What is electronic pick-pocketing? Image Courtesy – http://www.skimguard.co.uk
With the advancement of technology, pickpocketing has become electronic. By carrying a scanner and standing near a victim, a criminal can tag their MasterCard information in seconds. During this whole method, the plastic card does not even have to leave the victim’s pocket. Similarly, the same events can be done if anyone’s card carries radio-frequency identification chips (RFID). This implies that they will tag passports, identification badges, etc., of people.
In order to shield yourself from Electronic pick-pocketing, you need to know what RFID technology is. Swipe and pay MasterCard systems, together with ‘Visa Pay Wave’ and ‘MasterCard Pay Pass’, incorporate a small chip in products that enable crucial ID data to be transmitted wirelessly to the receiver, thereby reducing the time of transactions. Ordinary credit cards have a strip that conveys information. However, just in case of RFID chips, they require proximity solely to collect the information.
In modern days, more sophisticated ‘electronic pickpockets’ generally use powerful card scanners and signal boosters. To do that, they used to carry a large antenna concealed in a briefcase or bag. They usually walk through an airport, or a train compartment, or a busy marketplace, scanning and storing the card information of victims. Before returning to their place, they clone hundreds of cards using the secure data they have skimmed.
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The maximum distance at which contactless card information can be read is between 80 cm and 1.5m. Professional criminals are now able to steal the information from your contactless payment card within a specified distance.
Some steps to avoid electronic pick-pocketing:
(i) No matter which device you are using to purchase any product or service, do not go for auto-saving your passwords for online transactions.
(ii) Do not use the ATM pin for online transactions. If you are purchasing anything online, do not provide your ATM pin; instead, go for OTP (One Time Password).
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(iii) If you are using an online purchasing system, you will get an option to save your card once your payment is done. This makes your future transaction with the purchasing system easy and fast. But, in order to avoid electronic pick-pocketing, avoid saving your card information.
These are some simple steps that you can follow in your daily life. Follow these and remain risk-free regarding electronic pick pocketing.
