If you thought your new credit card and a fancy RFID-blocking wallet will protect you from credit card scams when you travel, I’ve got some bad news for you. 

Despite billions spent on EMV chip-based payment cards and contactless systems, nearly 2 in 3 credit card holders have experienced credit card cloning or fraud, according to Security.org. Even more alarming: a new “white card” scam is spreading across Europe, costing victims an average of $300 per incident, and it’s targeting travelers who thought their chip-and-PIN cards were secure.

I should know — my family recently became a victim of this scam. (More on that in a moment.)

Recent law enforcement busts across Europe have exposed international crime rings stealing millions through sophisticated skimming operations at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals. The criminals have adapted to modern security measures, exploiting vulnerabilities that allow them to bypass chip protections entirely. 

Meanwhile, travelers continue buying expensive RFID wallets that protect against threats that barely exist while ignoring the real dangers lurking at every payment terminal.

The uncomfortable truth? Most “security” products marketed to travelers offer more of a false sense of security than actual protection. And even the most cautious visitors are discovering fraudulent charges on their statements days after using systems they believed were secure.

“Security upgrades don’t mean security guarantees,” says Eric Cole, a former CIA hacker and cybersecurity expert. “EMV chips and contactless payments made card fraud harder, but criminals adapt fast. Cloning scams show that technology alone doesn’t solve the problem — it just changes the battlefield.”

The new face of card cloning

Forget the outdated image of a criminal sliding a bulky skimmer over an ATM slot. Today’s card cloning operates at a level of sophistication that would make spy novelists jealous.

“Card cloning today isn’t about breaking in through the chip,” explains Debtosh Banerjee, president of Seen, a credit card company. “That technology is extremely hard to duplicate. Instead, fraudsters tend to target the weakest link.”

Modern criminals use “shimming” devices for credit card cloning — ultra-thin electronics inserted inside card readers that capture data from EMV chips. These devices are nearly impossible to spot with the naked eye, sometimes measuring just millimeters thick.

The criminals have three main attack vectors:

• Overlay skimmers at ATMs or terminals that capture card data, often paired with hidden cameras to record PINs. These devices can collect data for weeks before anyone notices.

• “White card” cloning, recently flagged in Italy, which bypasses EMV protections by transferring data to blank magnetic stripe cards used in regions with weaker security.

• Point-of-sale terminal tampering, where criminals compromise the machines themselves, installing malware that captures chip and contactless transaction details in real time.

“The mechanics of cloning scams have diversified,” says Carnegie Mellon cybersecurity researcher Harshvardhan Chunawala. 

But he says the most common tactic — and unfortunately, the most difficult to detect — is point-of-sale tampering. So you may be using a compromised payment system without even knowing it. 

It happened to me

The statistics don’t lie. My family was a victim of a compromised payment system when we lived in Paris a few months ago. 

My 20-year-old son used his U.S. credit card to buy a soda at a convenience store in Paris. A few days later, a $30 charge appeared for the Louvre. A few days later, another charge popped up for the Musée d’Orsay, and then another for Champs-Élysées. These were not businesses; they were accounts set up by scammers to look legitimate.

How could that have happened? My son used an RFID wallet, a carbon fiber case that blocks unauthorized radio frequency scans. 

He promptly disputed the charges, hoping for a refund. But I wanted answers: How did they get his credit card information despite the RFID wallet?

Why RFID wallets don’t prevent credit card cloning

Walk into any travel store and you’ll find dozens of RFID-blocking wallets promising to prevent credit card fraud. But do they actually work against card cloning threats? The marketing is pretty compelling. Invisible criminals scanning your cards through your pocket at airports and cafes. These  will stop it.

The reality is far different.

“RFID wallets sound good in ads, but most fraud today doesn’t come from wireless theft,” Cole explains. “It comes from compromised ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and data breaches. Travelers may feel safe, but the risk has simply shifted.”

Multiple experts interviewed for this story echoed the same theme. RFID protection is designed to resolve a threat that’s largely theoretical while ignoring the actual dangers travelers face.

“RFID-blocking wallets may help against older, passive skimming methods, but they won’t stop active cloning at a tampered terminal,” says Uri Abramson, founder of the finance site Datasonic. “Most modern scams rely on compromised point-of-sale terminals or ATM skimmers that capture data from the chip and PIN process itself.”

Lakeidra Smith, author of “Cyber Curiosity: A Beginner’s Guide to Cybersecurity,” says the scary stories about someone scanning your pocket from afar make headlines.

“But they’re rare,” she says. “The real danger comes from compromised machines.”

How EMV chip cards can still be cloned

EMV chip technology was supposed to solve the cloning problem. In many ways, it has — but criminals have found workarounds that exploit both technical vulnerabilities and human psychology.

