Is there any point to the paper card envelope USCIS issue with Green Card now?

[fip & jim 452]

I've been wondering if these actually do anything apart from keep your card from getting scratched in your wallet. The wording on the envelope is "We recommend use of this this envelope to protect your new card and to prevent wireless communication with it". How can paper protect a card from being read wirelessly? From reading up about it I thought aluminum foil was one of the best RFID blocking materials, no mention of paper. RFID enabled crime is technically possible, but there are no confirmed instances of it in the US and the threat is minuscule if not non-existent. Does anyone protect from their Green Card from wireless identity theft in other ways, and is it even necessary?

 

 

 

 

[Mrsjackson 300]

I don’t actually have my green card yet as I’m still waiting for interview in the US, however I was given the same little envelope for my NEXUS card (US issued ID available to Canadians for security preclearance at the border). I can’t say I know a lot about the subject, but my logic is if the US government is providing these envelopes then it will probably suffice. I have no idea what materials it’s made out of, but it’s not exactly just a thin piece of paper. It’s thicker and I assumed some kind of metal or aluminum or whatever lined it? 

[mushroomspore 3,044]

12 minutes ago, Mrsjackson said:

I don’t actually have my green card yet as I’m still waiting for interview in the US, however I was given the same little envelope for my NEXUS card (US issued ID available to Canadians for security preclearance at the border). I can’t say I know a lot about the subject, but my logic is if the US government is providing these envelopes then it will probably suffice. I have no idea what materials it’s made out of, but it’s not exactly just a thin piece of paper. It’s thicker and I assumed some kind of metal or aluminum or whatever lined it? 

Nope, the envelope USCIS gives with the green card is just paper.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

Yea nothing really special about it, but my husband still keeps his GC in it in his wallet guess mostly as kind of something like a scratch protector.

[payxibka 10,045]

Rfid blocking materials can be very thin and sandwiched as a layer between paper layers

[arken 4,197]

29 minutes ago, mushroomspore said:

Nope, the envelope USCIS gives with the green card is just paper.

It’s not just a paper, it contains materials that help prevent the  personal data from being stolen by a nearby scanner (like by hackers)

I was never bothered by it though. 

[Mrsjackson 300]

48 minutes ago, mushroomspore said:

Nope, the envelope USCIS gives with the green card is just paper.

It can’t be just paper. 

[fip & jim 452]

2 hours ago, Mrsjackson said:

I don’t actually have my green card yet as I’m still waiting for interview in the US, however I was given the same little envelope for my NEXUS card (US issued ID available to Canadians for security preclearance at the border). I can’t say I know a lot about the subject, but my logic is if the US government is providing these envelopes then it will probably suffice. I have no idea what materials it’s made out of, but it’s not exactly just a thin piece of paper. It’s thicker and I assumed some kind of metal or aluminum or whatever lined it? 

This appears to be just paper. From inspecting it I can't imagine that it has any metal fiber, there isn't a lining and if you hold it up to the light you can see right through it, so I would say it's not even card grade paper. I've had mine less than 2 months and only got it out a couple of times for ID and the edges are already getting dogeared. 

[fip & jim 452]

3 hours ago, Ben&Zian said:

Yea nothing really special about it, but my husband still keeps his GC in it in his wallet guess mostly as kind of something like a scratch protector.

This is how I'm using it too. Then I looked up whether I should get a more substantial cover and I came across all this stuff about RFID and how most of the stuff marketed is a waste of money and wouldn't work anyway.

[Crazy Cat 41,850]

2 minutes ago, fip & jim said:

This appears to be just paper. From inspecting it I can't imagine that it has any metal fiber, there isn't a lining and if you hold it up to the light you can see right through it, so I would say it's not even card grade paper. I've had mine less than 2 months and only got it out a couple of times for ID and the edges are already getting dogeared. 

Mere paper can not prevent wireless communication.

[fip & jim 452]

3 hours ago, arken said:

It’s not just a paper, it contains materials that help prevent the  personal data from being stolen by a nearby scanner (like by hackers)

I was never bothered by it though. 

Do you know what materials? Do you have one of these envelopes? I'm just curious because they feel like regular paper, not even as substantial as the newer paper currencies.

[fip & jim 452]

3 minutes ago, missileman said:

Mere paper can not prevent wireless communication.

That's what I'm asking, because what is the point if that's all it is? I'm wondering if anyone knows for sure what this made of and if it prevents wireless identity theft.

[TBoneTX 45,288]

1 minute ago, fip & jim said:

what is the point

It's a little crumb of niceness (perhaps the only, ever) from USCIS to you.  Therefore, treasure and relish it.  

[fip & jim 452]

Just now, TBoneTX said:

It's a little crumb of niceness (perhaps the only, ever) from USCIS to you.  Therefore, treasure and relish it.  

Yeah right! 😝 Only cost about seven thousand dollars and counting for that privilege.

[arken 4,197]

5 minutes ago, fip & jim said:

Do you know what materials? Do you have one of these envelopes? I'm just curious because they feel like regular paper, not even as substantial as the newer paper currencies.

Never bothered to know what it is made of but if you want to know, you can google RFID blocking sleeves and one can also buy such sleeves for credit cards and so on. Tear apart the sleeve or scratch from inside and you’ll see the embodied linings. 

 

I never cared about it, just seemed cool putting entire thing in the wallet.