Metal Wallets

[grannie39]

Metal Wallets, I keep seeing them advertised in the daily express,What is the point of them? and are they any use ? has anyone got one ?

[LazyGun]

There is a suggestion that thieves and villians might be able to construct a portable RFiD reader and hence steal the data from "smart" credit/debit cards etc - so using a (usually metal-mesh) wallet prevents that, since it would be kind of Faraday cage.

Sounds like a marketing gimmick to me :)

[whiskeryron]

The point is if the government decides to put magnetic strips in our paper money, cash will be reluctant to leave the wallet thereby helping massive savings in spending.

WR.

[sandyRoe]

I was given one that holds credit cards a couple of Christmass's back. It's still sitting in its box and this post reminds me that I was going to give it to the charity shop.

[ChillDoubt]

Might be a daft question but would putting a note sized piece of tin foil in your wallet have the same effect?

[Sipowicz]

Foiled again!

[LazyGun]

@Chill Very probably :) Still not sure this idea of electronic theft has been substantiated as going on. Just sounds like some venturesome entrepreneurs using the threat as a marketing ploy to sell a niche product at an inflated price :)

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/02/08/remotetheftriskorscaretactic.html

[squarebear]

I agree with Lazygun. It all seems highly improbable to me that someone could get close enough with one of these devices in order to read your cards.

[carrust]

Typical Express/Mail story....frightening the sh1t out of their gullible readers.

[Peter Pedant]

They sudduv look like cigarette cases
but if you open them you find money inside....

that is their point and use
yes I have one, but I prefer Faberge and or a bikers wallet

[Peter Pedant]

Chilldoubt - if it is Faraday cage thing
I am not sure if Al is efficient
Faraday cages are usually constructed in copper (cu)
Ag and Au are very efficient.

Thick chicken wire does work (having seen it) but I thought that was the iron insde and not the al covering.

If you are really worried - why not steal one of the metal cages you find around trees on streets and parks and walk around in it ?

[Stephen_G]

I've heard that they're to help prevent card fraud, but I've also heard that they help stop your card being charged if someone else is using a contactless card in front of you - the bit that you swipe your card over can detect the pin in your card (Assuming you're standing closer to the receiver than the person paying for their goods) as well.

I THINK there were teething troubles when the technology was first launched.

[beegeebee]

Was given one just over a year ago and, it was bl@@dy useless! After 6 weeks it cracked and wouldn't fold properly and eventually disintegrated. So into the recycling and back to an old fashioned soft leather wallet. no trouble since, does make one wonder if it's all a very clever marketing gimmick?

[Hopkirk]

I've got a contactless credit card, and sometimes I struggle to get it to connect.

The suggestion that I could accidentally charge to it is frankly ridiculous.

[Stephen_G]

Is that right, Dr. Hopkirk?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24743920

[whiskeryron]

// Might be a daft question but would putting a note sized piece of tin foil in your wallet have the same effect? //

Yes, I cut out 2 credit card sized pieces of cardboard & covered them with kitchen foil (glued on) then put them in 1st & last pocket of card wallet so that all cards in between are protected.

WR.

[grannie39]

Thanks to all of you , for answering my question on metal wallets, I don't think I will bother buying one for my son, for Christmas he will probably laugh me out of town. ! thanks anyway.