Avoid Electronic Pickpocketing Threat

RFID Pickpocketing Protection

Credit card security, debt card security, and debit card security make up one aspect of identity theft prevention. Everyone is concerned about getting the best credit cards with the lowest rates and the best credit card rewards program. Everyone is also aware that the threat of identity theft is out there. One day you could be talking about your rewards credit cards and how many credit card reward miles you have amassed and the next day, you could discover that your credit card information was stolen and has been maxed out.  

Even with all of the protections in place to keep you credit card information safe, if someone steals your credit card information, even if the damages to you are limited by the credit card company, imagine the stress and strain of having to contact all of your credit card companies and requesting that they cancel all of your cards and reissue new cards to you. That is simply something that no one wants to have to do nor should have to do.  

It should come as no surprise to learn that your credit cards are vulnerable to theft every time you take them out of your home. Your debit cards are vulnerable to fraud each and every time that you use them at a store, restaurant or any other business. Now there is a new type of credit card theft and identity theft that a large portion of the population is unaware of. You may not have heard of electronic pickpocketing, but it is something that you definitely need to be aware of. Current statistics estimate nearly 140 million consumers are at risk of electronic pickpocketing. 

Credit card issuers have been installing radio frequency identification (RFID) chips in credit cards for many years. This chip is basically an electronic tag embedded in the card that carries all of the card’s information. If your credit card or debit card has a radio wave symbol on it then you are one of the many millions at risk. This same technology can also found in drivers licenses and passports, and there may even be a version of it in your pet’s ear. You may not know this, but every U.S. passport issued since 2006 has a RFID chip in it. 

This technology was developed to add convenience in our lives, but it seems that it may actually be making us easier targets for identity theft. This technology is convenient if you're paying for gas or other types of things because the tiny RFID chip can be read remotely without the need to physically swipe the card. This also means that anyone with a skimmer, which is available for less than $100 online, can also get your information just as easily. Anyone with a skimmer can get the information of your debt cards, simply by walking by you. 

It doesn't matter if your debt cards are in a wallet or purse because the skimmers can read through them. Thousands of travelers and consumers can fall victim to this new form of theft without even knowing it. It’s not just travelers and consumers who are at risk, but anyone with government, military or even port of entry IDs. This is definitely a potential threat, and since the chips are cheap, about $1.50 each, this technology is going to be become more and more commonplace. 

So how can you help protect credit card information and earn commissions as an affiliate? So, how do you fight against this? How can you help to protect your credit card information as well as those of your friends and loved ones? Checks Unlimited has come out with a line of wallets and accessories that feature specialized RFID blocking materials. The new SecureMyID products from Checks Unlimited will help stop scanners from accessing credit card information.  SecureMyID™ Wallets and Accessories