ago and i'm probably buying in to the hype. ads make it sound like thief is lurking around every corner. i'll relax.

thanks.

[BellaPaprika]

To the OP, I always check out these online stories with snopes.com. I guess the reason we have all these rfid wallets and handbags is because people don't want to bother with lining everything with foil. And from the article it sounds as if it's not as reliable as the commercially produced product.This is what they have to say about foil and rfid protection:

"Finally, there is a bit of truth about tinfoil's having some use in shielding financial instruments from being read or detected, but those items are ones containing RFID chips, which U.S. currency does not. Shoplifters have in the past made off with large amounts of swag by stuffing items being purloined into foil-lined bags - once in such enclosures, the anti-theft devices attached to the goods being stolen did not trigger the alarm at the store's exit. Also, some debit and credit cards are "skimmable" (capable of having the financial information they contain read and recorded by thieves) even when sitting in one's pocket thanks to their RFID chips. To counter this possibility, some folks have taken to carrying these cards in wallets lined with aluminum foil. And yes, this does at least somewhat work."

[10sluvr]

that's interesting. the article i read also said to put your card together, back to back, as that would jumble the numbers up. i'm not sure that good for the magnetic strip. i was originally googling to find a place that sold sheets of the rfd protection. i wanted to make a tote/handbag for summer and thought of lining it with protection.

thanks for the info.

[AuntG]

I have a Travelon bag that has the protection and I don't take it to work or church, but I do use it when shopping.

[game-on]

Did you know you can request credit cards without RFID chips? I heard that the other day.... it seems like that would nip this in the bud.