What is RFID Blocking and Do You Need it?
RFID blocking materials can effectively prevent the scanning function on a card or passport, and the range of products that boast this feature is steadily growing.
Everything from wallets to waterproof fanny packs now support RFID blocking capabilities. A layer of carbon fiber or aluminum can protect you from contactless attacks, and that’s a key selling point for some items.
In this article, we will be discussing more what RFID blocking wallets is and their importance.
What Is RFID?
RFID is an acronym for ‘radio frequency identification.’ Credit cards and passports use this technology to enable machines to scan them from short distances. Not only that, but it also facilitates contactless payment, and this got users worried because it could be vulnerable to criminal manipulation. Another fear users have is the risk of “identity theft.”
COPYRIGHT_NOVA: Published on https://www.novabach.com/i/what-is-rfid-blocking-and-do-you-need-it/ by Daniel Barrett on 2022-06-28T13:39:19.000Z
How Do You Know if Your Card Has an RFID Chip?
Not all credit cards come with an embedded RFID chip, but if your card has one, it’s easy to spot. Credit cards that come with an embedded RFID chip have a WiFi-looking symbol on either the front or back of the card that’s pretty hard to miss.
Here’s an example of the image in the upper righthand corner of this card:
You’ll find many newer credit cards tend to have RFID technology. If your card isn’t RFID-enabled and you’d prefer to have it, you can call your credit card issuers and ask for a newer card that comes with an RFID chip embedded. If they use RFID, they should be able to issue you a new card that includes it.
Do you need RFID blocking?
You might have seen reports claiming that “contactless crime” can result in huge financial losses, and that’s absolutely true. The problem is, the studies used to support these claims don’t make a compelling case for RFID blocking specifically.
If a victim loses money in a “contactless-related” event, it’s almost always because their card was physically stolen from them. Even if that happens, the damage rarely escalates because purchases made with contactless cards are capped at a relatively low sum.
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The 5 Best RFID-Blocking Wallets
1. Saddleback Passport Wallet
The Saddleback Passport Wallet comes with an internal RFID shield and can take in one passport and two credit cards, also have a full-sized cash compartment. This is perfect for travelers.
2. Big Skinny Slimline Wallet
The Big Skinny Slimline Wallet is made from durable nylon microfiber. It is very light, and the quality will last you for a while. This RFID wallet is spacious and has a full-sized pocket for bills, four main card pockets, two more hidden card pockets, and a plastic pocket for an ID card.
3. Trayvax Original Wallet
Trayvax wallet is made with stainless steel and aluminum plates and can take in enough credit cards.
4. Sharkk Rugged Wallet
The Sharkk Rugged Wallet has a compact design, and it’s not light in weight. This wallet is a card case with a complete enclosure, and it provides maximum protection against scanners and physical damage.
5. Radix One Black Steel
The Radix One Black Steel wallet is an effective RFID blocker but can not occupy many cards due to its tiny space.
Whether you use RFID-chipped credit cards or not, be on alert to know and understand the warning signs of digital identity theft to take steps immediately
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