Do cell phones and key fobs erase credit card magnetic strips if they come too close?

[compuwiz1]

I went to the store and my AMEX Blue could not be read. Next my Visa card could not be read. I finally just paid with cash.

Today the Amex card worked at a touch and go terminal, probably because of it's onboard chip.

Any way to get them working again without ordering replacement cards?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

yes. they are especially bad with hotel keys.

 

[Flammable]

call amex and visa and have them reissue cards

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: Flammable
call amex and visa and have them reissue cards

a pain in the ass, but I guess it's just one of life's little speed bumps.

 

[Jeff7]

How though? Those things are pretty low power, and I'd expect credit card magnetic strips to have a fairly high magnetic coercivity value.

 

[xanis]

Where's Rubycon?

 

[rudeguy]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
How though? Those things are pretty low power, and I'd expect credit card magnetic strips to have a fairly high magnetic coercivity value.

I have never heard of a cell phone erasing credit card data. I'm not saying that it can't, just that in 11 years of cell phone sales I have never witnessed it happen.

 

[ponyo]

I had problem with hotel keys but not credit cards.

 

[RichardE]

Do you keep your cellphone in a magenetic carry case? My BB case messed up my debit+CC+Student cards

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: rudeguy

Originally posted by: Jeff7
How though? Those things are pretty low power, and I'd expect credit card magnetic strips to have a fairly high magnetic coercivity value.

I have never heard of a cell phone erasing credit card data. I'm not saying that it can't, just that in 11 years of cell phone sales I have never witnessed it happen.

Smaller cell phones may have a neodymium magnet in the earspeaker which can leak a surprising amount of flux - more than enough to damage the strip. Remember it does not have to erase it, just alter it to the point where the reader cannot identify the information.

A compass is the cheapest and most sensitive detector of stray magnetic fields.

Another thing that will destroy cards is a cellphone case with a self closing flap. Those have neo "button" magnets in them. Slide a card within a cm from one and it becomes unreadable. This is a big problem with keycards in the hotel biz as if you get a red light you're not getting in your room!

Once this information is scrambled there is no way to repair it. Well not unless you have equipment you're not supposed to have.

 

[Raduque]

My cell phone case has a magnetic flap and I always set it flap down on top of my wallet right where my CC is - never had a problem. *shrug

 

[akshatp]

Originally posted by: Raduque
My cell phone case has a magnetic flap and I always set it flap down on top of my wallet right where my CC is - never had a problem. *shrug

Same here... Bberry user with magnetic flap case for 4+ years now and my wallet and case always close to each other. Never had a problem.

 

[Rubycon]

It depends on how close though. Credit card strips may be a little more resistant than key cards. When we took the bare card and slid it next to the cell phone case the card was dead. To play it safe keep them away from each other. At least with a CC you have the number on the card. A keycard when zapped means you are locked out.