Is RFID Dangerous?

If someone told you they could read your credit cards, passport or your driver’s license without even looking at it, would you believe them? Unfortunately the threat of identity theft has become much more serious during the recent years. Although RFID technology makes our lives much more easier in many way, we should also know what kind of risks it might pose and learn how to guard ourselves against them.

What is RFID?

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification and is a part of Near Field Communication. NFC enables two electronic devices as tablets or smartphones to form contactless communication by bringing them close enough. RFID technology works in the same way, however it makes use of an RFID chip, which can be read by some devices. Such a chip can be found in almost all credit and debit cards issued within the last ten years. Furthermore, it is often present in ID-cards, car keys or even in your pet if you decided to chip it. RFID technology has become omnipresent in our daily lives and it would be difficult to live without it now.

How Does RFID Work?

RFID chips are a convenient way of storing and reading data. Instead of having to swipe your card through a reader, you can simply wave your card in front of an RFID scanner without even taking it out of your wallet. RFID makes our lives much more easier and faster. It allows you to pay at the cash register or check-in at the metro without much effort. It also isn’t limited only to credit and transport cards. With most of the debit cards nowadays you can pay contactless up to a specific amount of money.

RFID theft is especially common in busy places

RFID Theft

Unfortunately there is a chance that someone can use a counterfeit reader and pick up your RFID information against your will. Such situations are becoming especially common in busy places as the metro or the train. While the old counterfeit card readers required you to physically swipe your card through a slot, the new counterfeit RFID readers can pull or delete data from your card without so much as walking by.

How to Protect Yourself?

In theory you could build a tin foil pocket that you could fit in your wallet, which would make it impossible to scan your cards. We recommend however a safer and a more stylish solution. When looking for an RFID blocking wallet pay attention to where the blocking cards are located so that they are able to protect all of your cards. The ZENLET wallet offers an RFID blocking system with a flexible RFID blocking card that allows you to decide, which cards should remain readable.

To learn more please visit our webshop: http://shop.zenlet.co/?locale=en