Paphos Life

A couple of weeks ago I was made aware that criminals are using contact less payment devices to steal money from peoples accounts.

They have a device that looks like a mobile phone, but is has three coloured buttons just like a card payment machine.

This is how they do it, they type in an amount usually around the €20 to €30 mark on the device.

Then they walk past someone with the device held at the height of your back pocket, as close as they can so the device takes a payment from the card.

This can happen anywhere at any time and you will not know about it till you get your bank statement, which by then is to late the money has gone.

I have just purchased a RFID proof wallet to keep my cards in when I am out of the house.

Just a heads up for all the members about this way of stealing from people

Surely it would be insanely easy to catch the criminals? Just see where the money ended up.

This may also be of interest to read if you are concerned.

https://www.snopes.com/fraud/identity/pickpocket.asp

As far as I'm aware contact less payment has a maximum of € 25. But having said that I've had a RFID proof wallet for more than a year (even before I activated the contact less payment possibility).

Hi, Two questions: what does RFID stand for?
As the principle of having this wallet seems sound, which part of Amazon website has them?

Thanks for any useful help with this.

Dee

Hudswell wrote: ↑Thu Dec 07, 2017 10:00 pm Just ordered two RFID cards off amazon....just sit in your wallet/purse to provide protection.

I have had a couple of the RFID cards for a while now. One in my wallet and one in my passport. The cards seem to be a better option than the wallets.

Thanks for the info Austin7 and Hudswell. It seems a good idea.I will order one now.

Dee

Just bought a pack of 10 on fleaBay for £1-99 inc free P&P. I can share these around in the family.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232140070820

I guess we can easily test if these RFID sleeves work by tapping the sleeved card on the POS machine (for purchases under £30 in UK). If it doesn't work, then the sleeve works!

Thanks for the heads up on this, folks! AL

Happy in Cyprus wrote: ↑Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:25 pm Just saw this article on another forum, which pretty much backs up the Snopes article Dominic posted earlier: https://www.csoonline.com/article/31990 ... allet.html

I can't make the link load, sorry HiC

I guess it's telling us not to worry???

But ... I saw it on t'internet, so, it must be worth worrying about!!!

Lloyd- it's only the new generation contactless cards that have the symbol on them you need worry about.

Older cards that you have to insert into the POS machine, then tap in your PIN, are invisible to this new breed of electronic pick-pocketing low-life scum...

AL

H i C

Thanks for posting ...