Special Report: Electronic Pickpockets

When you're out doing your holiday shopping, your credit cards are tucked away in your wallet, your purse, your pocket, so no one can steal them.

But right now we're lifting someone's credit card information...

BEEP

...just by walking past them.

Shopper

"I don't like that at all."

Shopper

"That's your identity."

BEEP  

Now we've got someone else's.

Shopper

"Pretty scary. Very scary actually."

And you could be the next victim, without even knowing.

How did we do it?

Take a close look at your credit cards, especially the newer ones. Do they have this radio waves symbol?

These credit cards have a built in radio frequency identification chip or RFID chip for short. They allow the cardholder to just wave the card to make a purchase, instead of swiping it.

But they also allow anyone with a special scanner device to electronically pick pocket you, and get all the info they need to buy stuff using your card.

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"About 100 million credit cards now have the RFID chip in it. What that works out to be is roughly about 30% of everybody has at least one of these cards in their pocket already."

With the help of our security expert we hit the streets. Of course, we made sure to tell people what we were doing.

Amanda Grace, 7News

"Can we try this with your card?"

But criminals won't be so kind.

We simply pass our scanner near this man's pocket and voila.

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"Here's your credit card number right here, it's a Visa card. Expires 9/13."

Shopper

"That's my debit card. That's scary."

We were able to quickly get this woman's info too.

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"You have a MasterCard in there. There it is."

Georgina Fulton Prager, Shopper

"Wow."

And we got this shopper's credit card details in seconds.

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"You have a Visa card in there."

Fatima Gonzalves, Shopper

"Yes I do."

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"And that's your credit card number and your expiration date."

Fatima Gonzalves, Shopper

"Ay yi yi."

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"I can turn around right now and hit clone and make a copy of that card and go use it in a store."

Fatima Gonzalves, Shopper

"No?!"

Amanda Grace, 7News

"I asked if you thought your card was secure and what'd you tell me?"

Fatima Gonzalves, Shopper

"I said it was, because it's in my bag all the time."

It was so easy, that in just a couple of hours we were able to cyber steal from four different shoppers.

And this kind of scanner is very easy to get. They're available all over the internet, some for as little as $20.

Amanda Grace, 7News

"And there are plenty to choose from. I did a quick search and found this one. And it's not against the law to buy them."

You just download some software, connect a laptop, and you're good to go.

Walt Augustinowicz, Identity Stronghold

"Someone with very little experience can go out and do it."

The credit card companies we contacted, tell us they believe this type of contactless credit card is secure for their customers and that any stolen data could not be reused.

But security experts disagree, and say you should take extra steps to secure your info by storing the cards in special sleeves or wallets that shield them. You can find those online.

You may also be able to choose to get a credit card without the RFID chip. You can talk to your credit card company about that.

These are simple steps you can take to make sure when you're shopping, no one secretly shops from your wallet.

(Copyright (c) 2010 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)