why did all of my credit cards stop being able to be read at stores? they were all in my wallet together.?

Answer 1

If it happened all at the same time, the most likely answer is that you got your wallet too close to one of the security tag deactivators in a store. You've seen the little pads that say "Do not place credit cards here". You got too close to one.

Answer 2

Credit cards get "erased" or partially erased (then unreadable) when exposed to a magnetic field.
These fields can come from many sources: from a mobile phone to a big loudspeaker, close to a high voltage transformer. The list is vast.
The other possibility is called "de-magnetisation". It is the result of passing or leaving the magnetic tracks against each other: the tiny magnets of one influence the magnets of the other and "erase" themselves. We used to see that with tape recorders left a while without playing: the layers copy themselves one to the other!

Answer 3

I once had my gym membership card made unreadable. And I think the reason for it was mobile phone, so I never carry a mobile phone in the same pocket as my wallet is. I think that the mobile phone was to blame. Maybe something else. I think that anything magnetic or electromagnetic may harm it.

Answer 4

Did you get your wallet close to a large magnet? That would have destroyed the data encoded on the magnetic stip on the back of each card.

Answer 5

The cards might have thought that its YOU who is always using them and THEY have never been able to use YOU. So they might want justice. Give them the same rights as you enjoy after all they are in a democratic country.

Answer 6

I agree with Jared. That's about all that could have done it. (Unless you have *really* bad credit )


Doug