What is RFID? / FAQ

What does RFID Stand for?

RFID Stands for Radio Frequency Identification, this is the technology that lets you simply wave your contactless credit, debit, transit, identification card, passport or license in front of a nearby scanner instead of having to slide the magnetic stripe through it. It’s a fairly simple concept. The electronic scanner sends a signal that an antenna in the card receives and uses to activate the RFID chip. Unfortunately, criminals with minimal technical skills can construct their own RFID readers with a few simple supplies. These devices can steal your private financial information quickly and silently—all the perpetrator needs to do is come near your wallet with the hidden card reader. And the worst part is RFID enabled credit cards don't have an off switch.

How RFID Blocking Works?

RFID blocking works by creating a shield around the card that blocks the ability to power and communicate with the RFID chip, by doing this our products protect personal information stored on these cards. In other words, our product work as an off switch for your contactless cards.

What Cards use RFID Technology?

RFID technology ( Radio Frequency Identification ) is already being used in numerous consumer products and is constantly expanding. The following are just a few examples.

  • Contactless Payment Cards (Credit and Debit Cards)
  • Hotel keys
  • US Passports Since Oct 2006
  • Work IDs
  • Transit cards (Easy Card, TAP, OMNY, PayPass, etc.)
  • Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDL)

These Enhanced Drivers License chips contain first page passport information including your photo. The special driver’s licenses from New York, Michigan, Washington, Vermont are “enhanced” with long-range RFID chips. Overall, enough data that identity theft is an ongoing threat for owners of RFID enabled products.

Are All RFID Chips the Same?

There are Three basic types of cards:

13.56 Megahertz frequency chips:
• New debit and credit cards
• Passports
• Public Transportation cards 
• Hotel keys
• New ID and access cards
• US Government Employee ID Cards
• Military CAC Cards
• TWIC Cards

860-960 Mhz frequency chips:
• Enhanced Drivers Licences
• E-Passports
• Passport Cards

125 Kilohertz frequency chips:
• ID cards
• Building Access cards
• Gate Access cards

Does my Credit Card have an RFID Chip?

If your card has PayPass™, PayWave™ or Blink™, indicated by a logo or a radio wave signal on the front or back of the card, then it definitely has an RFID chip embedded in it. However, cards can have a chip even if there is no logo or symbol. 

How can You Guard Against Electronic Pickpocketing (EP)?

The most important step is to make sure you guard your RFID enabled cards against unauthorized RFID readers. Many credit cards contain chips that record your personal information, so if you do not use protective measures with RFID wallets or secure sleeves, identity thieves can obtain your credit card data using hidden RFID readers without you ever knowing.

What card types will Identity Stronghold’s products shield and protect against Electronic Pickpocketing?

The patented Secure Badge holder Classic, Secure Sleeves and Secure Wallets are designed to shield from electronic pickpocketing (EP) all 13.56Mhz contactless credit cards, passports, drivers licenses, ISO 14443A/B and EPC Gen1/Gen2 contactless smart cards; any contactless card that operates at 13.56 Mhz and above.

Will your Secure Sleeves and RFID Wallets Protect my Office Access Card?

The Secure Badge Holders Classic with BloxProx ™ and the Duolite ™ with BloxProx  now protect older cards with 125 Khz chips embedded, most often used for building access. Our traditional sleeves and wallets do NOT protect these cards. These new badge holders will also protect RFID cards that include a secondary 125 Khz antenna added for backward compatibility as well as the new 13.56 Mhz interface. The 13.56 Mhz interface is generally the only one with personal data.

All Holders Shield These Types of Cards:

  • All new contactless credit cards and debit cards
  • US Passport Cards
  • Enhanced Driver's Licenses such as Washington, Michigan, New York, Vermont, and Canadian provinces.
  • Many transit cards such as the DC Metro and Boston Charlie™ card
  • TWIC™ (Transportation Worker Identification Credential)
  • HID iClass, HID MIFARE®, HID FlexSmart, DESFire
  • Indala FlexSmart
  • Any card ISO 14443A/B or ISO 15693 compatible
  • All MIFARE® and DESFire compatible cards
  • sQuid cards used in Europe
  • Military CAC (Common Acess Cards)
  • New Government PIV (Personal Identity Verification) cards such as the Linc-Pass
  • New long range RFID EPC Gen1/Gen2 cards


    Secure Badge Holders Classic Blox Prox and DuoLite with Blox Prox now protect these RFID cards:

    Older "prox" cards, HID 125 khz. Includes:

    ProxCard II, ISOProx II, DuoProx II, Smart ISOProx II, Smart DuoProxII, ProxCard Plus

    Indala FlexISO, FlexCard, Flex Tag

    (Call for information 800-610-2770 as we are working on a special version of our BloxProx Holder.)

    How can you guard against electronic pickpocketing, also known as EP?

    The most important step is to make sure you guard your RFID enabled cards against unauthorized RFID readers. Many credit cards contain chips that record your personal information, so if you do not use protective measures with RFID wallets or secure sleeves, identity thieves can obtain your credit card data using hidden RFID readers without you ever knowing.

    Protect your RFID chipped cards now!