SAFETY FIRST

RFID-Blocking Bags and Wallets May Help Your Data Safe While Traveling

RFID is like a barcode on steroids that’s full of your personal info. These bags and wallets that help protect it should be on your mind while you’re traveling.

There are many acronyms floating around, but one to consider on your upcoming travels is RFID. RFID stands for radio-frequency identification. Certain products (like smartphones or credit cards) transmit electromagnetic fields that have identifiable information, according to How Stuff Works. This allows security information to be embedded within an object rather than stored on it, like a credit card, smartphone, and even your passport.

To tell if there’s an RFID chip, look to see if it has the RFID symbol. This is a set of curved bars, similar to a WiFi symbol but turned to the side. And while this helps with keeping your information safe from people that steal data the old fashioned way, the influx of RFID skimming (using a personal RFID reader to scan data from the RFID chip) to hack into people’s personal information means we need to adapt to the times. That’s where RFID-blocking technology comes in.

Bags, wallets, and other products that were made to travel have started to be made with RFID-blocking pockets. We’ve listed a few below that keep you looking good on your travels while keeping your personal information safe.

Bags:

Lodis Audrey RFID Vicky Convertible Crossbody Clutch, $148 on Amazon: Looking at this crossbody, you’d never guess it had a hidden RFID-blocking secret. The smooth leather exterior has a front slip pocket and the interior even has credit card slots if you don’t want to tote around a wallet, too.

Thule Crossover 2 20-Liter Laptop Backpack with RFID Pocket, $200 from Nordstrom: If you need a more rugged bag to keep your things safe, the Thule Crossover 2 Laptop Backpack has a ballistic nylon laptop compartment and a full RFID pocket to keep your information safe.

Wallets:

Derrick RFID Passcase, $64 from Fossil: A classic bifold wallet gets an RFID upgrade with this one from Fossil. It has 12 card slots, an ID window, and a large bill compartment to keep all the things you need in your wallet in place.

Vera Bradley RFID Smartphone Wallet, $70 from Macy's: This smartphone wristlet is a great way to keep your valuables protected. They’ll be shielded in RFID protection while being kept close and in view, so no one can take them while you’re not looking.

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Jillian LucasCommerce Director, Scouted

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