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