Debit Cards - including Contactless Payment

Bob81_2

Hello

I was wondering if anyone has a Debit Card without contactless techology.

I am with Barclays and as part of my account I have to have one of these cards. Barclays have said if I want a card without the Contactless technology then I have to go to the Basic account, so no cheque book and a cash card. I could live with the cash card but not without my cheque book (yes really). They have only let me know this informally and sent me a letter 8 weeks after I complained to tell me it was taking longer than they expected to look into my complaint. ( You would have thought - either I can have a normal Debit Card or I can't). They have now said I can complain to the Financial Ombudmans Service, however, this is more of an Office of Fair Traing issue as the company wants everyone to use their cards instead of cash/cheques - vested interests controlling the technology. Although I will complain just so it's visible to the regulator and abritrator.

I will switch though unless they relent (which they won't). So I was wondering if anyone out there still gets a Debit Card without this awful techology?

Many thanks

ps. I am a IT professional with 16 years experience post graduate. I know about techology and contactless isn't security by any stretch of the imagination. Insecure = headache waiting to happen. So please no flaming.....be constructive or don't bother typing. Thank you.

izools

Barclays Bank have the option to send you out one of two cards.

The personal banker in branch merely has to select the card of the type "VISA-Electronic" or "Connect VISA-Electronic" something like that - it has the word Electronic written somewhere beside the selection on their screen. These start 4658 not 4659 and aren't contactless.

Very simple, actually. They're just being retards.

EDIT: If you want to be flamed, just change your username to "Santander Customer Representative". So long as you don't have that as your nick I think you'll be just fine here :beer:

jen245

I think Barclays is the only bank at the moment who are issuing contactless debit cards, although in the future, I think most banks will be issuing them

book12

The card that Barclays issue with their basic bank account is either a debit card (without contactless), or cash card. You get a choice. Tell them you want a debit card with the basic bank account.

jen245

OP doesnt want the basic account, as he wants a cheque book

Rafter

Bob,

Curious as to why you think that contactless payment technology is not secure?

Agree that it allows someone who steals your card the ability to make a few unauthorised small transactions - but that would be just the same as having your wallet pinched with some cash in it?

Personally though I'm more relaxed about contactless than I am about chip and pin where I'm entering information into someone elses terminal.

R.