We hear a lot about scammers getting info from our credit cards just by passing nearby and scanning near men's back pockets or women's purses. Have you switched to an RFID wallet? Are they all just as good as the next one? If you have the kind that just holds your cards, was it difficult to get used to having one wallet for cards and another for cash and whatever else you keep in yours?
I feel like I still carry the "purse with everything I might ever need", like checkbook and tissues and hand lotion and a keep-the-dog-busy toy and everything else (plus the stuff my husband hands me to hold on to for him), on top of my phone, keys, sunglasses and things I actually need/use regularly. I see those tiny purses on display and I wonder how women survive with those - yet I secretly yearn to simplify!
What do you do?
ETA: Here's some info from Snopes on this subject: http://www.snopes.com/fraud/identity/pickpocket.asp
Thanks everyone for all of your input and ideas!
I just stick my cards down my pants and line my panties with tin foil.
I really REALLY hate those commercials. A thief cannot scan your card in a few seconds using something in their backpack, especially if it is a chip card. It takes some time for a reader to fully read the info in the chip. That is why chip cards are safer. The biggest issue for the fraud items actually is someone stealing mail, getting malware onto your computer, or one of those data fraud breeches that have happened.
I usually just have my wristlet wallet and carry a bag for work only. I hate carrying a purse.
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I really REALLY hate those commercials. A thief cannot scan your card in a few seconds using something in their backpack, especially if it is a chip card. It takes some time for a reader to fully read the info in the chip. That is why chip cards are safer. The biggest issue for the fraud items actually is someone stealing mail, getting malware onto your computer, or one of those data fraud breeches that have happened.
I usually just have my wristlet wallet and carry a bag for work only. I hate carrying a purse.
I have my regular wallet and either wear a very simple cross-body purse or use a backpack. When I have the backpack I'll often put the wallet in the main part of the bag, not an outside pocket. Either way, if anyone got close enough to try to electronically steal info, it's likely I would notice. Plus, we receive alerts for charges which are unusual.
From what I've read, scanning the credit cards used to be more of an issue with the older cards (several years ago). Now, according to several sources including Slate magazine, the new chip cards transmit different signals per transaction, so if someone scanned your card, they'd only be able to make one transaction, which your bank would catch. As Slate put it, it's a lot of work for not much reward.
I have a travel purse, which I take when flying or on a long road-trip kind of drive, that has RFID blocking embedded in it. I bought it from Magellan's, which sells travel related items. It can hold all my cards, passport, etc, with room for my phone and basic necessities, and it's a cross-body style with a strap that cannot be sliced (the strap is steel-enforced, but it's very light-weight and comfortable).
For everyday errands, I have a very small purse that simply holds my smartphone and a small card-holder that contains insurance cards, license, credit card, debit card, military dependent's ID, and my dh's business card in case I get run over by a bus and they need to call someone. That's it. The purse holds no more - it's basically the size of my smartphone. I never carry a checkbook - just use my debit card so the transaction is just like a check. Keys are kept on a very secure carabiner, and those are just my car key and house key. I either clip the carabiner to the purse strap (it's also a cross-body style) or to a belt loop. I enter my phone number at stores where I have rewards so I don't have to carry those keychain cards.
Actually, several security websites have warned that the bigger issue is not with the RFID scanners, but with the ATM skimmers. Those are small fake ATM card swipe things that are secretly placed over the real ATM card swipe or keypad. Yes, you get your money, but by swiping the card through the fake one, all of your info has been taken by the scammers and thieves. The warning message is to inspect the ATM machine and see if the place where you scan your card or insert your card or put in your PIN looks thicker than usual, or looks newer than the rest of the machine. Don't use that machine in that case. Also, it's better to go into a reputable business like a big 24 hour grocery store or into a bank lobby to get cash from an ATM. The ATM skimmers are usually put on isolated ATMs. Someone in a bank or grocery store would certainly notice a person partially dismantling an ATM or adding something to it mechanically. But it wouldn't be as difficult to do that to an ATM on a quiet street or where businesses shut down for the night and few people pass by at night.
