Detecting RFID tag and inhibiting skimming

A method of detecting an RFID tag, comprising:

• transmitting a bait RFID read signal at a bait power level using an RFID reader;
• transmitting a simulated response signal at a simulated-response power level;
• a skimmer-detection step of automatically monitoring a selected reader frequency for a selected detection time using a controller, wherein a skimmer is determined to be present if a skimmer RFID read signal is detected during the selected detection time;
• if a skimmer is not determined to be present, transmitting multiple read signals sequentially;
• monitoring a selected response frequency for a tag response from an RFID tag, wherein the tag is detected if the tag response is received;
• and
• transmitting each read signal at a respective read power level and wherein at least two of the read power levels are different from each other to indicate that the reader is an authorized reader and receiving the tag response only if the reader is an authorized reader and at least one of the read power levels is lower than the bait power level and at least one of the read power levels is lower than the simulated-response power level.