The most common exploit involves “fallback fraud,” where criminals tamper with a chip reader and force it to fail, which makes the card fall back to a magnetic stripe. That allows fraudsters to use cloned magnetic stripe cards even at chip-enabled terminals.

“Even though chips are secure, if a machine is rigged or falls back to the old magnetic stripe system, criminals can still clone your card,” explains Gyan Chawdhary, CEO of cybersecurity firm Kontra.

For criminals, these scams are the easiest way to get to your credit card. 

“Criminals rarely bother with RFID pickpocketing anymore,” says Stephen Arndt, president of Silver Linings Technology and a healthcare IT consultant. “Instead, they compromise the payment infrastructure itself.”

What actually works?

Security experts say some strategies can make a difference when you’re paying with a credit card while traveling.

Mobile wallets: the real game changer. Nearly every cybersecurity expert interviewed agreed: mobile payments like Apple Pay and Google Pay are the most effective credit card fraud prevention tools available today. “Use mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay whenever possible,” advises Smith, the cybersecurity expert. “They create one-time codes that can’t be cloned.”

Choose secure ATM locations to prevent fraud

The unanimous advice from security experts: where you use your card matters more than what’s in your wallet. If you’re using a debit or credit card at an ATM, go to a bank or an airport. Avoid using an ATM on the street. 

“Any ATM can become compromised,” explains Darius Kingsley, head of consumer banking practices at Chase. “But those in well-lit, highly monitored environments are less likely to be tampered with. When possible, it’s better to use an ATM located inside a bank branch.

Real-time monitoring is your best defense. Perhaps the most important protection isn’t preventing fraud but detecting it quickly. Enable transaction alerts on your phone. The faster you catch fraudulent activity, the better your chances of keeping your money. Monique Lewis, a communications consultant who’s experienced fraud multiple times, explains her strategy: “I constantly check my accounts multiple times a day. I also make sure to let my institution know immediately.”

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, never travel with just one card. If your bank discovers a fraudulent transaction, it will probably try to cancel your account, potentially leaving you with no way to pay.

Bailey Foster, vice president of trip insurance at Trawick International, says the advice for travelers is simple. 

“The best protection is to use mobile wallets with tokenization, choose secure ATMs inside banks or airports, set up real-time alerts, and carry a backup card,” she says.

How to protect your credit card from cloning when traveling

You don’t have to be a victim. Here’s how to protect yourself when you’re on the road.

Before you go: Set up real-time transaction alerts for every card you’ll carry. This is your early warning system and the single most important protection you can enable. Load your cards into mobile wallets and practice using them. Also, turn on two-factor authentication for your banking apps. Notify your bank of your travel plans if possible, but also ask about transaction limits and how to quickly freeze cards if needed.

While you’re traveling: Taking a moment to inspect card readers before inserting your card could help you identify fake ATM machine parts and signs of tampering.They’re difficult to spot, but not impossible.

One more thing: Cover the keypad every time you enter a PIN. Even if nobody is around, use your other hand to cover the keypad. Hidden cameras often record your PIN number.

If you see a suspicious transaction, take advantage of the “lock card” function, which many financial service providers offer.

“When truly in doubt, lock out,” says Frank Harrison, regional security director for the Americas at World Travel Protection. “Confirm the transaction is yours before unlocking.”

How banks and payment processors fight card cloning

Banks and payment processors are fighting back, and  it’s a constant battle. The credit card industry has invested billions in EMV technology and fraud detection systems, but criminals continue to outsmart them.

One promising development is a company called iProov, which uses facial biometrics and liveness detection to verify that the person making a transaction is physically present and genuine, not a remote fraudster with stolen data.

“The modern threat to travelers isn’t about physical card cloning,” says Dominic Forrest, chief technology officer of iProov. “It’s about the theft and remote use of their digital identity.”

Travel insurance companies are adapting their policies to address modern fraud, too.

“While credit card cloning itself is not covered by travel insurance, most comprehensive travel insurance policies provide 24/7 emergency assistance support,” notes Bailey of Trawick. “They offer to help with things like ID recovery and emergency travel funds.”

But the fundamental problem remains: Security measures often lag behind criminal innovation.

Now what? 

Credit card cloning isn’t going away. As EMV chip technology and payment systems become more sophisticated, criminals adapt their fraud tactics. The good news is that travelers who understand the real threats — and ignore the marketing hype around gadgets — can significantly reduce their risk.

The pattern is clear from every expert interview and fraud victim account: Behavioral changes can make a big difference. Using mobile wallets, choosing secure payment locations, enabling real-time monitoring, and acting quickly when something goes wrong are the strategies that actually work.

Don’t forget that under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you have the right to dispute a fraudulent purchase and receive a full refund. That’s what my son did for his soda purchase in Paris, and it worked.

Your best protection against credit card fraud may not be in your wallet. It’s in your vigilance, and your willingness to embrace technologies that actually address the threats you face.