With the introduction of new technology there are always going to be individuals who will look to exploit that for their own personal gain and this has been the fear with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID). In recent years one of the biggest areas which has seen criminal activity increase is identity and trade, as fraudsters have been able to manipulate these systems which have been put in place to help us and use it to acquire our details.
The arrival of RFID has sparked fear and debate among experts as they believe that the negatives vastly outweigh the benefits as would-be criminals are free to access our private information without our knowledge. With this technology being implemented into banking and debit cards, important information that concerns our finances is being transmitted even when it is not in use so the data is constantly at risk.
Fortunately, there have been a number of useful measures put in place to combat this and improve your security, with the arrival of RFID shield cards being a major force. The way it works is by simply sliding the wallet over your card and the protective coating which is crafted within it blocks any suspecting fraudsters. So whenever your card is not in use it can be stored in this wallet and prevent any information from being transmitted – although it is not 100 per cent guaranteed to do the job.
What is RFID?
RFID or Radio-Frequency Identification works in the same way as a bar code or a magnetic strip on the back of a credit card or ATM card, providing the object a unique identification and once it has been scanned the information that it holds will readily available. In order to access this information however the RFID device must be scanned by an electronic reader which can then monitor the contents. This simple technology usually consists of a small device which is capable of holding large amounts of data and instead of having to directly insert it into a reader and input a code, it only needs to be in the vicinity and the information can be transmitted.
