RFID is a radio frequency device that allows information to be transmitted by radio waves. This is much like the FastTrak toll booth payments that allow you to wave a card at the reader to pay your tolls. And it's coming to a restaurant near you.
McDonald's is looking at implementing RFID credit cards so that people can fill their card with money and then wave their card at a register to transmit the payment. It's fast, it's easy, and it saves time in line. Plus it's safer than you might think.
What's great about RFID?
RFID is easy to use and easy to transport. And for those that are nervous about carrying all their information on an RFID credit card, you can rest easy because the information is encrypted and can only be decrypted by an RFID reader. Of course, who's to say that thieves won't come up with a way to get that information without your knowledge? But the general consensus is that RFID is much safer than traditional credit cards.
With traditional credit cards, you can simply enter the information into an online retailer or hand it to an employee who can then take down the information for their own use. This allows for plenty of opportunities for someone to use your information without your permission while on the Internet or by filling out new credit card applications.
With the RFID credit card that information never passes into the employee's hands it goes directly to the server that handles payments. This is much more secure and helps a user feel safer in each transaction. However, with this technology, a thief will just have to take possession of the RFID credit card in order to use it.
Overall, RFID credit cards are the wave of the future, being used widely in Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. They allow for simpler transactions and less worry. Even Chase credit cards are thinking about using RFID technology in their cards.
Yours credit cards could be next.
Rfid Credit Card Reader
What if you could simply hold your wallet up and wave it at the cashier to pay for your groceries? Sound like science fiction? Well, it’s not. Radio Frequency Identification, or RFID, credit cards are already on the streets. In most cases, you have to actually take the card out of your wallet, but the technology exists where all you would need to do is run your wallet with the card inside a few centimeters in front of a sensor to pay for your purchase.
RFID technology is still fairly new, but it has been successful in most test markets. You may familiar with Exxon’s speed pass or American Express card’s Express Pay. These cards use the same technology as the toll tags that many drivers have on their front windshields. The electronic pass carries all the information that your regular credit card carries on its magnetic strip. But because you don’t have to swipe it through anything, you get in and out much faster.
This means one less hassle at the gas station, grocery store, or department store. And it if you are a business owner, it means you can process more customers in a shorter amount of time. When customers only have to tap a card on a reader or wave the card in front of a sensor, this dramatically reduces check out time usually spent entering PIN codes or signing electronic pads.
While there have been some concerns about security, the companies issuing the cards assure consumers that they have taken all necessary precautions. In fact, the new contactless cards could actually improve security as there are fewer people who see your card number and no risk of anyone seeing your PIN as you type it in at the check out counter. A merchant will only be able to see the last four digits of your card rather than the entire number, as well as the three-digit code on the back.
Overall, the time you spend in the check out and drive thru lines will be reduced from thirty to forty percent. This is great news for time challenged folks with places to be.
Both Beth Derkowitz & Rebecca Spitzer are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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