Can ETC Be Stolen When Plugged in the Car?

[BarrettRose]

ETC cannot be stolen when plugged in the car. ETC uses automatic vehicle identification technology to establish wireless data communication between the vehicle and the toll station, enabling automatic vehicle sensing and identification as well as the exchange of relevant toll data. It employs computer networks to process toll data, achieving a fully automatic electronic toll collection system without the need to stop or set up toll booths. The installation method for ETC is as follows: 1. Peel off the double-sided adhesive plastic film on the back of the ETC device and stick it to the position behind the rearview mirror on the upper part of the windshield; 2. Press firmly for about 10 seconds after sticking it; 3. Insert the card into the ETC device and then remove it, repeating this process several times to complete the installation.

[AlinaLynn]

As a frequent highway driver, I must remind you that there are two types of ETC cards. The early co-branded cards with UnionPay QuickPass functionality could indeed be wirelessly skimmed by special devices, but only for small payments from the card's built-in e-wallet. Nowadays, the standard ETC-only cards issued by banks have long disabled the contactless payment feature—when inserted in the vehicle, they're essentially just plastic pieces. Our transport fleet installed new devices with anti-tamper switches last year; once removed, they automatically lock, rendering them useless even if someone smashes the window to steal them. If you're still concerned, I simply remove the card and store it in the glove compartment when parked for over three days—after all, toll stations can now scan license plates for payment, so there's no need to keep it inserted all the time.

[DelTalia]

I have handled cases of ETC fraudulent charges at the bank. The truth is that ETC itself does not store funds; the fraudulent charges are actually issues with the card's financial function. Since 2018, banks have completely suspended the contactless payment feature for ETC cards, and the debit/credit cards with ETC function in your possession have small-amount contactless payments disabled by default. Once, I tried using a test POS machine against my car's windshield, and it couldn't read the card information at all. If you really want to prevent theft, the easiest solution is to wrap the card in a tin foil shield, or simply apply for a savings account ETC and keep no money in the card for added security.

[Jaxon]

I work in automotive electronics. From a technical perspective, ETC anti-theft mainly relies on two mechanisms: the OBU device requires vehicle power to operate, and there's an anti-tamper sensor at the windshield attachment point. The card itself uses a dedicated encryption protocol from the Ministry of Transport and is physically isolated from the banking card system. Once we tested it in the lab with a professional card reader, working continuously for 12 hours without success in cracking it. However, I recommend that car owners avoid storing large amounts of money in their ETC cards. Personally, I link mine directly to a credit card with billing alerts set up, so any issues can be resolved by the bank.

[KinsleyAnn]

A traffic police friend told me that there have been fewer than ten reported cases of ETC fraud in recent years. In actual cases, it mostly involved car owners leaving their flash-pay-enabled credit cards inserted in the ETC device and not closing their car windows when parked. Nowadays, banks' anti-fraud systems are very effective, freezing any suspicious transactions immediately. The third-generation ETC device on my car has a sensing range of only 5-10 centimeters, requiring precise alignment with the toll booth barrier for transactions. During every maintenance session, remember to ask the technician to check if the device is securely attached. If it's loose, promptly re-secure it with 3M tape to prevent theft and avoid recognition failure when passing through toll stations.