RFID chips in bank cards, passports, and credit cards can be read by electronic pickpockets using hidden readers to steal personal and financial data for identity theft and credit card fraud. Blocking sheets and sleeves can protect against this. RFID chips in credit cards and passports allow for faster information reading but can be scanned by hidden readers. Thieves can create copies of cards, leading to fraudulent accounts and charges. Special cases and wallets can block electronic pickpocketing, and foil can inhibit their use.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips are found in bank cards, passports and credit cards, allowing them to be read with a wave on a scanner or reader. Electronic pickpocketing occurs when a thief uses a hidden reader to scan cards through a purse, wallet or clothing and obtain the chip information. Personal and financial data stolen in this way is used for identity theft and credit card fraud. Blocking sheets and specially made sleeves can thwart hidden readers and protect people from these pickpocketing tricks.
Commonly used in gate and key card door locks, RFID chips have started appearing in credit cards and passports to allow information to be read faster. Electronic pickpocketing is possible from a hidden RFID reader hidden on a thief’s person. Readers are available online to anyone and can scan the chip into a card from inches away, even through a purse or wallet. The information is often sent to an accomplice with a laptop who then launches a decryption program to crack the data.
Traditional pickpockets lift a wallet out of a purse or pocket, physically taking cards, money, and IDs. Most people carry little or no money with them, so the cashout is usually not very high. Electronic pickpocketing allows thieves to create copies of cards, which can then be used to open fraudulent accounts or charge items to the victim. Since the card is not missing, the victim may not realize they have been compromised until after the damage has been done. If medical insurance cards are equipped with RFID chips, thieves can also use copies to commit insurance fraud and rack up thousands in medical bills.
Beginning in October 2006, the United States began issuing contactless chips in all newly obtained passports and asked 27 visa-waiver countries to adopt them. The chip contains all the information on the passport data page. Although ePassports are encrypted, skilled identity thieves and hackers can write programs that decrypt the encryption. The same goes for credit and bank cards. Entry point IDs contain sensitive material that allows electronic pickpockets to copy them and allow hackers access to supposedly protected buildings.
Special cases and wallets are available for passports and cards that block electronic pickpocketing by RFID readers. Security experts say foil, shiny side out, will also help protect cards and passports. It cannot block readers completely but will inhibit their use except when very close to the card. Thieves will likely move on to the next unwary victim rather than get too close if their device gets thwarted.
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