RFID: Just say no

My credit card company sent me a new card today, and I see a new logo on it that says “Blink” and a log that looks like a speaker. Hmm. I wonder if that’s RFID (radio frequency identification). Yes it is. The supposed convenience is that I can wave my credit card over a scanner instead of swiping — aah, now my luxury is complete.

The good news is that you can request a non-RFID card. Unlike the guy in the linked web page, I was at first told that all cards have RFID in them now, but that tune changed once I mentioned the web page. I should have my new card in a few days.

Why should you be concerned? Well, someone with the right equipment could read your card while it’s in your pocket. You wouldn’t need to lose your wallet to have a lousy vacation. They have already found out how to clone the RFID in passports but the US government has not changed their mind about RFID yet.