Warning For People Use Contactless Credit Cards
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- A summit earlier this week in Montgomery County gave local police a lesson on what's being called high-tech pick-pocketing. At issue are the credit cards that you skim over -- not swipe through -- a card reader. So, should you be concerned if they're in your wallet?
The ability to pay with RFID-embedded plastic has been around for years, but now authorities fear bad guys are wising up to this avenue of thievery.
"If you have these types of cards in your wallet or purse, and they have the right equipment, they can be walking by you -- and because it is transmitted through radio frequency, they'd be able to get this information," says Gabby Beltran, of the Identity Theft Resource Center.
This info includes account numbers and expiration dates, says Beltran. But neither she -- nor the FBI and Secret Service in Philadelphia -- know of any such cases in our area, and authorities say there are much easier ways for criminals to troll for personal information.
Newer contactless cards generate a security key with each transaction, and industry officials say that can't be wirelessly skimmed. So, Beltran says, ask your card company for one of those.
And, as with any credit card, "Always check the bank statements."
Reported by Ian Bush, KYW Newsradio