And, if you're going to a busy place like a museum or carnival or fair or Disneyland or a major sporting event, the reputable security sites say: simply place a piece of aluminum foil around your wallet when it's in your pocket or purse. It's as good an RFID blocker as anything else, and crowded places like circuses and ball games and fairs are the places that scammers look for the distracted people who are oohing and aahing over the fireworks or watching the game while trying to balance a beer and a hot dog, waiting in boring lines while busy on their phones or trying to amuse their fussy child, etc.
I don't have a RFID wallet but I do have little sleeves that I can slip my credit and debit cards into that are RFID blocking and those slip right into the card slots in my regular wallet. I can actually fit a couple of cards per sleeve so I don't need too many. I got mine at REI personally because I love shopping there and they sell a 3 pack for a great price with all their other travel stuff.
Not all cards are RFID cards so you are not automatically at risk but I figure it can't hurt. My husband does carry a RFID blocking wallet. He worked at a place that had RFID ID badges to get into the building so he tested it out. It did work! You could not scan his ID badge while in the wallet. He also tested the sleeves I use and they worked as well.
I can't do the small purse at all either. I tried cleaning my purse out earlier this week to see if I could purge anything out of it because I'm not supposed to carry anything heavy for a few weeks after my surgery and my purse is pretty heavy. I use everything in it on a regular enough basis to carry it! That's why I love the little sleeves I have. I can use my regular wallet that also carries all the other stupid stuff like my insurance card and AAA card and stuff like that and it fits right in there.
I know that it's not as easy to run into issues with RFID cards but why take the chance when you can do something super simple and cheap to prevent it? Bonus is the sleeves I use protect the magnetic strip from getting too worn out and it lasts longer so I don't have to get replacement cards as often.
I don't carry an RFID wallet. I'm just not that concerned - yet.
I do love the tiny purse though! My purse is just big enough for:
my card holder that serves as my wallet
it has a small zip pocket for coins
my cell phone
a small pack of travel tissues (thanks allergies)
a keyring with those pesky store cards
That's it. I don't even carry a pen - don't need one.
Keys go in my pocket, sunglasses on my head, and I tell my DH to carry his own stuff :) I've never carried a checkbook - credit card is smaller and can be used anywhere. I see those huge bags that are in style right now and think why would anyone want to carry that around?
I haven't got an FRID wallet.
I did however simplify. I used to have to have a big enough tote for work. I could carry extra sweater and shoes in it, and my lunch. When I had little kids, I always had a big tote for their stuff too.
I found it impossible to find my keys and even if they had little pockets, chances are I'd just throw them in the main compartment.
I purchased a small cross body and haven't looked back. It's big enough for my wallet (full sized), my phone, my keys and tissues and lip gloss.
I've made the transition to the smaller purse. And I like that it's a cross body. No more bags falling off my shoulder.
I don't have a checking account or any credit cards. My husband does though. When we travel we leave everything at home and put an amount on a prepaid credit card. We have the room paid for and any tickets or anything. So when we are there we pretty much only need food money and some spending money.
I bought a metal hard side case because it's small and easier to find cards in it. I rarely carry a purse. This is small enough for a pocket. If i'm not shopping I don't need it. I do carry my debit card in my wallet.
Extras like kleenex, lip gloss, hearing aide batteries are in my car and easy to grab when I need them. They fit in pockets.
Ha ha, Fuzzy!!
My husband bought me one of those card holders that is supposed to prevent that. I don't know if it's called an RFID wallet. (Maybe I should look for a picture of it on Amazon.) I like it because it opens, fans out and I can put several cards in it and then zip it up down in my purse. I guess I feel safer that way than with my cards in my actual wallet I carry with cash and change within my pocketbook. Like several of these ladies, I have a bunch of "stuff" in my pocketbook and don't like to travel without most of it.
