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Wireless Charging & Credit Card Cases

pcp_ip

pcp_ip

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 12, 2002
120
1
I'm a huge fan of credit card/wallet cases. I'm assuming wireless charging is going to damage the magnetic strip on my credit cards. However, as we're slowly moving to chip transactions, we'll be swipping less. Does wireless charging damage chip cards?
 
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Not necessarily. Folio cases typically keep the cards in the front of the device when closed (charging position)
 
gmillz22 said:
Not necessarily. Folio cases typically keep the cards in the front of the device when closed (charging position)
Click to expand...
Not all cases do. My case has a slot in the back. I'm concerned as well. Will that damage the chip or stripe on my credit cards?
 
in a 'folio' type case... so long as the cards are in front, there shouldn't be an issue. if the cards are on the back of the phone, the wireless charging may not work due to the thickness. if the case and cards are less than 4mm, then wireless charging should work fine. as for the effects on credit cards it depends on how hot it gets. it shouldn't get hot enough for it to cause any damage. if it does, then you have other issues that you should be more worried about.
 
TheAppleFairy said:
If it doesn't work with the case I think the solution is simple. Either change cases or use a lightning charger. This shouldn't be something you lose sleep over.
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The discussion is about whether wireless charging can damage credit cards. Who is losing sleep?
 
ferretguy said:
Not all cases do. My case has a slot in the back. I'm concerned as well. Will that damage the chip or stripe on my credit cards?
Click to expand...

That’s why I said not necessarily. It varies. The biggest culprit of card issues come from magnets being placed directly over, or just about directly over the stripe.
 
gmillz22 said:
That’s why I said not necessarily. It varies. The biggest culprit of card issues come from magnets being placed directly over, or just about directly over the stripe.
Click to expand...
I have not had a problem with my (cards on the back) wallet case and a magnetic car mount for 3 years. Today is my first day wireless charging through my license and 3 credit cards, used one card no problem. 2 cards have chips in them. UPDATE I have been wireless charging for days with the wallet case and cards no problem.
 
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So I am seeing my credit card case heat up with wireless charger. What would be the best way to decide if it is a real issue and if I should ditch the credit card case or not?

The credit card case has my driver license, plastic credit card and another plastic transit card (with an NFC chip I believe)
 
Lobo1995 said:
I have not had a problem with my (cards on the back) wallet case and a magnetic car mount for 3 years. Today is my first day wireless charging through my license and 3 credit cards, used one card no problem. 2 cards have chips in them. UPDATE I have been wireless charging for days with the wallet case and cards no problem.
Click to expand...

This is great news! Can I ask which case and which charger you’re using? I’d love to get back to a KAVAJ Tokyo case, but have been worried I’d lose wireless charging in doing so.
 
Lobo1995 said:
I have not had a problem with my (cards on the back) wallet case and a magnetic car mount for 3 years. Today is my first day wireless charging through my license and 3 credit cards, used one card no problem. 2 cards have chips in them. UPDATE I have been wireless charging for days with the wallet case and cards no problem.
Click to expand...

Mite i ask if your cards are still working alright or if they have gotten to hit leaving it over night on your wireless charger i have one by my bed and have a credit card case and i put it on it some times but i worry about leaving it over night if it would get to hot and mess up my cards i see you have been useing it since November so figured you mite have a answer thanks again.
 
ex android dan said:
This is great news! Can I ask which case and which charger you’re using? I’d love to get back to a KAVAJ Tokyo case, but have been worried I’d lose wireless charging in doing so.
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I had the silk case on amazon now I have the Speck wallet case. Both still work fine I have the cheapest charger I could find on amazon not sure what it’s called.
[doublepost=1516480294][/doublepost]
Mrrogers1992 said:
Mite i ask if your cards are still working alright or if they have gotten to hit leaving it over night on your wireless charger i have one by my bed and have a credit card case and i put it on it some times but i worry about leaving it over night if it would get to hot and mess up my cards i see you have been useing it since November so figured you mite have a answer thanks again.
Click to expand...
Yeah still using it no problems at all.
 
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Lobo1995 said:
I had the silk case on amazon now I have the Speck wallet case. Both still work fine I have the cheapest charger I could find on amazon not sure what it’s called.
[doublepost=1516480294][/doublepost]
Yeah still using it no problems at all.
Click to expand...

How many cards do you have in it?
 
pcp_ip said:
I'm a huge fan of credit card/wallet cases. I'm assuming wireless charging is going to damage the magnetic strip on my credit cards. However, as we're slowly moving to chip transactions, we'll be swipping less. Does wireless charging damage chip cards?
Click to expand...

Yes it does.
My card stopped working after charging. I Couldn't work out why. I ordered a brand new credit card. New para charged it again in the card wallet behind the phone.

Now that car stopped working

I should have known
Do not use credit cards anywhere near wireless charging.
 
All my cards have chips, and I have not used a "swipe" machine for months. Swipe machines are outdated and are not PCI compliant. Any store that uses the swipe method has a big liability. Within a year at most, all swipe machines will be decommissioned, so I can't see that the mag strip is of much use now, and will very soon be dropped totally.
 
Colorami said:
All my cards have chips, and I have not used a "swipe" machine for months. Swipe machines are outdated and are not PCI compliant. Any store that uses the swipe method has a big liability. Within a year at most, all swipe machines will be decommissioned, so I can't see that the mag strip is of much use now, and will very soon be dropped totally.
Click to expand...
A card chip is not associated with PCI DSS compliance. That's a common myth.

Card chips are nothing more than fraud protection. If a business continues to allow magnetic swipes, the liability is shifted to them, but that's still nothing to do with PCI DSS compliance.
 
I've been wireless charging through my credit cards for the last few months. I have two credit cards in my wallet and two plastic ID cards, the case itself adds about a millimetre.

I use a Belkin boost up wireless charging pad and I have to be reasonably precise where I place my phone to get the green charging light to come on. If I remove the case there is no issue. My cards get relatively warm after charging overnight.

This week my Amex card stopped working for contactless payments. It continued to work for "chip and pin". It is the first time I have had any issue with contactless payments.

I am hoping it is just a coincidence and nothing to do with using wireless charging. However, I do fear that whilst the magnetism doesn't damage the contactless payment elements, the heat generated by wireless charging may ultimately be an issue.

I'll let the forum know if my replacement card has a similar fate.
 
In my experience the chip began heating up, and the samsunS wireless chatchastopped charging for security reasons (detecting metal on chargrr)
 
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