Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I think there are 4 types. The RFID chip is not the same as the SMART chip (in Canada at least). It is at the opposite end of the card from the smart card. So #4 is a card which has the smart chip *and* a RFID chip embedded. At least in Canada, type #2 I don't think exist. Even debit cards has been converted to #3. Much more secure as long as the card doesn't get stolen from you after someone shoulder-surfed to get your PIN. RFID chips can be read from a far greater distance than most people realize but it takes work to build a long distance RFID reader. Card skimmers which clones the magnetic strip on the back of the cards are quite popular and easy to get. This is why most card terminals in Canada will NOT accept swipe with a card that has both a magnetic strip *and* a smart chip. You must always use the smart card reader. By the way, if you ever forget your PIN with the smart card, you are toast. Get the PIN wrong 3 times (for my card), your card locks up on it's own. Regards, Spencer On Jun 4, 2013, at 10:42, Frank Filippone <red735i at verizon.net> wrote: > We just researched this subject for our use.... > > Physically, there are 3 types of Credit Cards... Plus the Debit Versions, > that only differ in where they take the money from. > > This is from a US perspective... foreign cards are more advanced! > > 1) Normal old Credit cards.. like the ones they issued to me in 1970... Mag > strip on the back, signature spot on back, signature required. ( No one > checks signatures any more...they want to see ID....) > > 2) Card with Smart Chip... Signature required... The only type of Smart > Card > you can get in the USA ( with 1 exception, which I forget who offers). Not > really too advanced over #1, but Europe can use them, sometimes. Sometimes > not useable in Europe's automated ( or not) ATM or other credit card > readers.... > > 3) Smart Card with PIN.... Absolutely the most secure card. Swipe+ use > PIN, no signature required... and what Europe has used for the past XXX > years.... > > The Smart Chip is an RFID chip, that allows for non-contact reading. > > All the talk about reading these Smart Chips while walking by a bad guy is > in the US.... Paranoia.... If it were a real risk, Europe would not use > them.... > > For the Bankers among us... if the absolutely most secure solution is #3, > and the Banks complain about fraud, why do they not change over? > > BTW, it took over an hour with CITI Bank to figure out what kind of card > they were providing us with and 2 tries to get it right... We will see if > it works in Europe....at all.... > > Frank Filippone > Red735i at verizon.net > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >