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NBC 3 Louisville KY Reports on Newest ID theft |
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A warning about a new way to get your personal information Most Popular By Charla YoungPosted by Charles Gazaway October 30, 2008 LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Long gone are the days when criminals needed your actual credit card or social security card to steal your information. Now, they can get it with the wave of a wand. WAVE 3 Troubleshooter Charla Young investigated the problem and reports her results of this unnerving, new technology. It is pretty scary. You know that little magnetic strip that's usually on the back of most credit cards will soon be a thing of the past. The newest credit card technology allows you to just wave your card in front of a machine. The machine picks up the radio frequency containing your information. It is a very simple and quick way to make a purchase, but it also leaves you vulnerable to the newest form of identity theft called radio frequency skimming. WAVE 3 News who talked to one man tells us he is a victim of this new rage. The man, who we will call John, says he was about to get onto a bus and to take his seat when a young fellow bumped into him. That little bump did not seem like a big deal at the time, but it was. John's information was zapped by the stranger and thousands of dollars went out with it. About $5,000 was charged from a card that had not left John's wallet for at least two years. This is how it happens. With a small homemade skimming device, a criminal can walk past you and get your information. A small RFID (radio frequency identification) chip that is embedded in your credit card, your passport, or your luggage tag is broadcasting your personal information constantly. The RFID chip makes it easy to make purchases, but it also makes you an easy target. Andrew Davis is an internet security specialist at the University of Louisville. He tells us how you can avoid becoming the next victim. The credit card industry dispersed 50-million of the RFID credit cards just in 2007, but Davis says you can request a standard card. Another option is the steel plated wallet. Experts tell WAVE 3 the steel plated wallet should be effective in blocking the signals because it actually prevents the device from being triggered. If the transfer from leather to metal is a bit extreme for you, a company online is advertising the "Armadillo Dollar." They say just by wrapping your card with the dollar, the radio frequency is blocked. As always, watch your debit card and credit card transactions carefully. Davis says, "If you had a debit card, you really wouldn't want the RFID on your debit card cause then that would have full access to your bank account." Because John has a habit of checking his balances, he was able to challenge the transactions on his card. The next time someone bumps into him, John says he now knows that it may be much more than a chance experience. "For someone to take your stuff and not take anything from you, that's a whole new level of theft," says John. For more information to protect yourself from identity theft, click on the highlighted link: Identity Theft Protection Guide. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 February 2009 00:10 )
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Written by Webmaster
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May 20, 2008 - KPHO is ranked thirteen in the nation for the largest number of viewers! After two months of investigating by Phoenix CBS 5 KPHO, the Armadillo Dollar team made the news about their product and how it works. Invisible contact less debit and credit card theft is very real. Hackers now known as skimmers can steal information just walking past you in the mall. Watch a hacker "skim" credit card information to see how easy it happens.
We discovered after this aired that CHASE Bank bought their own shielding company that does not work on all frequencies or strength of readers! American Express Black (unlimited dollar amount card) includes an RF shield with their cards when they send them out! It costs $2500 per year to have an Amex Black with a $5000 initiation fee!
Is your identity worth the small $29.95 investment for an Armadillo Dollar? For peace of mind, self-preservation, security and success, get some HERE! |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 02 January 2009 14:31 )
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Written by Webmaster
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KTAR, the most popular Phoenix Talk Radio station, and radio host Colton Shone invited the Wisteria House Products main Armadillo Dollar team to talk about their new invention the Armadillo Dollar and how skimming, cloning and radio-frequency theft have become prevalent around the world.  Ron informed Colton and his listeners that you could have your identity stolen right out of your wallet. This is done with a radio antenna and a booster that can activate the signals on your RF tagged debit and credit cards, and steal the information right out of the air. The Armadillo Dollar is the only thing on the market that stops it. This stealthy device for your wallet protects the owner from contact less/ wireless identity theft and it doesn't damage the other cards you have. It is made of a special metal compound we developed and have named it Armadillium-23 that completely absorbs the radio waves at commonly used frequencies.
