FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Can Your Cell Phone "Wipe" Your Magnetic Room Card?
Old Dec 28, 2005, 10:46 am
  #12  
FLOIR
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Florida
Programs: HH Diamond, MR Platinum, Choice Diamond, Priority Club Plat, DL Silver
Posts: 344
Has anyone actually had their credit card wiped out by a cell phone?

I recently bought a new cell phone (Sanyo 200) and with my previous phone I got in the habit of propping the phone up on my wallet so I could hear it if it rang. The next time I went to use my credit card (about 4 days after getting the phone) it wouldn't swipe in the gas pump. I went to 2 other stations and also tried another card, which also wouldn't swipe.

I contacted one of the card companies and they said there is nothing wrong with my account. So a new card is on its way to me. However, I have discovered that gas stations (at least the 3 I stopped at) are not allowed to manually input the card number, if it can not be swiped they can not accept it. Luckily last nights hotel could manually input the number, hopefully the next 2 hotels can also.

So does anyone know for sure (not just internet rumor) if cell phones can wipe out credit cards? Or should I be looking for another cause that would make 2 cards go bad?
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