A secure transaction card does not interact with an interrogating radio frequency field without user interaction. The user interaction may include pressing on the card to cause a smartcard chip to connect to a coil on the card. The user interaction may also include exposing the card to light, motion, touch, or the like. Control of the secure transaction card may be active or passive.

A card reader may include a conveying passage; a magnetic head structured to abut with a magnetic stripe on the card; a head moving mechanism structured to move the magnetic head in a widthwise direction of the conveying passage between an abutting position and a retreated position; an IC contact block having a plurality of IC contact springs to contact a plurality of external connection terminals of an IC chip formed on the card; and a contact block moving mechanism structured to move the IC contact block between a contact position retreated position. The conveying passage may be formed with an opening part through which the magnetic head is passed. The magnetic head may be located at the head abutting position and is abutted with the one face of the card at a time when the IC contact springs and the external connection terminals are contacted with each other.