In the age of instant information and endless data, we all look for ways to keep our personal information safe. There are endless avenues for our information to be shared. Just think about how many times you’ve bought something with your card or contactless payment in the last week.
We go throughout our days with credit and debit cards in our wallets, and we know that by scanning any of these cards they can reveal a treasure trove of information.. Because the majority of cards can be read through RFID or Radio Frequency Identification technology , scammers could possibly read your cards if they have an RFID reader. This is why radio wave blocking RFID wallets have come onto the market.
What is RFID?
If you’ve ever wondered what sets off security alarms when something is stolen at the store, how tap and pay works when you buy a coffee, or what keeps your pet’s microchip working, it’s all thanks to RFID or Radio Frequency Identification.
RFID is used every day, which has brought up the concern of RFID readers being used on the very things in our wallets like credit cards. This largely has to do with the worry of tap to pay technology. Most cards today have a symbol stands for the radio frequency in RFID (it looks like a sideways Wi-Fi symbol). These cards have an antenna in them that allows us to use tap to pay technology.
So, can anyone with a RFID reader get all of the data from a card in someone’s wallet? Well, it’s not that simple.
How are my cards protected?
Most cards that use tap-to-pay have an NFC, or near-field communication antenna. This means that you need to be within 1-2 inches of the reader for the information to be read; someone with an RFID reader would have to get incredibly close to your card to read it and they would still run into some problems.
Each contactless card or tap to pay purchase is encrypted with a one-time code and doesn’t send your name, billing address, or 3-digit code needed to make online purchases. The true risk of someone being able to steal information from your card through RFID would be highly unlikely. To be honest, there are much easier ways to commit credit card or identity theft than using RFID scanning.
The Deal with RFID Wallets
When shopping for a wallet (hopefully a vegan leather wallet), the choice for RFID protection comes up. These wallets are usually made with a foil-like material containing copper or aluminum that disrupts the transmission of radio waves. This does work, however the problem is RFID scanning through a wallet (often referred to as skimming) is practically non-existent.
There are no reported instances of RFID identity theft through contactless skimming. So, these RFID wallets solve a problem that doesn’t exactly exist in the way many describe. By this logic, the cards would only be safe if they were never removed from our wallets, and this just isn’t a reality.
However, having RFID protection in your wallet can’t hurt and offers an extra sense of security. As we know, avenues for identity theft constantly evolve, so it can’t hurt to take extra precautions.
We have seen instances of ATMs and places like gas pump card readers being fitted with RFID reader and card info being transmitted to identity thieves. In these instances, the cards have to leave a wallet and be inserted into a traditional reader that has been tampered with. What an RFID wallet can do, is reduce the amount of time your card is vulnerable by offering protection while it’s in an RFID wallet. This provides extra identity protection and with that extra protection comes an extra sense of security.
Picking a Wallet
At Doshi, we believe the use of RFID protection isn't necessary, but it is a nice feature for peace of mind. That’s why we offer wallets with this additional layer of protection. All of our wallets (and our Crossbody Phone Purse) are made with material that offers RFID protection. We strongly believe in designing well made, luxury vegan leather wallets that will be with you wherever you go.
We know that wallets are an everyday item that needs to be secure, organized and well-made, and we take these criteria seriously. Shop our vegan leather wallets here.
