What mechanism is embedded within, for instance, tram cards that you can use to check in and out of your train ride, that prevents you from copying the signal that is coming from that card ? I could maybe understand this for cards that have an account linked to them (e.g. bank cards or other personalised cards), but what about cards you just [top up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stored-value_card?wprov=sfti1) (e.g. [train cards in the Netherlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OV-chipkaart?wprov=sfti1)). Why couldn’t you just copy every signal that is coming out of that card and clone it to a different one making a receiving device think you have a topped up card?
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You can. And when the “tap” technology in debit and credit cards was still a novel concept, it was relatively common. That’s why so many wallets and purses these days boast RFID blocking technology.
Transit cards are likely not high value targets, though, as they’re typically relatively anonymous and their balance has no cash value (ie you can’t take them anywhere and convert them back to money).
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