High-tech way to pay poses security risk

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Your credit card information may be at risk even when you’re not using it. New technology that makes your card “swipe-less” also makes you vulnerable.

Swiping your credit card may soon be a thing of the past. Visa, Master Card and American Express are advertising a new way to pay with a contact-less card.

Gus Dimitrelos is the President of Cyber Forensics 360 . He said the magic behind this technology also has a major flaw. It’s called radio-frequency identification, or R.F.I.D., and with the right smartphone app, anyone can pick it up.

"It’s the little chip that emits a passive I.D., and with a cell phone and the proper application, I can intercept that passive I.D. just by getting close enough in proximity,” said Dimitrelos.

Malls are prime targets, and it's easy to see why. All someone would have to do is walk past you and they could acquire all of your credit card information.

"In that miniscule millisecond, that data is transferred. However, if I'm close enough to you, I'm also capturing that data,” said Dimitrelos.

You could also be at risk even when no one is around.

"There are the apps that are known for capturing R.F.I.D., and there are the apps that you don't know are capturing R.F.I.D.," said Dimitrelos.

Be careful what you download. Dimitrelos said there are applications, particularly with the Droid system, that use your own cell phone to pick up your card's R.F.I.D. when it’s in your purse or pocket.

"I can download an application and don't really know the source of that application. It could come from overseas, and the purpose of that app is to steal your data and send it to me overseas,” said Dimitrelos.

There are a couple of things you can do to keep your information secure. One thing you can do is purchase an R.F.I.D. shield for your cards. Dimitrelos said you can also take care of the chip the old-fashioned way and scrape it off.