| The RFID Credit Card Since June 2005, all | | | | such as fuel and foodstuffs. This effectively |
| American Express issued Blue credit cards | | | | means that you do not need to take your |
| have been imbedded with an RFID (Radio | | | | wallet with you when you go shopping. |
| Frequency Identification) transponder, in | | | | |
| addition to the traditional credit card | | | | As a Blue card holder, all purchases made via |
| magnetic strip. RFID technology transmits | | | | your RFID key fob, are directly charged to |
| information wirelessly between two or more | | | | your credit card account. These charges will |
| objects in close proximity. This means that | | | | appear on your monthly credit card statement. |
| when you make purchases at any of the | | | | To enable you to differentiate between |
| American Express ExpressPay participating | | | | purchases made by RFID key fob and by card, |
| merchants, you simply have to tap the credit | | | | ExpressPay purchases are highlighted as is |
| card against, or hold it an inch or two away | | | | the name of the merchant, the date and the |
| from the RFID reader, for the goods to be | | | | amount spent. A limit of $150 per day is |
| charged to your card. | | | | imposed. |
| | | | |
| According to American Express, the greatest | | | | Should you have more than one Blue account, |
| benefit of making use of an RFID system is | | | | you can apply for an RFID key fob for every |
| that it speeds up transactions. Statistics | | | | account you hold. |
| gathered during the Proof of Concept and | | | | |
| Pilot phases of the project showed that | | | | RFID Security As with all wireless |
| payment by the RFID Blue from American | | | | technologies, there may be questions about |
| Express card is 63 percent quicker than | | | | the security of payment transactions using |
| paying by cash and 53 percent faster than | | | | the credit card. The company assures card |
| paying by following the traditional credit | | | | holders that American Express Blue credit |
| card process. | | | | card is very safe. In addition to a variety |
| | | | of security precautions, data encryption, |
| The RFID Key Fob In conjunction with Texas | | | | similar to that used for the RFID chip in the |
| Instruments RFID Systems, American Express | | | | US Passport, is used to ensure that |
| also launched an RFID key fob that any holder | | | | privileged information is not shared. As with |
| of a Blue from American Express credit card | | | | all American Express credit cards, holders of |
| is eligible for. The key fob fits onto most | | | | the Blue card with RFID are protected against |
| key chains and can be used instead of your | | | | fraudulent usage and theft. |
| credit card to pay for everyday purchases | | | | |