Contactless Debit Cards

[beegeebee]

Has anyone used this type of card? I seem to recall some time ago that people in M&S were having money deducted as they walked past counter machinery. My bank has just issued one to me and, to say the least, I'm to be persuaded to use it because of the M&S problem.

[237SJ]

I`ve used mine a couple of times in Aldi but most of the time, I put the card in the machine (old habits die hard). I haven`t used it anywhere else.

[Peter Pedant]

I share you misgivings....

keep us informed and dont forget to tell us how much you lose !

[Prudie]

I've had one quite a while but have only used it twice, I thought it was only for amounts under a certain amount (£10, £15 ?) and touch wood I've never lost anything, you have to be right by the card reader for it to work.

[Brinjal]

I have one linked to my NZ bank account. It is for small amounts and my bank guarantees unauthorized use. Haven't had a problem with it.

[hc4361]

Line a section of your purse/wallet with tin foil and keep the card in that.

[rockyracoon]

If my bank give me one of these it'll go straight back.

[gingejbee]

You may find this Which? article useful:


http://www.which.co.uk/money/credit-cards-and-loans/guides/contactless-cards/

[SlackAlice]

Not interested in one, if you drop it or lose it, you'll be a few quid down before you know it. Bank's guarantees that they will cover any fraudulent charges not worth the paper they are written on.

[Hopkirk]

Stop worrying and just accept the card.

You have to get your purse or wallet very close to the equipment to risk it being read accidentally.

[Tuvok]

The only time I've tried contactless was in Markies and it wouldn't work!

[daffy654]

My daughter had her bank account emptied because someone managed to get the details of her contactless card, we think it was someone passing her with a handheld scanner.

[beegeebee]

Thanks people. The obvious is still true, be careful out there.

[Eve]

I like mine and use it in a number of places.

[4getmenot]

buy a contactless card holder. they do them at www.cannonhousecrafts.co.uk x

[DJHawkes]

we've started using them at work and the card has to be right on top of the machine's screen to make it beep, also, unless a transaction has been instigated to a pin machine, no card is going to be accidentally triggered, and so if a customer is already at the machine being served, it wouldn't matter who walked past because the customer being served would be using their card and the audible beep only happens when the card is close to the machine, so noone not standing being served need worry about it. It's only 3 transactions under £20 per day allowed anyway.

[DJHawkes]

if someone nicked your contactless card and you didn;t notice for 24 hours the most you would lose via contactless payment would be £60, to emplty a bank account of any substantial amount the car thief would have to use it 3 times a day on transcations under £20, most thieves wouldn't risk that.

[DJHawkes]

you all sound very alarmist, I have probably served 100 people today that have used the system with no issues whatsoever.

[giveup]

The very idea frightens me.Hope they forget to send me one.

[DJHawkes]

I would also add, that 50% of the customers we offer the service to had not realised they even had it on their card, the 3 white curves symbol that looks like a wireless connection symbol means your card is already contactless whether you knew it or not.

[daffy654]

I am not alarmist, I just stated a fact. My daughter didn't notice her account had been plundered as she only had money in it that was to cover direct debits. When she got her wage she went to withdraw some cash only to find the bank had taken what she had left in charges due to the DDs not getting paid because her money had gone. She could prove she hadn't spent it as the charges were all over the country and she hadn't left the Preston area. The bank and the police said her card had been scanned and cloned.