The informational snippets aired throughout the morning on KTAR 92.3 talk radio and the response was extremely positive for sales. KTAR is the largest loudest talk show radio station in the Phoenix metropolitan area. We also had the pleasure of meeting the star of KTAR Pat McMahon, who joked around with us. After sharing Armadillo Dollars with the staff, We encouraged they test the device on their own radiofrequency door access systems. They were all very impressed at how the Armadillo Dollar blocked the signal completely from allowing entry into the inner sanctum. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 February 2009 00:10 )
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Written by Webmaster
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May 9, 2008- Austin's ABC KVUE featured a story about the Armadillo Dollar and the newest type of identity theft! Investigators discovered that the new contact less payment systems are vulnerable to theft with clever skimming devices. Your information can be stolen remotely through radio-frequency waves that are invisible. If you have radio-frequency gate keys, door access systems, new passports, or any of the contact less payment cards, you are a target unless you have an Armadillo Dollar in your wallet! A befitting story for Texans, Austin residents, Armadillos and those interested in protecting their privacy. Click on the link below to watch the story! http://www.kvue.com/video/index.html?nvid=243913 |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 02 January 2009 15:23 )
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Written by Webmaster
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 Baron Von Hoak of Tucson Radio JOLT KJLL invited us to come and do a live show on a Saturday night in Tucson about wireless identity theft. A listener told the Baron about the Armadillo Dollar team and shared with concerns about RF tags and privacy.  The Baron is a rebel and an advocate of freedom and American Liberties, so we got along with him just fine. We discussed with him how RF (radio-frequency) theft was being done, how to protect your privacy from "rfid skimming", RFID phishing", "wireless skimming" any of those new terms that were coined by the Armadillo Dollar team. Rights to privacy were discussed, as were the RF tags in the new passports and the vulnerabilities that come with those being issued. The REAL ID Act of 2005 was also discussed regarding the new driver's licenses for Arizona and all 50 states as required by the Department of Homeland Security. Arizona's Governor Napolitano signed up the State for the REAL ID Act on December 6, 2007. By 2017, all US citizens will be required to present a REAL ID driver's license if they think they are crossing state lines or getting onto an airplane.  The Baron's show was over an hour long, and has had the biggest response so far of any of the radio shows done by the Armadillo Dollar team. The listeners in Tucson are clearly concerned about protecting their identities and privacy.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 February 2009 00:08 )
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KGUN 9 Tucson Investigates |
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February 20, 2008- Dan Spindle, a reporter for ABC News KGUN Tucson reported on his show "Does It Work" about the Armadillo Dollar. Two days after we sent out our first press release about the launch of the Armadillo Dollar, KGUN was the first to contact us regarding the launch of this new identity protection product. One of the biggest hurdles we faced was educating the public about the newest type of identity theft! Investigators discovered that the new contact less payment systems and door access cards are vulnerable to theft with clever skimming devices. Wisteria House Products, makers of the Armadillo Dollar, invited the Arizona Attorney General's office to witness the testing carried out at a third party location, as well as witness other supposed rf protection devices that did not work! As a government official, William Bessette, of the Arizona Attorney General's office is not openly able to endorse the product, but did witness and discuss the protection device on camera.  Your information can be stolen remotely through radio-frequency waves that are invisible. If you have radio-frequency gate keys, door access systems, new passports, or any of the contact less payment cards, you are a target unless you have an Armadillo Dollar in your wallet! |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 20 February 2009 00:06 )
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Armadillo Dollar Product Review on Security Blog |
