Having your wallet stolen while traveling can ruin a trip, but what if your wallet isn’t stolen–only the information in it is? While pickpockets are still rampant in many touristy spots around the world, there’s a new kind of theft too, one that doesn’t actually require physically taking anything.
High-tech thieves can steal your information via RFID skimming. Credit cards, passports, and some driver’s licenses come with radio frequency identification chips, which can be activated by an RFID reader to transmit information wirelessly. This is mostly helpful, as it allows you to make purchases quickly without swiping your card. However, anyone with an RFID reader can technically activate the chips and pick up their information.
Luckily, travel companies have caught on and have started creating wallets and passport holders with RFID blocking technology. It’s not clear how pervasive RFID threats are, but an RFID-blocking wallet can’t hurt, and in so many designs you’ll be able to find one to easily replace your regular wallet.
Here are some of the best RFID-blocking wallets out there, not organized in any specific way, but chosen to give you a range of women’s and men’s styles, whether you’re looking for something small or closer to a handbag: