RFID wallets

Hugh R · 04-03-2016, 06:09 PM

With more and more CC's with chips, I think it time to get an RFID wallet. On Amazon they start about $18-$28 for a nice Fossil or Columbia brand tri-fold. With the travel I do, it sounds like cheap insurance.

wswartzwel · 04-03-2016, 06:19 PM

I have been using a Trayvax original and really like it. Doesn't carry as much crap as my old trifold, but i needed to downsize anyhow.

Trayvax® Wallet For Life: Metal RFID Resistant Wallets – Trayvax Enterprises

porsche4life · porsche4life's Garage

I have a carbon fiber RFID blocking wallet from Common Fibers. Very cool technology.

motion · 04-03-2016, 07:00 PM

I've been carrying around 10 cards around for years everywhere and have never had a problem. Just saying'.

Baz · Baz's Garage

I'm not that "hip" yet....

Hugh R · 04-03-2016, 07:18 PM

Motion, Yeah, but $18-$28 is nothing. I hear/read that the chipped cards, which are relatively new in the USA are easy prey. I don't think the old mag strip cards are a problem. I don't travel as much as you, but I travel a lot.

slodave · slodave's Garage

They did away with RFID chipped cards years ago.

Hugh R · 07:40 PM

So its a scam that I don't need to pay for a wallet? I need a new wallet anyway. I don't see the downside.

slodave · slodave's Garage

I had a bank card about five years ago that was RFID. I liked it because I never had to take the card out of my wallet at 7/11 and a few other places. It was found that those chips were not secure and you could have a reader a few feet away that would capture the info when the chip in the cars became active next to the POS machine. My next bank card did away with that.

The new "chipped" cards do not work via RFID, but by actual contact in the card reader. The chip creates some unique info that is only valid for that transaction, so that if the card were "read" by a scanner, the info could not be used to make a fake card that could be used.

Now, if the wallets were super pricy, I'd say forget it, as you are paying a premium for something that protects from old technology.

All that said, even the new chipped cards are not perfect, but getting better.

LakeCleElum · 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motion

I've been carrying around 10 cards around for years everywhere and have never had a problem. Just saying'.

Agree with Rickard....Hype from the media is my guess...A chip and RFID are apples and oranges......

Oracle · 04-03-2016, 09:28 PM

Costco have them for a decent price

Bill Douglas · 04-03-2016, 11:16 PM

Around here we have "pay wave" which means you do a proximity wave of the CC card at the checkout for transactions up to about $100 or so. What this means is if you have the bad luck to be within a meter of someones transaction you may end up paying for it. There are $5 CC sized envelopes that stop the cars being read so I think I'll get one. I've got the passport sized one already.

sc_rufctr · 04-04-2016, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wswartzwel

I have been using a Trayvax original and really like it. Doesn't carry as much crap as my old trifold, but i needed to downsize anyhow.

Trayvax® Wallet For Life: Metal RFID Resistant Wallets – Trayvax Enterprises

Actually very cool and original!

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by slodave

I had a bank card about five years ago that was RFID. I liked it because I never had to take the card out of my wallet at 7/11 and a few other places. It was found that those chips were not secure and you could have a reader a few feet away that would capture the info when the chip in the cars became active next to the POS machine. My next bank card did away with that.

The new "chipped" cards do not work via RFID, but by actual contact in the card reader. The chip creates some unique info that is only valid for that transaction, so that if the card were "read" by a scanner, the info could not be used to make a fake card that could be used.

Now, if the wallets were super pricy, I'd say forget it, as you are paying a premium for something that protects from old technology.

All that said, even the new chipped cards are not perfect, but getting better.

I just got a new Debit card for one account and it has the new style chip, no RFID. The reader HAS to be in physical contact to read the card. The biggest difference in the card is it is totally flat. The numbers are not raised up at all. It was printed there on the spot at the bank.

Gogar · 06:38 AM

Older style "Blink", "PayWave", "Express Pay", and others where you

wave the card or tap it on the machine

Have RFID that can go a foot or two.

The new EMV "Chip Cards" do actually have RFID but the range is only about half an inch.
For now, Chip cards only will work "contact only", by inserting in the machine but as soon as the vendors all upgrade to the "contact only" machine, they will all be urged to upgrade to the "Dual Interface" version where a EMV chip card (with it's really tiny RFID range) can be tapped as well.

jyl · jyl's Garage

Fold up some aluminum foil in the wallet?

Hugh R · 04-04-2016, 08:15 PM

Amazon.com: HF RFID Mifare Card Reader USB 13.56M HZ 14443A Decimal 8H10D M1 S50/S70 Utralight MifareDesFire Contactless CPU card: Office Products

Tim K · 04-04-2016, 08:15 PM

My friend makes these. I've been using one of the prototypes for a few years and I love it.

Design Philosophy – improv minimalist wallet

Tim K

Deschodt · 04-05-2016, 09:56 AM

I use a money clip... I bought some RFID protector for credit cards that are a PITA since they are hard to take the card in and out of. I now use them as bookends on each side of my clip instead, between the cards and the $. Total investment $1.50 I think ;-) And it came with some passport sized ones ;-) I'd recommend sticking a couple in your existing wallet.