what do people use to block RFID in Wallets?

[fredk]

I meant, if you go through a metal detector at a government building or an airport the lead will block and the security staff there will want to know what the lead is hiding

[pikefish]

2 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

you have only touched on the tip of the iceberg my friend. 5g isn't for us its for them!

How long have you got? I could write a book on it! But Id get shot... I worked in IT/data communication, treasuries, reuters, big evil corps 20 years ago... Dont get me started mate, lol

[Tugadude]

https://losspreventionmedia.com/are-rfid-blocking-wallets-necessary-to-prevent-credit-card-theft/

[MedusaOblongata]

Tl;DR: RFID blocking is not at all necessary for security. It's just a marketing feature for a wallet maker.

I do leatherwork as a hobby but my day job is in the credit card department of a bank.

Theft via portable RFID scanners had been becoming a major issue at one point, you could walk through a crowd of people with a scanner in a briefcase and from several feet away capture people's credit card information, which could then be used to make transactions.

My bank stopped offering paywave as a feature on their cards.  A few years later they reintroduced that feature on newer cards. I contacted our fraud department directly and asked why they would do this, considering the security risks we saw materialize last time. They got back to me and explained some of the features in the reintroduced RFID system. While the old ones could be read at a greater distance, current ones must be within 3 inches or less from the machine. The old ones gave out the card number itself, which is what thieves can use; the new ones work like the EMV chip, that does not give out the 16 digit card number, but instead generates a one time use code that only works for that one transaction. If anyone were to scan your card now, all they'd get is a one time use code that's already been used and they can't even use it for a single transaction. This is also what merchants get when you insert your card to use the EMV chip, the merchant never gets your actual card number (which is reusable), they get a code that works only once for that transaction. This way if the merchant's system is hacked, the hackers don't get CC#s they can use, they just get used up codes they can do nothing with.

You don't need RFID blocking for security at all. It might be worth advertising it if your customers think it's a good idea, even though it won't improve their security.

[JohnNixon]

On 11/7/2023 at 1:28 AM, MedusaOblongata said:

Tl;DR: RFID blocking is not at all necessary for security. It's just a marketing feature for a wallet maker.

I do leatherwork as a hobby but my day job is in the credit card department of a bank.

Theft via portable RFID scanners had been becoming a major issue at one point, you could walk through a crowd of people with a scanner in a briefcase and from several feet away capture people's credit card information, which could then be used to make transactions.

My bank stopped offering paywave as a feature on their cards.  A few years later they reintroduced that feature on newer cards. I contacted our fraud department directly and asked why they would do this, considering the security risks we saw materialize last time. They got back to me and explained some of the features in the reintroduced RFID system. While the old ones could be read at a greater distance, current ones must be within 3 inches or less from the machine. The old ones gave out the card number itself, which is what thieves can use; the new ones work like the EMV chip, that does not give out the 16 digit card number, but instead generates a one time use code that only works for that one transaction. If anyone were to scan your card now, all they'd get is a one time use code that's already been used and they can't even use it for a single transaction. This is also what merchants get when you insert your card to use the EMV chip, the merchant never gets your actual card number (which is reusable), they get a code that works only once for that transaction. This way if the merchant's system is hacked, the hackers don't get CC#s they can use, they just get used up codes they can do nothing with.

You don't need RFID blocking for security at all. It might be worth advertising it if your customers think it's a good idea, even though it won't improve their security. People often use RFID-blocking materials in wallets to protect against unauthorized scanning of RFID chips found in credit cards and passports. This protection is crucial for personal security and privacy, preventing potential identity theft and financial fraud.For more insight into the technology that protects digital information and enhances financial transactions, consider visiting https://dashdevs.com/blog/digital-wallet-types-guide/ this guide offers comprehensive information on different types of digital wallets, including those equipped with security features that safeguard against various digital threats.

agree with you

Edited May 1, 2024 by JohnNixon