OT: Contactless Credit Card

[Warhorse]

OK, this has nothing to do with shooting or cowboy anything but I thought I would try to gain some knowledge from some of the savvy types on this forum. (Yeah, I said SOME.)

 

I just received a replacement credit card that is touting that it is a "contactless credit card" which can be held near, not inserted into, the new contactless readers. This gives me great pause. I am well aware of the existence of devices that can be held near a card in your pocket or wallet to read the data contained therein. It strikes me that this "contactless card" would be especially vulnerable to that kind of device. [NOTE: I currently carry my cards in a supposedly RFI-proof wallet.]

 

I called the company and told them I did not want such a card and was essentially told to take it or leave it as my existing card would soon be deactivated. Say what!!!!

 

Can anyone educate or enlighten me on the reality and/or additional vulnerability of such a contactless card?

 

[Edit] FYI, I am seriously considering to tell that company to "stuff it" and cancel that !@#$%^ card, if only because I resent their so-called response!

 

    Warhorse

[Tennessee Trapper Tom]

I’d be interested to hear the feedback on this. Sorry no help from me

[Widder, SASS #59054]

Just think.......... you'll be standing in a sporting goods store with your card in your pocket.   Then someone will stroll buy with an appropriate 'device', along with 'their' new fishing rod, and scan your pocket for the price of the fishing rod.

 

Congratulations, you just helped the economy by buying a stranger a new fishing rod..... 

 

..........Widder

 

[Utah Bob #35998]

There are wallets available that shield the cards from external readers. Here’s one example.

 

[Warhorse]

Utah Bob, thanks for the suggestion. Interestingly enough, that is EXACTLY the wallet that I am using currently. I also have individual RFI sleeves for credit cards but they will not fit into the wallet.

 

Perhaps I am being overly paranoid but the problem is that, in this particular case, they really are out to get you. The scanning device I mentioned in the OP really does exist and does work. Of course, the user of such a device does have to get close and get the device even closer to where you carry a card or cards.

 

     Warhorse

[Ramblin Gambler]

I don't know about those kinds of cards, I think my response would be the same as yours.  Find a new company.  I dropped a bank once because they wouldn't give me a debit cad that could not be used as a visa card.  After going round and round with employees i finally got a manager who found a way to disable the visa portion of the card, but it would still have to have the logo.  He said it might work if someone stole it but it would be aoutmatically declined when it got to the bank.  I didn't believe him and pulled all my money out. 

 

Contactless cards might not be as bad as you think though.  Aren't PINs required?  I think that's what they call the "chip and pin" system.  Other than requiring a pin, I really don't get why contactless is a selling point.  It's not like longevity of cards matters anymore.  With as many data breaches as we get these days, I don't remember the last time a card lasted more than a year or 2. 

 

 

[Ramblin Gambler]

I doubt the claims of RF wallets.  I have a spectrum analyzer and tested a couple of those wallets one time.  In theory it's a great idea, but in practice I saw no degradation of the signal at all.  I think the problem is that for a proper Faraday cage you have to connect the ends and have a continuous loop around the protected device.  As they say, in theory there is no difference between practice and theory.  But in practice there is. 

 

I haven't tested an RF sleeve, but the one I saw was solid so I don't think that would work even in theory. 

[Pat Riot]

 

Warhorse, Read these links and I am sure it will make you feel a little better about the cards:

 

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3199009/security/why-you-dont-need-an-rfid-blocking-wallet.html

 

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/travel_explainer/2015/08/credit_cards_passports_and_rfid_fraud_are_special_blocking_wallets_necessary.html

 

https://lifehacker.com/why-you-don-t-need-to-worry-about-rfid-shielding-1818626171

[Ramblin Gambler]

The first 2 links argued that basically, yeah its possible, the technology exists, but it's not an epidemic yet so why worry?  Sorry, that's not how my mind works. 

 

The third article went into more technicalities as to why it's probably not a widespread problem.  One factor I didn't see them mention is that the alarm got raised and people and credit card companies all started taking steps to protect their information.  Steps like RFID wallets (which those articles seem to imply work better than my testing showed). 

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

Cancel it right now!!! Don't let them dictate to you how to spend your money! There are plenty of banks that will give you a "regular" card! This is ridiculous!

[Widder, SASS #59054]

I also vote 'Cancel' and go somewhere else.

 

..........Widder

 

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

What happens if you carry two cards right next to each other?

Wouldn't any reader read both and get confused?

Could it be that easy?

Once a friend had dropped a refrigerator magnet into a pocket

with a credit card. The card became unusable.

Best

CR

by reader I meant illegal reader as is the topic of the post.

NOT a reader one intentionally tries to use.....

So does ever thiang  I say have to be misconscrewed??????

 

[Grizzly Adams 3674]

You may not be getting the best advise........

[Utah Bob #35998]

51 minutes ago, Chili Ron said:

Howdy,

What happens if you carry two cards right next to each other?

Wouldn't any reader read both and get confused?

Could it be that easy?

Once a friend had dropped a refrigerator magnet into a pocket

with a credit card. The card became unusable.

Best

CR

 

I checked into a hotel one night and when I got to my room, the door card wouldn’t work. Back down to the desk with my luggage to get a new card. Back to the room. Same result. Back down to the desk again. It worked the third time. I kept in in my hand the whole tome. Seems I had been to aconvention and had a magnetic business card in the pocket I’d been putting the room card in.

But the new chip cards are a whole different technology from the old magnetic strips.

[Hardcase Hardin]

7 hours ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

Contactless cards might not be as bad as you think though.  Aren't PINs required?  I think that's what they call the "chip and pin" system.  Other than requiring a pin, I really don't get why contactless is a selling point.  It's not like longevity of cards matters anymore.  With as many data breaches as we get these days, I don't remember the last time a card lasted more than a year or 2. 

 

I have a debit card that's RFID as well as a couple CCs and never need the pin, but DO have to insert into the reader at checkout.  As a frequent Intl. flyer I also use a shielded wallet and 2 yrs in, haven't had an issue yet.

[Hardcase Hardin]

Just in case you're innersted, This has started poppin up in my FB feeds.

 

https://www.banggood.com/RFID-Antimagnetic-Vintage-Genuine-Leather-11-Card-Slots-Coin-Bag-Wallet-For-Men--p-1238298.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc_fashion&utm_content=hosmer&utm_campaign=cnew-mb-1185-rm&utm_design=74&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1ruP6erw2AIVCEEZCh0X-w8bEAEYASAAEgIBO_D_BwE&cur_warehouse=CN

[Ramblin Gambler]

10 hours ago, Chili Ron said:

What happens if you carry two cards right next to each other?

Wouldn't any reader read both and get confused?

 

Read the 3rd article pat linked.  At the end they talk about that being a good use for RFID wallets.  Leave the card you wanna use in an unprotected slot with the rest in protected slots and the readers don't get confused. 

 

 

[Shootin' Shu]

Cash?

[Dutch Wheeler]

5 hours ago, Shootin' Shu said:

Cash?

 

Only with proper ID!

 

[Ramblin Gambler]

These days my cash is only for tipping and buying guns.