“…criminals can steal credit cards, debit cards, passports and other valuable information…This crime is referred to as “electronic pickpocketing”. The technology used to perform this type of theft is called radio frequency identification or “RFID”….
Hundreds of millions of credit cards, debit cards and all passports issued since 2006 are embedded with a radio frequency identification chip—or RFID. RFID chips are also commonly used in hotel keys, cards that raise gates in parking garages and unlock doors at businesses. Government, military and port of entry ID cards are also vulnerable to this type of theft. You need only swipe the card in front of a reader. The RFID chip is always on, making consumers more susceptible to identity theft.Â
Thieves can steal this information by using a frequency reader. These readers are inexpensive and easy to obtain. The thief can simply walk next to you and acquire your credit card number and expiration date without any physical contact. While these cards are in your wallet or purse they can transmit your card or passport number and in some states, your digital drivers’ license information when placed near a reader. The information almost immediately appears on a computer screen without you ever knowing about it. Apparently U.S. passports are more difficult to read than cards with RFID chips because they require a password. However, hackers with enough knowledge can see everything on the passport’s front page.  A thief can be long gone before the consumer ever realizes his information has been stolen. This is “electronic pickpocketing”.
For more: http://www.ktnv.com/story/14225766/consumers-beware-of-electronic-pickpocketing