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"Satisified With RFID Skimming Protection (Product Review)" A couple weeks ago, I purchased online the Armadillo Dollar "skimming" shield product. I ordered two shields and both arrived in separate business-size envelopes within a larger U.S.P.S. Express Mail package. Each envelope included a shield and instructions. That makes it easy to give the second shield as a gift. I opened one envelope and read the instructions, which were clear and simple. The instructions said that you could place the Armadillo Dollar product in your wallet to protect multiple RFID cards, often referred to as "smart cards" or contact-less credit cards. I folded one Armadillo Dollar product in half, placed two contact-less smart cards inside, and then placed the bundle in my pants pocket. I don't want to open my wallet every time I need to use one of my RFID cards. I planned to test Armadillo Dollar the next day on the way to work. One the way to work the next morning, I pulled the Armadillo Dollar and my RFID cards out of my pocket and waived them near an RFID reader at a Boston MBTA station entrance. Nothing happened: the turnstile did not open. The RFID reader was unable to penetrate the Armadillo Dollar shield. Great! Then, I removed my MBTA Charlie Card by itself and waved it by the station's reader. The turnstile opened as usual. At work, I repeated this process at the the downtown-Boston office where I work. Employees use RFID badges to access both the building elevators and individual company offices. As expected, the RFID reader was unable to penetrate the Armadillo Dollar shield. I then removed my employee badge by itself and waved it the RFID reader. The turnstile opened as expected. While this isn't a scientific test, it is good enough for me. The product works as advertised... RFID readers couldn't penetrate the Armadillo Dollar shield. Wisteria House fulfilled my product order as requested, and applied the product discount as promised. I am satisfied since I now have some identity protection for my RFID cards. When I receive my new RFID U.S. Passport, I'll repeat this test with the Armadillo Dollar shield. Want to learn more? This video provides some background about RFID or smart cards and "skimming"... how an identity thieve can clone a smart card: Want to learn more? Read this New York Times article about no-swipe credit cards, or this C/Net Review about contact-less credit cards. You can also visit the Smart Card Alliance, armadillodollar.com, or the National Envelope web sites. [Author's note: you can rely on I've Been Mugged for independent product reviews. The I've Been Mugged blog is wholly independent, and is not affiliated with any identity theft or identity protection products. Nor do we accept any advertising or payments from manufacturers of identity theft products or services.] |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 February 2009 23:51 )
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Security Expert Tests and Blogs about the AD |
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http://ivebeenmugged.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/01/wireless-identi.html Security Expert ordered Armadillo Dollar and blogged about us on his security blog. We did not know he was going to do so, but were very pleased with his results. Many of us already have Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards in our wallets or purses. You have an RFID card if it's a card that you wave near (about 2 inches) a wall- or table-mounted reader. RFID cards are supposedly easier to use because the RFID card and the RFID reader don't have to physically touch. They just have to be close enough -- a few inches -- for the reader to access the information stored on the RFID card. Some credit cards, debit cards, and store charge cards are RFID cards. I have two RFID cards. One is the security badge to enter the office building and my employer's offices. The second is my Charlie Card to ride Boston's MBTA mass-transit system. When I worked in London in 2004, my Tube pass was an RFID card. While I realize that RFID is here to stay, I am not wildly excited about the technology because it's security gaps are well known, and are dependent upon the issuer properly encrypting the sensitive personal data stored on each RFID card. Identity thieves can use a portable RFID reader to collect personal data from unsuspecting RFID cardholders: a process called a "skimming." The thieves can then create, use, and sell duplicate, bogus RFID cards. And, it's almost impossible for the average user to know when an identity thief has used a skimmer to steal your personal data from an RFID card. With this in mind, I was curious to read this TrustedID blog post: "Armadillo Dollar, a new product created by Wisteria House Products, offers protection against this new wireless identity theft and RFID monitoring. Users place the product in their wallet, and it blocks the transmission of sensitive private information from RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) enabled debit/credit cards or employee badges. The user can move around undetected by RFID readers, and wireless identity thieves."
If you want to learn more about the RFID technology, read the RFID Journal, the RFID blog, or visit armadillodollar.com. I haven't yet tried the Armadillo Dollar product, so I can't speak to how effective it is. If any I've Been Mugged readers already use the product, please share your experiences. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 19 February 2009 23:52 )
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