BMO Forcing RFID Chips On Me

reply to post by Mr. Toodles




Well, all I know is that now that they have made my non-chip BMO card obsolete and I had to use the new one...it is one more step towards a cashless society. Its like they just yanked my card, same numbers on it, same info, all same except for the chip. It wasn't even voluntary grr, either use it (new one) or go to the bank and lineup everytime you want money. Last time I went to the bank I looked endlessly for the counter to find the withdrawl slips and was pretty dazed and confused that they don't even use them anymore. Guess it had been a while since I have stepped foot in the bank lol, the teller told me they did away with that for ages now.

chipping AMERICA

news.yahoo.com...

reply to post by rogerstigers


To make a POS purchase, the ccv isn't needed. It's trivial to get the RFID information, and use a programmable card that can simply be 'waved' at the POS terminal to make a purchase. How many times does the clerk actually look at the card, and do an id check?

I am a tech, former 'hacker', etc..., and I refuse to use this technology for purchases. I'll use cash/check as long as I can, and when I can't, then I'll have to weigh my options.



[edit on 12-7-2009 by SpacePunk]

Originally posted by BiohazardsBack
Today's mail came with a nasty surprise.
A "new improved" debit card! With a shiny little "Microchip"

I called their 1-800 number, the poor girl on the other end kept blabbering about how it was more secure ("If your card gets compromised, you can just change the pin" Excuse me, isn't that how we deal with it NOW?)

I asked her what kind of chip it was.
"It's a microchip"
Yes but what is it CALLED
"Well, it's just....it's just called a microchip"

She put me on hold to figure out what KIND of chip it was.
Not a single person knew, according to her. It wasn't information that they give to emloyees, or even managers.

That's why I found blogs about it being an RFID chip, right? Because it's some secret information?

The letter told me my old card will be invalid after 60 days. So basically, I either never use my bank account ever again, or I carry this thing around. My plan is to ignore it. Not use debit again I guess. I have to activate this one before my old one dies, but I don't use my card much anyways I suppose.

Opinions? Suggestions on what I can scream into the phone to make them let me use my old card? I'm pretty sure I already got put onto the crazies list today.


(sorry if this is in the wrong forum, I couldn't figure out which one seemed more appropriate)

What's new? When someone goes into a supermarket and uses their debit or credit card, the store keeps a database of the products you purchase. Stores sell your purchasing information to marketers, and then the store orders more of the same items to keep them in stock.

What do you have to lose? Call up the card company's corporate office, and ask them what the chip is used for. Also ask what type of chip they are using. You have nothing to lose.

[edit on 17-7-2009 by Pathos]

reply to post by BiohazardsBack


You're overreacting. I have one of these cards too. Its nothing sinister, I've already checked. Criminals are now able to read and copy the magnetic strips onto other cards effectively creating a carbon copy of you. This chip makes it harder to reproduce since it is a microchip, thus the criminals need experience in making microchips and not to mention all the equipment in order to correctly reproduce your card.

No it does not contain a piezoelectric generator or a thermal induction system. No it doesn't contain GPS. It doesn't connect via Bluetooth or WiFi. And it certainly can't be picked up from outer space.

It is a security feature just like Visa Secure asking you to authorize an online purchase. Think of it like that long black bar lengthwise on the back of the card, except condensed into a gold square and unaffected by magnets.

Otherwise, BMO is a respectable bank, even though the bank tellers at my local branch piss me off.

reply to post by SpacePunk


There are Nokia phones in Finland that allow you to pay your bus far by tapping them to a special pad. Its already happening in Japan where people can purchase food from a 7-Eleven and simply wave their cellphone to pay. Not all RFID chips have a secret government plot attached to them. If it was then why aren't people freaking out that a clothing store would put magnetic tags on its merchandise so it can't be stolen easily? Couldn't that be a plot? Couldn't the government be wasting taxpayer dollars to see what new additions to your wardrobe you bought?

It is a simple chip in a thing piece of plastic. Nothing more. Nothing less.

reply to post by skeetontheconspiracy


That's not the RFID reader, that's the on/off switch to the door. The RFID reader is the anti-theft alarm, which in no way controls the door. You can't lock customers in because the alarm went off, that would be a fire hazard at best and false imprisonment at worst - considering 99% of the time the alarm goes off it's just because the cashier forgot to deactivate the anti-theft device.

You really want to surprise people, just push outwards real hard on the part of the door that doesn't open. The entire thing swings open in case of emergencies.

Microwave the sucker (carefully) and then use it. When it does not work COMPLAIN real loud.
Repeat as needed.

If enough people do this they may give up.

Q: Can I microwave products to kill any hidden RFID tags they might contain?

A: While microwaving an RFID tag will destroy it (a microwave emits high frequency electromagnetic energy that overloads the antenna, eventually blowing out the chip), there is a good chance the the tag will burst into flames first. The difficulty of destroying a hidden RFID chip is one reason we need legislation making it illegal to hide a chip in an item in the first place.

Do not believe them when they tell you that card is secure.

....Then, while we were waiting to go on the air, he showed me his VeriChip cloning device -- a gadget smaller than a cell phone that he can wave in the general vicinity of a Verichip to grab its unique ID number. The device is shown below hooked up to a laptop, but he assures me it would work just as well hooked up to a couple of AA batteries -- with no cords and no laptop at all.

So, here's the threat model, in a nutshell:

You think you're maximum-security cyborged out with your embedded microchip. You leave for lunch, secure in the knowledge that your VeriChip-enabled doorway will keep watch over your office. You know the system will refuse to respond to anyone but you, since it is set to recognize only the embedded microchip implant squidged into the muscle tissue of your upper arm.

Then along comes Mr. Weshues. He brushes past you on the elevator as you're leaving, muttering a sotto voce "Excuse me." (Little do you realize he has just cloned your VeriChip.) As you leave the elevator and head for for the bistro, Mr. Westhues heads straight for your office door. A wave of his VeriChip cloning device, and Voila - the door pops open and within seconds he's into your most imtimate files. He's done collecting his data before you've even finished your appetizer and ordered the entree.
www.spychips.com...

reply to post by BiohazardsBack

Hi, BiohazardsBack.

I wraped my card in tin foil, imitating the steel wallet
in the video. . . using scotch tape and aluminum foil.

We have no choice, our old cards will "die", but I
NOW will avoid using the new one ! !

Blue skies.

reply to post by crimvelvet


Personally I think it is wise to learn about RFID chip readers, ways of locating and disabling them. I have read about using a makeshift Faraday cage to disrupt the incoming signal (e.g. aluminum foil-recycle tinfoil hats into wallets) but we need more information.

ADD:

Then along comes Mr. Weshues. He brushes past you on the elevator as you're leaving, muttering a sotto voce "Excuse me." (Little do you realize he has just cloned your VeriChip.)

It has been proven that a reader can pick up the information on one of these chips from up to ten meters away, no brushing past needed. These are the passive chips that do not contain batteries also, the larger chips that have their own power source can potentially transmit much further (satellite range).

[edit on 11/3/2009 by Devino]