Tin foil to block credit card scanners?
12-19-2010, 12:00 PM
#51
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Boonsboro, MD
Posts: 2,670
We actually watched a demo of how they steal cars and, now in the Holidays, all of your Christmas Gifts. They stand in the parking lot with a small 4x6" machine and as you walk away from your car and click your activator to lock your car it picks up the code. They walk over like they are opening your car door and click the machine and opens your door, someone drives up behind the car and they offload everything, get in and drive off. They showed us 5 different cars and it worked every time. They can buy the gadget for under $20.00 on the internet. Scary! I hand lock my doors now.
12-19-2010, 12:03 PM
#52
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western Nevada
Posts: 2,520
Mylar won't stop RF from getting through, so any product using mylar probably won't work. You'll need something with metal.
I'd suggest going to the hardware store and getting some sticky backed foil tape from the plumbing department. Not what we commonly know as duct tape, but it's used to seal and join ductwork. It comes in various widths up to 4 inches wide or so.
You could cut it just slightly smaller than your lining fabric and stick it to the wrong side of the fabric with the foil side facing out. Sew your lining in and you'll have a foil lined purse. You'll want it smaller because you won't want to sew through the foil itself, the adhesive will mess up your needle in no time.
I'd suggest going to the hardware store and getting some sticky backed foil tape from the plumbing department. Not what we commonly know as duct tape, but it's used to seal and join ductwork. It comes in various widths up to 4 inches wide or so.
You could cut it just slightly smaller than your lining fabric and stick it to the wrong side of the fabric with the foil side facing out. Sew your lining in and you'll have a foil lined purse. You'll want it smaller because you won't want to sew through the foil itself, the adhesive will mess up your needle in no time.
12-19-2010, 12:13 PM
#53
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
It is TIN foil, not aluminum foil, that blocks the RFID chips in passports, drivers licenses, credit cards and the like. And do they make wallets that have the same blocking effect.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5222296_dest...ity-theft.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...ll-RFID-chips/
http://www.ehow.com/how_5222296_dest...ity-theft.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...ll-RFID-chips/
12-19-2010, 01:03 PM
#54
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 2,879
Originally Posted by catrancher
My husband is an engineer. This is what he said about it:
First of all, your card has to have the RFID chip for this to work, and you can find a symbol on the back of your card that will tell you if it does. I just checked our cards, and none of them have it.
Second, if thieves will do this, the cards will stop being made. If you don't have one now, you probably never will.
Third, if you're like me, your cards are all stacked together in your wallet. The device would get just a mish mash of information and nothing usable.
Fourth, the person has to stand right next to you to get close enough. I never let a stranger stand that close to me, except possibly in a checkout line, when I have my wallet and my cards in my hand.
My take on it? The chance it would happen to you is extremely remote.
First of all, your card has to have the RFID chip for this to work, and you can find a symbol on the back of your card that will tell you if it does. I just checked our cards, and none of them have it.
Second, if thieves will do this, the cards will stop being made. If you don't have one now, you probably never will.
Third, if you're like me, your cards are all stacked together in your wallet. The device would get just a mish mash of information and nothing usable.
Fourth, the person has to stand right next to you to get close enough. I never let a stranger stand that close to me, except possibly in a checkout line, when I have my wallet and my cards in my hand.
My take on it? The chance it would happen to you is extremely remote.
12-19-2010, 01:03 PM
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 2,879
Originally Posted by catrancher
My husband is an engineer. This is what he said about it:
First of all, your card has to have the RFID chip for this to work, and you can find a symbol on the back of your card that will tell you if it does. I just checked our cards, and none of them have it.
Second, if thieves will do this, the cards will stop being made. If you don't have one now, you probably never will.
Third, if you're like me, your cards are all stacked together in your wallet. The device would get just a mish mash of information and nothing usable.
Fourth, the person has to stand right next to you to get close enough. I never let a stranger stand that close to me, except possibly in a checkout line, when I have my wallet and my cards in my hand.
My take on it? The chance it would happen to you is extremely remote.
First of all, your card has to have the RFID chip for this to work, and you can find a symbol on the back of your card that will tell you if it does. I just checked our cards, and none of them have it.
Second, if thieves will do this, the cards will stop being made. If you don't have one now, you probably never will.
Third, if you're like me, your cards are all stacked together in your wallet. The device would get just a mish mash of information and nothing usable.
Fourth, the person has to stand right next to you to get close enough. I never let a stranger stand that close to me, except possibly in a checkout line, when I have my wallet and my cards in my hand.
My take on it? The chance it would happen to you is extremely remote.
12-19-2010, 03:28 PM
#56
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western Nevada
Posts: 2,520
Originally Posted by ghostrider
It is TIN foil, not aluminum foil, that blocks the RFID chips in passports, drivers licenses, credit cards and the like. And do they make wallets that have the same blocking effect.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5222296_dest...ity-theft.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...ll-RFID-chips/
http://www.ehow.com/how_5222296_dest...ity-theft.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...ll-RFID-chips/
12-19-2010, 04:53 PM
#58
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
Originally Posted by bearisgray
http://www.idstronghold.com/?gclid=C...FcjsKgodqA0ZpA
covers are being sold through here - along with a mention of the fox news story
covers are being sold through here - along with a mention of the fox news story
There was a product shown, and the man who was doing the demonstration pointed out that the product was someone's attempt to protect others (I don't recall that he even mentioned whether it would work or not.)
I have been trying to figure out how the device works if the card is in my wallet, along with a bunch of other cards with the same capability.
I am just going to pay a lot of attention to people standing really close to me <g> <wave>
12-19-2010, 05:19 PM
#59
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 18,726
On the demo that I saw on the news, the person with the machine would accidently "bump" into you while walking down the sidewalk. Of course, they are polite and say "excuse me" and you would think nothing of it. In the meantime, they are walking away with your info. I don't think it matters if your cards are stacked or not.
12-19-2010, 05:22 PM
#60
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
Originally Posted by sandpat
On the demo that I saw on the news, the person with the machine would accidently "bump" into you while walking down the sidewalk. Of course, they are polite and say "excuse me" and you would think nothing of it. In the meantime, they are walking away with your info. I don't think it matters if your cards are stacked or not.
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