Fraud

[craigandjen]

My (limited) understanding is that RFID is outdated technology and credit cards are using "smart cards" or contactless payment security...

http://www.smartcardalliance.org/pub...t-security-qa/

Actually RFID has been around since World War 2. It has many very useful applications such as inventory control, toll collection, farm animal tracking and many medical equipment applications. Other technologies are being looked at but RFID is still widely used in our bank cards and credit cards. In recent years it has been used for alzheimer's patience (implanted chip under the skin). Any kind of technology that can be scanned will eventually be hacked in some way or another. It really only takes a matter of time. I still prefer to use cash, even for large purchases.

Sorry, probably more than anyone really wants to know

[craigandjen]

I wonder how much trouble a merchant would give if you offered a card that had a hole punched out. I was just sent a card at has a chip... I still have yet to put it in my wallet.

surprisingly not that much since the magnetic strip still works. I have a close friend that does this with all his cards and has yet to be refused service. He uses a drill to damage the chip. Ive seen others simply drive a nail through it.

[halfwaytree]

I use my Mastercard all the time at home. I never had a problem until a few months ago when my bank called and told me to destroy my card and they will send me a new one. I guess they were monitoring my card and saw where there was security issues (may have been the Home Depot thing).

Anyway, in Jamaica I avoid using it. I take it as a backup method of payiing for emergencies only.

I'm with Biggs, I take a small amount of cash but mostly I take travellers checks.

I had my room broken into while on holiday a few years back while in Hawaii. They took a few hundred dollars worth of travellers checks. I called the police, they came and made a report. I took a copy of thee report to the bank and within about two hours of finding out that someone broke into my room I had all my money back.

[Accompong]

Just wanted to add a comment on how I do this.

I have two PayPal Debit Cards that I use almost exclusively for purchases online and cash withdrawals in Jamaica. I also keep a small amount of US currency for times when making a withdrawal is not possible. I have one card and my best friend and housemate Marshall has the other. This way I can keep only a small amount at a time available for withdrawals which stops a possible thief from raiding my personal checking account as the ATMs will not except a withdrawal more than what is in the PayPal Account. I only use Jamaican money to purchase everything in Jamaica so I never have the Debit Cards out of my possession.

PayPal notifies me everytime a transaction occurs by email so I can closely monitor it. I do take a personal account Debit Card for emergencies only but never take it out of the protective shield to eliminate the theft of the information.

I have been doing this for almost 20 years now and have only had one problem and that was an oversight on my part.

Just a suggestion.

Peace and Guidance

[billndonna]

We use cash for most everything but i have used my credit card for paying off our incedentals bill,(the bar bill was far from incidental after 5 nights), at Catcha Falling Star and not had any problems at all.I think there are probably a few safe places where i would not be afraid to use it such as Catcha and Seastar to name a couple.Someone tried to use my card overseas one year and Capitol one caught it and canceled the card immediately and we had never left home at that time so fraud happens every place.