I know, I can already hear you (probably liberal) luddites saying "oh, but what about security? and what need does it actually fill? It's not like I suffer wrist injuries from swiping my card." But chew on this; 5 seconds (minimum!) per transaction, averaging 3 transactions a day, 365 days a year, with 149 million card-carrying working folks averaging an hourly income of $16.62 = 3.77 billion dollars! That's money we could use to fight the war on terror. Think about that! I'm signing up for one right away, and the first thing I'm going to do is gas up my Hummer to drive down to the mall and buy a Blu-Ray player.

Whats stopping someone from creating a mobile rfid reader? Considering this is something that you just wave to use it creates a whole host of security issues. No thanks I'll keep my plastic.

They mailed me one last week ... it's been sitting on my desk since then, unactivated. What happens when the three cards I carry decide they want to "me too" Citibank? Now I've got 3 of these pieces of shit on my keychain? Credit cards work because they're compact and fit in a wallet. I don't want a charm bracelet of bullshit connected to my keys each fighting for the right to spend my money when I try to wave one of them in front of a sensor. Just because you can doesn't mean you always should. Wish some companies would learn that lesson.

While I understand much of the concern about RFID, I don't however understand how people think this is a "new" consumer concept. The Mobil Speedpass has existed since at least the late 1990s. There are Mcdonalds here in Florida that even take them.

two...most people are pretty technology ignorant. guys who follow it for example know of all sony's screw ups. will they do badly though? no. why? because the vast majority who are buying them do not. same with this stuff. though i am guessing that back then it wasnt nearly as easy to build a portable rfid reader as it might be today. people seem to be arguing that it takes too long or you have to be very close in order for something like an rfid's numbers to be stolen by someone passing by with a special scanner...couldnt it be possible that someone builds such a powerful one that it actually does?

I don't use my credit card in shops, anyway — that's what EFTPOS is for. The credit card only comes out when I'm shopping online, which this won't do anything for..

Many good points here in the comments section. 1) too many damn keyfobs on my keychain already. 2) can't use this online without a special reader (yet another add-on to your laptop/desktop). As for me, I think it makes it too convenient for people to buy too much on credit. People have enough debt already, don't make it any easier for them to drown themselves in it!

I know the range is supposedly limited, but what if Joe Schmoe at the checkout in front of me is supposed to be charged, but the machine accidentally picks up my keychain instead?

Let's be real with the ID theft. If someone really wants your CC number, they are going to get it. As well as your social security, your mother's maiden name, your address, the number of sexual partners you've had, and what time of day you use the bathroom. The supply of personal information to those who commit identity theft/credit card fraud may increase. BUT, as of now, there is already too much information for them to ever get around to using. The solution is a 2 pronged approach: 1. to make technology strong enough to prevent theives from getting your information, and 2. for law enforcement to have adaquate means of catching theives. In both instances, there have been large failures. Technology is and mouse game, and the theives always win (p2p is a perfect example of that). As for the second approach, let's face it... law enforcement is generally not too bright. My mom's identity got stolen (we're talking everything... they were opening CCs in her name, and she was always very careful about who she gave info to), and the cops just took down the report, said they'd do an investigation, and we never heard from them again. Finally, banks also come into the equation. Almost every bank has a security guarantee for a full refund for unauthorized purchases. For them, it makes sense to continue trying to keep CCs from getting stolen. In my opinion, if RFID is truly more convenient, then I don't think ID theft should be a deterent from using it. But if it is just having a huge keychain, then stick to plastic. But don't be paranoid about your ID getting stolenn when it already is.

In response to adriang, yes, if someone really wants that information, they can get it. this is true. But the part i think you missed is that RFID (especially insecure RFID, although i havn't read the article yet to know if that's the case here) makes it such that even people who dont know who you are can steal your credit card information with this dongle. Here's an article from the May 2006 Wired that i found to be an interesting read in terms of how people are starting to depend on immature technologies. There have been some advances in RFID since it was written though, but it's still quite applicable.

and a comment on the actual article itself: Credit cards are more risky. In most cases you actually have to hand-over your credit card when making a charge. This opens it up to duplication and abuse. and what's to stop someone from setting up fake receiver or putting a device between the receiver and the actual line it uses to authenticate? it's no less risky than using a real credit card. the guy did have a point, though, when he said he could take pictures of it without having to worry about getting his info stolen :rolleyes:

I don't care what you guys say. I want one. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to lose my car keys ands my paypass at the same time.

As soon as enough banks start using this technology, it'll be worthwhile for criminals to start implementing the cracks already discovered. The only reason it's secure so far is that nobody uses it. Personally, I've never had a compelling desire to be able to let people read my credit card at a distance. Maybe I'm missing something.

I think this will give birth to easy small money, as in, people will steal the RDIF signature, burn few RDIF dongles (they are cheap in any case) and use it for anything and everything under $25. No one is gonna ask to sign anything.

The security problem is mitigated by the fact that to read these beasties at more than about 5-10cm requires a pretty big antenna loop. Too big to pick up the RFID of the person in front of you without drawing attention to yourself. HOWEVER, once these things catch on I can see someone building a big antenna in a van, for example. Park along the curb and you can catch the RFID dongles of every pedestrian that passes by. It's not the little petty theivery of a cashier that copies down your credit card number -- it's the mass copying of everyone that gets near a commercial-scale crime operation that worries me.

i'm just looking forward to a movie that makes stealing these look fun and exciting :) i do love my action flicks

spot on, UpIrons. Debt is exactly why Citi group is pushing these. They don't care about ID teft beyond a PR standpoint. They just want you swiping. Swipe, swipe and swipe your way deeply into debt. i like to pay for things with c a s h.

i agree with thrillhouse who agrees with Upirons. They want you spending more. but, on the flipside of what thrillhouse says. I cannot handle cash. If i have cash, it is spent ASAP. The only way i control my spending is by using my credit card, of which i have no debt (as long as i'm employed)

You know, you can rely on two things if you want to read these cards. One, is that males would have it either in their pocket, ,or in their wallet, and two, lineups and other chokepoints during shopping result in people bumping each other. Think about it next time you're outside and someone bumps into you - they could have a hidden RFID reader at the right spot, and the bump was to get an excuse to get physically close within reading range. And if it didn't scan this time, well, try on the next person. (Such chokepoints are lineups to checkout and escalators - so you might want to really stand on one side to avoid people squeezing through you). The "bump" tactic is popular amongst pickpockets today, now they can pick your pocket without you knowing!