RFID Passport Wallet
If you are a frequent traveler, you may appreciate travel tips as much as I do. I am always trying to figure out the quickest way to get somewhere while carrying as little as possible and managing to stay out of trouble as well. Over time, I have discovered a few things that work for me. So, let’s talk about RFID blocking passport wallets and cases.
What is RFID?
RFID, Radio Frequency Identification, is the technology that lets you simply wave your credit card, passport, or license in front of a nearby scanner. This is a tad easier and quicker than doing it the old-fashioned way by sliding the magnetic strip through a reader. The electronic scanner sends a signal that is picked up by an antenna which is embedded into the card. When the two connect, a little chip in the card is activated and voila, the reader picks up your personal information.
MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Discover are now producing smart-cards with these little built-in systems. Also, due to a federal mandate as of October 26, 2006, all U.S. passports issued will also include these magical little chips. Wait a minute! It is time for me to renew my passport. Looks like I will be fully equipped with the wonders of modern technology the next time I hit the road.
Wait! There’s More….
So what’s the problem? Here’s the deal. The readers for these new cards with chips are used by convenience stores, pharmacies, restaurants, fast food markets, and many other places of business. However, these same readers can be freely purchased and attached to a laptop or cell phone with very little technical knowledge required. Uh-oh, you can probably already see where I am going with this! That’s right! A seemingly harmless bystander with a laptop may actually be stealing from me without even bothering to pick my pocket. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned thievery? The kind where you could at least chase a hoodlum down the back alleys whilst screaming and swearing profusely. Those days have been replaced with Bond, James Bond, a new kind of 007 that has pimples on his face and would never be able to seduce a beautiful blonde agent into the sack. (sigh)
What’s the Answer?
When traveling all over the world, I try my hardest to travel as light as possible, but there are things that I have to take with me. A credit card, debit card, passport, driver’s license etc….. are all necessary items. Wait a minute! I really don’t want to have to worry about someone stealing my information electronically. Puh-lease! That’s why I am now investing in a wallet that is equipped with RFID blocking powers. Like a sorcerer with a magic potion, I can protect myself from technology bandits. Click here to see the product on Amazon that I have selected.
Don’t misunderstand me. I am a lover of technology. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. I am actually a techno addict! However, with the acquisition of these modern miracles which, incidentally, keep morphing into something more and more amazing at lightening speed, we have to accept personal responsibility for protecting ourselves. Fortunately, the smart thing to do is inexpensive and easy to come by.
4 Comments
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Hey Teresa,
Thank you for this post. It is something that I have heard of before, but apart from not allowing to loose sight of my cards I never thought I could protect more. This wallet is fantastic, because the danger is real. Also it’s so inexpensive that I wish I was in a country where it could be sent by amazon.
Thanks,
Cez
Cez, I wish I could send you one!
Unlike Cez, I have never heard of it before, but I would be an awesome gadget for my travels. I will talk about it with Cez, maybe we can buy one and share. Great post Teresa!
Hello, Agness!
Glad to hear from you. I read your blog posts and enjoy them a lot, too. Thanks for taking the time to give me a little feedback on this recent post of mine. I wish there was a way for me to send you and Cez an RFID blocking wallet for your travels. I will be trying mine out soon. Happy trails….