[LINK] contactless cards thieves

[Jan Whitaker]

[Story below from UR. Reports here in Australia are that these are 
coming to us whether we want them or not, so good luck asking for a 
card without the chip AND they will be automatically 'on'. Does 
anyone have influence with the Banking minister? This is outrageous!]

Thieves take advantage of new bank-card technology

http://www.9news.com/money/199639/344/Thieves-take-advantage-of-new-bank-card-techonolgy?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|t

KUSA - Banks are putting tiny computer chips in more and more credit 
cards and debit cards. In the U.S., 35 million of those so-called 
contactless cards have the chips already.

They're supposed to make it quicker for you to buy things. But a 
Consumer Reports investigation shows that they allow thieves to pick 
your pocket electronically. Thieves can collect sensitive account 
information while it's being transmitted by using a card reader that 
costs less than $100.

If a thief hides a card reader in a bag or purse and just bumps into 
you, in that moment he can steal your credit-card information. The 
thief can then download your account number, expiration date, and 
security data to a computer. From there it's simple to use blank 
cards to make counterfeits.

Consumer Reports worked with a security-consulting firm, Recursion 
Ventures, to demonstrate the cards' weakness. Recursion Ventures was 
able to use the counterfeit card to successfully charge a transaction.

You may have contactless cards in your wallet and not even know it. 
Chase cards say Blink. MasterCards' are called PayPass. And some have 
a symbol of several wavy lines. The technology is active whether you 
use the card for contactless payments or not. Consumer Reports says 
that there's not much you can do except ask your bank whether they 
will replace the card with a regular one.

You may also see protective sleeves for sale. But Recursion Ventures' 
tests of 10 of them found that they didn't block the signal 
completely. In fact, a homemade sleeve made of duct tape lined with 
aluminum foil worked better than most of the sleeves available for sale.

The banking industry insists that contactless-card technology is 
secure and that there have been no reports of problems. But Consumer 
Reports says the technology's security must be improved because as 
these cards become more widespread, they'll become a bigger target 
for thieves.

Consumer Reports has no commercial relationship with any advertiser 
or sponsor appearing on this Web site.


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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