RFID Technolgy

Whilst they haven’t reached the UK as yet, no swipe or contactless credit cards are rife in the USA and are receiving a mixed reception, even being denounced in the US Senate due to the perceived weakness in RFID technology. Senator Charles Schumer has stated that this vulnerability must be made clear in all contracts and with the spread of identity theft US citizens may as well publish their personal details on a sandwich board and carry it with them. The new cards carry Radio Frequency ID technology within them that allow you to pay for items by vaguely waving your card in the direction of the teller. It is this laziness and loathing of queues that allows thieves to steal your data without even touching you.

In the USA CASPIAN has RFID labeling legislation titled "The RFID Right to Know Act" available to lawmakers for a number of years.

CASPIAN demanded a recall of RFID credit cards recently when a prominent newspaper reported that a team of security experts discovered that nearly every card tested was vulnerable to illegal and unauthorized charges and put consumers at risk for identity theft.

Researchers demonstrated how thieves could covertly ‘skim’ data from the cards, through wallets, handbags purses, backpacks and briefcases. The data included the cardholder's name, credit card number, expiration date and other information that could be used to make unauthorized purchases.