Warning to push button start owners...

[Frio]

For me I use my Capital One card for everything I can so I can rack up my points, I get 1 1/2 points per dollar spent. I have over 400,000 points accumulated now which I can use for credits towards my purchases or cash which would be over $4K right now. I pay my balance in full so why not let them pay me for using their card? I have had a couple hacks over the years but they instantly credit me for them and send me a new card overnight.

So for me it's the convenience of not caring a wallet stuffed with cash and other junk and if I lose my wallet all my cash is gone. If I lose my cc it's frozen and replaced the next day.

Don't be like George. ?

Sounds strangely familiar. I do exactly the same thing with one of my cards. In fact just used some points to get all season mats for the Ranger.

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[D Fresh]

The way the guy explained it, once they've captured your code, they encode a new key fob...I'm guessing all that information contains your VIN and Ford Pass...but hey, I'm not saying that you worry... ?

The fob of sends out a unique low frequency signal which the car is looking for. That signal is not modulated to contain anything.

The scanners simply scan for frequencies typically used by push button start systems. Once seen the theifs wouldn't bother programming a new fob. They would simply transmit said frequency to allow access and starting. Going through the steps to program a new fob is a huge waste of time, energy, and money.

Taking the time to learn how things work can alleviate a lot of stress in one's life.

 

[dtech]

Lots of easier targets for car thieves - like people who warm their cars up , don't have the ability to lock their doors, or they leave the car running attended for just a "minute" and it's gone, or those who park on the street/driveway and leave a garage door opener visible in the car, or valuables in plain sight. Reportedly nearly 28k autos were stolen in CO in 2020.
I'll worry about the key fob thing when my Ranger is stolen. If they steal my wife's Hyundai - good riddance.

 

[r1ch999999]

Digital theft of all kinds is a huge problem for all of us and it's only going to get worse! Why can't we do iris scans for monetary transactions in 2021? We need some sort of biometric method to create a private, digital security shield that is unbreakable.
I have had several digital security issues in the past year....now I'm concerned about this key fob threat.

You've got to be kidding.

Biometric method for payments, great until someone messes up and accidentally puts you on the 'do not buy' list. Last I checked there was no way off the do not fly list, even if they put you on by mistake. There's a reason the ACLU fights it.

 

[D Fresh]

For me I use my Capital One card for everything I can so I can rack up my points, I get 1 1/2 points per dollar spent. I have over 400,000 points accumulated now which I can use for credits towards my purchases or cash which would be over $4K right now. I pay my balance in full so why not let them pay me for using their card? I have had a couple hacks over the years but they instantly credit me for them and send me a new card overnight.

So for me it's the convenience of not caring a wallet stuffed with cash and other junk and if I lose my wallet all my cash is gone. If I lose my cc it's frozen and replaced the next day.

Don't be like George. ?

That makes sense. I do the same with Capital one and my Ford card.

But I also prefer to use cash. I generally hit the ATM weekly. A couple hundred bucks can keep 5-10 little transactions out of the system. I'm a stickler for balancing my checkbook so if I use the debit card I have to save the receipt to write down, and debit cards don't offer the same protection as credit cards. I try to save the cards and their points/cash for bigger purchases, but will usually fill in the week with the credit cards if I run out of my cash allotment. Also, I've never lost my wallet before, not planning to now!

And no Costanza wallet here.

Ridge Wallet, with clip instead of stap, license, debit card, 2 credit cards, health insurance card and my wad of cash. Simple, low pro, and front pocketable.

 

[mtbikernate]

There's another wrinkle to this, too, that's not reliant on the push-button start or keyless entry feature. It's an issue with any vehicle that has a keyfob to lock/unlock doors.

I live in a tourist town with lots of outdoor recreation. Lots of remote trailheads are prime for theft. The more remote, the better.

The "old" method is the simple smash and grab. They smash your windows, go through whatever stuff is in your vehicle, steal it, and leave. They're not stealing the vehicle. They're after whatever you leave in there. Some morons leave their keys in the vehicle. But other times it's a purse/wallet, a phone, a laptop, the list is nearly endless the sorts of things they wind up with.

The "new" method is that the thieves hang out in the parking lot with a receiver. They're looking for signals sent by keyfobs. Could be the keyless entry signal, but could also be the lock/unlock code from a non-keyless fob. Then they can just unlock your vehicle, steal your shit, and leave no evidence behind until later when you realize your stuff was stolen.

