Ever since we’ve been able to tap our payment cards on a terminal rather than sticking them in and typing a PIN – or, worse, signing a piece of paper like something out of the 20th century – criminals have been looking for a way to exploit this convenience and relieve us of some money.
In theory, anyone who brushes up against you on the tube or in the street could be carrying a terminal that could operate as if you were making a purchase. If the terminal is brought close enough to you - the optimum distance for contactless payments is 4cm and doesn’t exceed 10cm - a transaction could be made, unbeknownst to you.
Best RFID-blocking wallets at a glance
- Best overall: Samsonite Urban-Eye SLG - £59, Samsonite
- Best for spending after exercise: Rohan RFID Xpac Compact Wallet - £19, Rohan
- Best for value: Carhartt Men's Casual Trifold Wallet - £40, Amazon
- Best for colours: Ridge Wallet - £79, Amazon
- Best for the leather look: Bull Guard Mens RFID Blocking Bifold Wallet - £30, Amazon
- Best for lovers of coins: Aspinal of London Zipped RFID Card Holder - £95, Aspinal of London
- Best for a soft touch: Fossil Derrick international Combination - £79, Fossil
- Best for travelling light: Stealth Tempest RFID Wallet - £39.99, Amazon
- Best for execs: Secrid Premium Cardprotector+ - £54.95, Secrid
As your payment information is encrypted during a contactless purchase, and scannable data doesn’t include the CVV code required to make online purchases, it’s highly unlikely a criminal performing one of these so-called ‘skimming’ attacks would end up with your full card details.
Any money you lose through fraud is protected by credit card legislation, but there are steps you can take to prevent it from happening in the first place.
As contactless payments use the RFID and NFC protocols, and the latter is based on the former, you can use an RFID blocker to stop signals from being transferred.
These usually take the form of layers of aluminium, copper or nickel alloy, conductive metals that disrupt the radio waves being used.
Built into a wallet, they’re a convenient way to get a little extra security.
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Samsonite Urban-Eye SLG
Best: Overall
Cast your eye down this list and you’ll see a lot of wallets that conform to a boxy template that will hold your cards securely but doesn’t leave you a lot of room for anything else.
Samsonite’s Urban-Eye SLG operates more like an old-fashioned leather wallet, with slots for your cards but also the ability to open out so you can use that ‘cash’ stuff that used to be popular.
It’s made from a combination of leather and recycled ballistic nylon with an RFID blocking layer, and comes in a choice of colours, of which our favourite is the green.
There's a range of Urban-Eye backpacks too, which can easily swallow your laptop, and come in similar recycled an RFID blocking materials.
Buy now £59.00, Samsonite
Rohan RFID Xpac Compact Wallet
Best for: spending after exercise
For outdoorsy types worried about criminals skimming their card numbers while hiking or climbing (or on the way there on the tube) comes this compact model from Rohan, which is available in a blue so electric you’ll never lose it no matter how long the grass is.
It’s made of waterproof fabric, weighs just 33g, has six card slots plus a note compartment and stash pockets for whatever else you want to carry with you, the Xpac Compact is easy to open and close - essential for paying for things while wearing gloves.
Buy now £19.00, Rohan
Carhartt Men's Casual Trifold Wallet
Best for: value
Those who don’t want to empty their wallet will appreciate this one from Carhartt. It’s made from tough nylon, with an RFID blocking material in the lining, and is water resistant so can retain its shape even in damp conditions that would deform a leather wallet. It’s full of slots and pockets to hold your cards securely, and has a zipped section that can be accessed while the wallet is closed - ideal for that pound coin you carry to unlock supermarket trolleys.
Buy now £40.00, Amazon
Ridge wallet
Best for: colours
Black, brown and grey are the standard colours for men’s wallets, but Ridge says it doesn’t have to be that way.
The brand’s range of RFID-blocking aluminium metal cardholders include one with a metallic powder coating that’s available in everything from bright blue to orange, and some graduated colours too. But don’t worry: you’ll still find black and grey, if the minimalist style appeals to you.
The wallet is capable of carrying up to 12 cards, and comes with a cash strap or money clip to clamp notes to the back, or you can have both.
Buy now £79.00, Amazon
Bull Guard Mens RFID Blocking Bifold Wallet
Best for: the leather look
This handsome traditional wallet is made from genuine leather, giving a luxurious feel as well as potentially a long life. There are 11 card compartments, one with a window so your ID can show through, a money divider for your cash, and three easy-access card slots designed to be easily opened with your thumb. It’s everything a traditional leather wallet should be, with the added bonus of an RFID-blocking layer to keep your information more private.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon
Aspinal of London Zipped RFID Card Holder
Best for: lovers of coins
Aspinal uses a slightly different design for its RFID blocking cardholder. It unzips at the top, allowing for a few coins to be carried, and the cards hug its outside edges, held in place with a fixing strap.
As it doesn’t unfold, the wallet is quicker to deal with if you’re trying to get a card out, though unfolding a note from its pouch may take longer.
Made from full-grain leather, and with space for up to four cards, this wallet comes in a range of colours and can be personalised with your initials printed in silver at the bottom left.
Buy now £95.00, Aspinal of London
Fossil Derrick international Combination
Best for: a soft touch
This wallet is made of soft leather and measures 13cm long - making it the largest wallet on this list.
This is something to take into account if you’re intending to shove it in your pocket and expect it to disappear, but that extra size means you’ll be able to fit up to 12 cards in, along with whatever else you carry in your wallet divided amongst the coin pocket, note compartment and three slide pockets.
You can get it embossed with a line of text for free too.
Buy now £79.00, Fossil
Stealth Tempest RFID Wallet
Best for: travelling light
Extremely slim yet capable of storing up to six bank cards inside its RFID-blocking aluminium shell, the Stealth Tempest might be all you need if you don’t have many cards. A locking switch keeps them hidden away until you press the eject button that brings them into view. You can add more cards and even folded cash on the outside of the casing using an elasticated band and backplate that hugs them tight.
Buy now £39.99, Amazon
Secrid Premium Cardprotector+
Best for: execs
Secrid make some of the nicest-looking RFID wallets around, including the Premium Cardprotector+, engineered from lightweight, fluted aluminium and offered in chic colourways including cashmere (a champagne gold), a bold orange and goes-with-absolutely-everything black.
The case holds up to six cards, including metal ones, shielding your bank cards with RFID/NFC security. When you need to pay for something, the patented autolock mechanism pushes forward the cards, allowing you to pick from the pack. It worked a treat at Pret and later at my local tube station, blocking payment until I retrieved a card by pushing it up.
With more of us carrying around multiple cards, we’re easy prey for digital Fagins. If you’re worried about digital crime, investing in a RFID-blocking wallet is one way to protect yourself. For the peace of mind it offers, it’s priceless - Abha Shah, Shopping Editor
Buy now £54.95, Secrid
Verdict
Skimming attacks might not be common, but they have become a real worry for those of us used to carrying around a few cards on a night out or on the way back from work. Having an RFID-blocking layer in your wallet is a sensible security precaution, but that doesn’t mean you can’t look good while doing it.
The Samsonite Urban-Eye SLG is a tough and well-made pocket accessory that will hold multiple cards as well as cash securely, and comes with the signal-blocking layer that might one day prevent a theft.
