New criminal gadget can clone up to 15 contactless bank cards a second from victims who are simply standing nearby

  • Hi-tech device steals info such as the card number and name and address 
  • Details then written onto a blank card which is used on for speeding spree 
  • Ready-made con kits sell for £500 on London and south east black market
  • Device first to target contactless, which is becoming increasingly popular 

By ALEXANDER ROBERTSON FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 07:14 EST, 12 June 2016 | UPDATED: 09:19 EST, 12 June 2016
contactless transactionA new gadget can be used by criminals to clone up to 15 contactless bank cards a second – from victims who are simply standing nearby. The hi-tech device steals details such as the card number and the person’s name and address contained on the credit or debit card. The scanner – called the Contactless Infusion X5 – extracts the information where it can be written onto blank cards, which can then be used by thieves to go on spending sprees.

Ready-made con kits, including the device, special software and 20 blank cards, are being sold on the streets of London and the south east for £500, according to the Daily Star Sunday. The device is thought to be the first sold on the black market to specifically target the increasingly-popular contactless bank card. The technology enables customers to pay for goods with a single tap of their card on a reader, without the need to provide a signature or enter their PIN number. The device is thought to be the first sold on the black market to specifically target the increasingly-popular contactless bank card.

Looking specifically at consumer payments, the average UK adult made 20 card payments per month in 2015, with around two payments per month being contactless. By 2025 people are predicted to use a debit, credit or charge card virtually every day – at 30 times per month. The UK Cards Association has said that contactless card spending topped £1.5 billion in the space of a month for the first time in March. The milestone was reached just four months after contactless spending reached £1 billion for the first time in November 2015.