by Joseph Kenny | 09/17/09

Credit cards are already risky business. They have lead many an unwitting soul into debt and have opened up others to having their credit card information stolen for illicit purposes.

For all their good qualities, credit cards as they currently stand bring with them an element of risk along with their capacity for convenience. Now credit cards have been improved. They are even more convenient and, it would seem, even riskier.

Charging Without Contact

This new breed of credit cards allows cardholders to charge without their credit card actually making contact with, well, anything. These cards have the impressive ability to transmit information about the cardholder and his or her account directly to a seller.

With this type of card, there is no need to hand over your credit cards to helpful clerks or even to swipe your credit cards through the traditional scanners. Instead, all you have to do is casually wave your credit card in front of the new type of scanner and your card information has been read. Many times this transaction can even take place without a signature to seal the deal.

The technology behind these cards is radio frequency identification. Your card is transmitting your information in this new way with the intention of making everyday transactions involving credit cards that much faster. Of course, this free and open transmission is bound to have people questioning just how easily the information that is being transmitted can be plucked out of the air by someone other than the intended recipient.

These transactions are said to be encrypted and protected by safety measures, but so are the older versions of credit cards. Their information falls into the wrong hands anyway. What could this mean for new credit cards when credit card thievery adapts to this new technology?

The Positive Aspects Of No Contact

On the bright side, this type of transaction will indeed be faster. A quick wave of your card instead of lining it up to pass through the scanner or instead of handing it to a clerk will save time. For those who need every extra moment of time that can be chiselled from their schedules, this is a definite bonus. Aside from that, the technology is brand new so it just feels cool.

The Possible Problems Of No Contact

It is convenient to easily transmit your information from this new credit card to a seller. The problem arises when you realize that this transmission of information never stops. Your card will always be transmitting your personal information, encrypted or not.

If someone comes across or goes out of their way to procure the right gadgetry then they will be able to pluck your personal information right out of the air. They will not have to be sly to steal your card or to peek over your shoulder to see your information. They will just have to be in range. You would never know that they took your information as soon as you and your card were close enough. You can obtain a sleeve to block the transmission when you are not using your card, but without such a precaution you could be at risk.

The future of credit cards takes them to the next step in their evolution. These new credit cards take convenience to the next level. Admittedly, they may also take their old weaknesses to the next level too. Perhaps this is the price of progress.