Can the ETC card in the car be stolen and swiped?
2 Answers
Automobile ETC cards cannot be stolen and swiped. The ETC card is bound to the license plate number in the background, so there is no risk of theft or direct swiping when inserted into the OBU on the windshield. Below is a detailed introduction to ETC: 1. ETC, also known as the Electronic Toll Collection system for highways, uses the onboard electronic tag OBU to communicate with the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at toll stations, and then deducts the fee from the linked payment method via the internet. Currently, most tags installed in vehicles are debit cards, which only record transactions offline after toll fees are generated through ETC highway passages. The settlement data is then transmitted to the bank where the owner's linked payment account is held to complete the deduction. 2. There are mainly three types of ETC cards: The first is a stored-value card issued by the transportation industry, which does not have financial functions and can be used for consumption after the owner stores value. The second type is an ETC debit card issued jointly by the transportation industry and banks, which does not have financial functions and is usually linked to a debit or credit card under the owner's name. The third type is a dual-function ETC co-branded card issued jointly by the transportation industry and banks, which has both ETC debit card functionality and the financial functions of a bank savings card or credit card, allowing for normal card swiping and consumption.
I've been driving on highways frequently in recent years, and using an ETC card is quite convenient. However, I was initially worried that it might be skimmed by others. Later, I learned that ETC cards are actually based on RFID technology and only activate for reading in specific environments like toll stations. When the car is parked outside, it's difficult for other devices to steal data even if they get close, as the card has encryption settings. A friend of mine who works in the transportation department told me that actual cases are very rare, and most are just rumors. The real risks might be physical theft of the card or malicious reading devices attached to the car, but those require a high technical threshold and are uncommon in daily life. It's advisable to park in secure places like garages or monitored areas and avoid leaving the card too visible. Overall, I think the risk is minimal, so there's no need to worry too much—just use it normally.
