What are RFID Wallets Made Of?
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is becoming increasingly popular in everyday items, including wallets.
However, there remains some mystery and skepticism surrounding the technology.
RFID is most commonly used in stores to prevent theft but is slowly making its way into the public world. But what are RFID wallets made of? Let's take a look.
RFID: What is It?
The Basics
Radio Frequency Identification technology refers to technology that uses a radio wave reader to capture the digital data that is encoded in RFID smart labels or tags. It is comparable to barcoding in that the data from a label or tag is obtained and stored in a database.
RFID does possess several advantages over the barcode asset tracking software used in most systems today. Perhaps the most significant advantage is that RFID tag data is captured out of line-of-sight, while barcodes need an optical scanner to be aligned.
How Does it Work?
There exists a technology group known as AIDC, which stands for Automatic Identification and Data Capture. RFID belongs to this group. AIDC technologies can identify objects and items automatically, gather information about them, and deposit that data into a computer system directly with little to no human input or intervention.
To do this, RFID technology uses radio waves, which is how it earned its name. At its most basic form, RFID systems comprise three main parts: the RFID smart label or tag, an antenna, and an RFID reader.
An RFID tag contains what is known as the integrated circuit and antenna. The purpose of these is to transfer information to the RFID reader, which is also known as the interrogator. The reader will then transpose the radio waves into a more easily accessible data form.
RFID Smart Labels and Tags
As mentioned previously, RFID tags comprise an antenna and an integrated circuit. The tag itself also has a protective material build that safeguards the pieces from environmental conditions as well as holds them together.
The material used to protect the tag depends on what the tag itself will be used for. For instance, ID badges given to employees will generally be made of durable, hard plastic. The tag will be embedded between two layers of said plastic.
You can purchase RFID tags in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and can be classified as either active or passive. Passive tags are typically the most-used type of tag because they are small and inexpensive to implement, and they need to be “charged” by the RFID reader prior to being able to transfer data.
Active tags possess a built-in power supply, unlike their passive counterparts, which enables them to transfer data uninterrupted all the time. RFID tags differ from smart labels in that smart labels use both barcode and RFID technologies.
RFID-Blocking Wallets
While conspiracy theorists and technophobes will have you believe that the only way to protect your credit cards from skimmers is to wrap them aluminum foil, there are far safer and more elegant solutions available, such as RFID wallets.
RFID-blocking wallets were specifically designed and manufactured to prevent skimmers from detecting your card information. RFID-blocking wallets contain an enveloping layer made from a carbon fiber material.
This unique wrapping in your RFID wallet blocks the electromagnetic fields that skimmers use to reach your cards that are embedded with RFID chips.
The carbon fiber material used in this wrapping is what is known as a conductive material.
This means that the protective layer inside of an RFID wallet distributes the electromagnetic waves that are produced by a skimmers RFID scanner around the wallet, but prevents them from passing through the wrapping.
It is essential to understand that for an item embedded with an RFID chip to be considered safe, they need to be inside the wallet, as mere proximity to the RFID wallet will not protect your cards.
What is Card Skimming?
Credit card skimming is an entirely blindsiding kind of theft. A cardholder that has been skimmed will notice that fraudulent charges are being made to their card/s, or that withdrawals are being made, while their card has never left their wallet.
Credit Card Skimming
Credit card skimming occurs when a thief uses a small device to siphon credit card information during a debit or credit card transaction that would otherwise have been legitimate.
When a debit or credit card is swiped through a skimmer, all the details that are stored in the card’s magnetic strip are captured and stored.
This strip houses the card’s number, expiration date, and the full name of the cardholder. This data is then used to make fraudulent charges through either a counterfeit card or online.
ATM Skimming
It is common for credit card skimmers to be placed over the mechanism that cards are swiped through at ATMs, but they can be placed over pretty much any card reader.
In the case of ATMs, thieves may also put an undetectable camera to record your PIN, giving them all the information that they need to produce counterfeit cards.
Final Thoughts
Obviously, keeping your card information secure is a priority for most people. RFID wallets are a great way to do this while still remaining inconspicuous and fashionable.
