Travel Technology

Electronic Pickpocketing is the nineteenth century edition of a crime in the dawn of time. Today they could take that unsuspecting traveler on a ride simply by passing them at a bus station, airport, or arena parking lot with a hidden credit card RFID reader. At first blush, the concept of stealing credit card info elicits pictures from science fiction movies of the 1990 s, but the reality is much less nostalgic. A burglar can hang out at a crowded subway station in Manhattan and get tens of thousands of credit card numbers in one afternoon. The same RFID technology which facilitates convenient purchases also allows a burglar to steal credit card information and make purchases like a normal charge or credit card. 

But credit cards are not the only thing at risk. This is known as wireless id theft. What’s RFID Technology and what’s it used for? Radio Frequency Identification or RFID is that the newest craze in cashless convenience. Many banks and credit card providers include the technology in their newest products, imbuing consumers with contactless payment power in equipped registers. The primary idea is to save clients time by forgoing the typical processing waits, receipts, receipts and ID requirements connected with an old school swipe. Non powered RFID tags can be scanned by remote-powered RFID readers at distances of around 100 meters away with no direct line-of-sight. 

On a global scale, RFID tags are a prevalent selection to keep tabs on everything in airport baggage to livestock roaming that the countryside. Where is RFID technology used? In the last few years, a number of companies have entered the RFID contactless payment stadium with their very own name branded offerings, each using varying levels of success. Notable services are MasterCard PayPass and Visa payWave, along with other global brands like Octopus Card and Oyster Card. RFID labeling has a number of agricultural, security, and scientific applications, but contactless payment is a magnet for scammers since it deals directly with people’s money. 

RFID technology may additionally be found in: Pet Microchipping – Toll Tags – Access Cards – Inventory control and loss prevention for retail stores – DVD Rental Kiosks – Rental Vehicles – Runners Bibs for Races – Event Passes – Medical Bracelets – How do you know if your credit card is armed with RFID – About 25% of all credit card payments being made today are being done with RFID technology. Many individuals have the capacity of making these micro transactions, but only didn’t realize the choice was available to them. Sadly, this also means they’ve kindly put themselves at risk for electronic pickpocketing. Fortunately, determining whether your credit cards are RFID tags is very easy.