Almost half of transactions are now contactless in Europe, recent research by financial services giant MasterCard has found.
Consumer adoption rates for contactless methods are consistent across the continent with a 97% upswing in contactless transactions so far this year, MasterCard reports.
While consumer faith in the security of contactless may be increasing overall, reports in the UK press of the risks of paying for your daily coffee, train journey or sandwich with a quick point-of-sales card tap suggest growing public concern.
In late August for example, an Aberdeen couple told The Guardian newspaper of how £600 was spent on their contactless cards at home despite having taken the cards with them on holiday to Poland.
Evidence has also been mounting that it is possible to grab information using card reading technology that can then be used to steal a cardholder’s identity.
Consumers are countering this with innovative ways of protecting their cards against data theft, ranging from covering their cards in tinfoil to specially-designed wallets employing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.
While the specialist wallets do block radio waves, they also have the side-effect of preventing the cards from being used without first taking them out of the casing.
This can be particularly frustrating to commuters who rely on moving quickly through ticket barriers with a quick tap in or out.
However, Exeter-based start-up RFID Cloaked is aiming to correct this with their new RFID wallet.
As well as offering security for your data, these wallets allow users to pay on the move, giving data protection without sacrificing convenience. What is more, the new wallet prioritises style, allowing users to choose from a range of looks.
“We are different by design,” says co-founder Julian Ghail. “I really think our product is design-led, not for design’s sake, but to be intuitive to use.”
Due to launch their second Kickstarter campaign in October, the team is offering its first backers a fifty percent discount on the wallet. To be one of the first to sign up, check out their page here at https://rfidcloaked.com/pro/.
*this is a paid promo*
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