This method has been starting to show up in this area. Most are still smash-and-grab, but this higher-tech method has been starting to appear.

As a result, I've been working to re-train myself to lock my Ranger by using the physical button in the door before I leave. That way, my fob isn't sending a lock/unlock code for anyone to clone until I come back and I'm ready to load my stuff up and drive away. Could take it a step further and only use the physical key to unlock, too.

 

[Msfitoy]

I've been working to re-train myself to lock my Ranger by using the physical button in the door before I leave. That way, my fob isn't sending a lock/unlock code for anyone to clone until I come back and I'm ready to load my stuff up and drive away. Could take it a step further and only use the physical key to unlock, too.

I like this idea...when in doubt, go manual...?

 

[Cowboys22]

For me I use my Capital One card for everything I can so I can rack up my points, I get 1 1/2 points per dollar spent. I have over 400,000 points accumulated now which I can use for credits towards my purchases or cash which would be over $4K right now. I pay my balance in full so why not let them pay me for using their card? I have had a couple hacks over the years but they instantly credit me for them and send me a new card overnight.

So for me it's the convenience of not caring a wallet stuffed with cash and other junk and if I lose my wallet all my cash is gone. If I lose my cc it's frozen and replaced the next day.

Don't be like George. ?

I get rewards for all my purchases as well, but I don't let me points accumulate. I cash them out monthly and apply to my mortgage as a principal payment only.

 

[Tom_C]

Yeah, I rarely carry cash, I use my cashback card for everything.

Back to the topic, I read an article from 2019 that said Ford has a new FOB that shuts off after 40 seconds without motion, and then only turns back on within 6 feet of the vehicle. They are testing in EU on a few models. Not sure if they are available in the US yet.

 

[RANGER_MARC]

Gee ... I thought that is what insurance is for.

Sure, that is what insurance is for. But I would rather buy a box for the fob than deal with all the paperwork involved in getting reimbursed and purchasing a new vehicle, even assuming that the insurance will pay for everything (including mods)! As it happens, the box came in the mail this afternoon, and I have my fob sitting in it right now! (Yes, I did try to open the truck door with the fob in the box and the box in my hand--and it would not open!)

 

[txquailguy]

You've got to be kidding.

Biometric method for payments, great until someone messes up and accidentally puts you on the 'do not buy' list. Last I checked there was no way off the do not fly list, even if they put you on by mistake. There's a reason the ACLU fights it.

Some of you folks are apparently conspiracy theorists.....
Just kidding...don't cancel me.
Look, I would fight to the death to keep cash alive in our society. So when they go down that path, if I'm still around, it will be on for me. For now, most of us use debit/credit cards. The biometric data I am speaking of is strictly for ID purposes. I'll be honest, I would also love to go buy a six pack at the store self checkout line and not have to show an ID to someone.

Now, again, to be clear.....I would give up all plastic cards and go back to just cash if we could pull that off. I don't see that happening....IMHO

 

[Jim C]

https://www.amazon.com/Todoxi-Prote...t=&hvlocphy=9016917&hvtargid=pla-896807912066

get this

 

[dtech]

I live in a tourist town with lots of outdoor recreation. Lots of remote trailheads are prime for theft. The more remote, the better.

Remote trailheads reminds me some 30 yrs back 3 of us ventured into the Colorado backcountry on a 5 day backpack trip, rode in a Bronco II , the owner didn't like to carry the keys so he'd stash them underneath a nearby rock. Well upon our return - no keys, no other cars parked there, we overturned every rock in a 15 ft radius, no keys, apparently some deviate varmit decided to stick it to us and made off with them as we encountered no one else in the area. Exhausted from the trip we had to hike another 15 miles to civilization.
Nowadays you wouldn't have to make the long trek to town to be rescued as the issue is finding a spot to park at many of the overcrowded trailheads. 2 days later the driver's brother brought a spare set of keys from Colorado Springs.

 

[TechnicallyReal]

Not something that I would usually worry about, but that being said I'm okay with spending $20 on a box to toss my keys into when I'm home. When I'm out and about, I'd rather the convenience. Thx OP

 

[parkranger]

Rampager Shoulder Tote extra ammo carriage is way

better than the Faraday Boop Sack for undampered leakwear...

If they made this as a single bag: rampaging on one side, Boop on the other... I would totally rock it!

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