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Ever since we’ve been able to tap our payment cards on a terminal rather than sticking them in and typing a PIN – or, worse, signing a piece of paper like something out of the 20th century – criminals have been looking for a way to exploit this convenience and relieve us of some money.
In theory, anyone who brushes up against you on the tube or in the street could be carrying a terminal that could operate as if you were making a purchase. If the terminal is brought close enough to you – the optimum distance for contactless payments is 4cm and doesn’t exceed 10cm – a transaction could be made, unbeknownst to you.
Best RFID-blocking wallets at a glance
As your payment information is encrypted during a contactless purchase, and scannable data doesn’t include the CVV code required to make online purchases, it’s highly unlikely a criminal performing one of these so-called ‘skimming’ attacks would end up with your full card details.
Any money you lose through fraud is protected by credit card legislation, but there are steps you can take to prevent it from happening in the first place.
As contactless payments use the RFID and NFC protocols, and the latter is based on the former, you can use an RFID blocker to stop signals from being transferred.
These usually take the form of layers of aluminium, copper or nickel alloy, conductive metals that disrupt the radio waves being used.
Built into a wallet, they’re a convenient way to get a little extra security.
Here are some of the best – shop now
Skimming attacks might not be common, but they have become a real worry for those of us used to carrying around a few cards on a night out or on the way back from work. Having an RFID-blocking layer in your wallet is a sensible security precaution, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look good while doing it.
The Samsonite Urban-Eye SLG is a tough and well-made pocket accessory that will hold multiple cards as well as cash securely, and comes with the signal-blocking layer that might one day prevent a theft.
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