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What is An RFID Wallet and Why You Should Consider One
Feb
Technology is the cornerstone of our wellbeing in today’s landscape, whether we like it or not. With the advancements of technology comes the unfortunate pitfalls of tech and bad actors who may abuse the benefits of tech for their selfish benefit, in the form of cyber-attacks and even theft of money.
When it comes to your wallet, not many people think of such an item being vulnerable to being accessed through thin air unless it is physically stolen. Unfortunately, wallets can be hacked, in a way where cyber crooks utilize specialized radio frequency devices, commonly called a skimmer, to essentially steal your credit card information and later use your card to make purchases without your knowledge or consent.
What is RFID Technology in Wallets?
RFID, which stands for Radio Frequency Identification, is a common technology utilized in many resources and devices, from credit card and identification card chips, to smartphones and supply chain tracking devices. When it comes to RFID and your personal security, cybercrooks and “street hackers” are known for skimming credit card details by simply walking by you and using their skimming device to collect card data. With that data, they can then recreate or duplicate your card so they can go to the nearest store to run up astronomical charges. It’s as simple as that!
Often you may think that you can simply have your bank reverse unauthorized charges or enable card features to prevent use by someone other than yourself. Sure, those ideas and protection features are great and they do work at times. However, if a crook has a replicated card of yours, there’s really no stopping them from running up a charge on your card as you may not know your card was skimmed until your next statement arrives or you log into your banking account online to check your balance.
What Does an RFID Wallet Do For Me and How Does It Work?
Simply put, an RFID wallet is designed to protect your credit cards, chipped ID cards, or any other card that uses RFID technology from being accessed by a skimmer or magnetizing tool. Essentially, an RFID wallet uses a layer of RFID blocking material, which may be comprised by carbon fiber or metal wrapping that will block a skimmer’s ability to record a card’s data. In a way, an RFID wallet is just like wrapping your credit cards or other cards with aluminum foil, which is an old technique that people may have used to protect their cards from being skimmed. Think of an RFID wallet as acting as a shield against conductive material – basically blocking a magnet or radio frequency from reaching the contents of your wallet.
According to the U.S. Secret Service, skimming is a multi-billion-dollar-a-year business. While there’s a large percentage of skimming that takes place from hacked ATMs, gas station pumps, and even credit card machines in stores, there’s still a prevalent emergence of crooks skimming card information directly from your wallet simply by walking past you. Sure, the idea of skimming cards is become an antiquated method of “stealing your money,” it’s still best to be safe than sorry by carrying an RFID wallet that will ensure your cards are secure. All it takes is one time, and it pays homage to the saying: It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.”
Where Can I Get An RFID Wallet?
RFID wallets are available from countless vendors around the world, it’s all a matter of preference on what type of wallet that fits your lifestyle. Additionally, RFID wallets can be unique to showcase your style and interests, such as those that we offer on HellBent. The major difference in the Hellbent wallets offered here is that they are all American made out of the great state of Kentucky, offering variety of materials, unique designs, and colors to add to your EDC (every-day-carry) assortment, which all include proper RFID protection.
