Barclays Contactless Opt Out?

lofielectronic

Received my new card last week and see from the attached promotional leaflets all new cards are contactless.

I presume there is no point asking them for a non contactless card given this, but wonder if they can at least put a block on the account for this service?

Its not a service I will use, I do have concerns over the security implications and their promise to reimburse any fraudulent transactions fills me with dread having dealt with them on a fraud issue once before.

I have been trying to contact them about this, 30 minutes on hold, gave up, email form on the website doesn't seem to work at all and I can't visit my local branch as it no longer opens on a Saturday, so I wondered if anyone here has any knowledge.

silvercar

I've never found a place where the contactless card works, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Gromitt

Whilst they will usually deny a non-contactless card, you can cut the aerial from the contactless bit, or drill through the RFID chip, or just put some foil in your wallet. All prevent people stealing your details via RFID.

Personally, I drilled a hole through the RFID chip (NOT the chip see you see visible on the left hand side of the card - thats for CNP). It no longer functions with a contactless terminal (card never recognised), but CNP still works and it still functions in an ATM.

Plxply

As far as I know the first time you use the contactless facility on a card it will ask for a PIN, so if you never use it then the service is unusable.

As a less extreme alternative to Gromitt's solution you could also make a small cut through the RFID chip or it's antenna which will completely disable it without leaving a hole in the card

lofielectronic

Plxply wrote: »

As far as I know the first time you use the contactless facility on a card it will ask for a PIN, so if you never use it then the service is unusable.

As a less extreme alternative to Gromitt's solution you could also make a small cut through the RFID chip or it's antenna which will completely disable it without leaving a hole in the card

Thank you both, those seem rather extreme solutions but who knows.

From re-reading their leaflets it states the card will become contactless 'active' after a conventional pin payment is made, so its going to end up active unavoidably unfortunately.

I still haven't managed to get through to Barclays but have been told that they know the contact forms on their website are broken and are investigating... Not that confidence inspiring.

Gromitt

Plxply wrote: »

As far as I know the first time you use the contactless facility on a card it will ask for a PIN, so if you never use it then the service is unusable.

However, if you have the appropriate equipment, you can retrieve the cards full number, expiry date and the name on the card without a PIN, and then use them on any website that doesn't require the CSC (such as Amazon). This is possible as soon as the card is activated and isn't limited to the £15 that contactless is.

Since you are unlikely to place your card next to an rogue RFID reader, I would recommend insulating your wallet against RFID to ensure people don't read your cards without your knowledge.

Plxply

Gromitt wrote: »

However, if you have the appropriate equipment, you can retrieve the cards full number, expiry date and the name on the card without a PIN, and then use them on any website that doesn't require the CSC (such as Amazon). This is possible as soon as the card is activated and isn't limited to the £15 that contactless is.

This is true (and a huge flaw) and I see you share similar levels of paranoia as me, although there is one thing and that is Amazon is one of the only retailers to not need the CSC. Mastercard rolled it out in 1997 and Visa in 2001, I would be surprised if most merchant acquirers would even process a CNP transaction without the CSC. I know this isn't a definite solution but it should help slightly.

Also if you have the card linked to an Amazon account and someone else tries to use the same card number Amazon will lock the second account and send you an email informing you that someone has attempted to use your card details. Once again though this isn't a great fix.

JuicyJesus

Gromitt wrote: »

However, if you have the appropriate equipment, you can retrieve the cards full number, expiry date and the name on the card without a PIN, and then use them on any website that doesn't require the CSC (such as Amazon). This is possible as soon as the card is activated and isn't limited to the £15 that contactless is.

Since you are unlikely to place your card next to an rogue RFID reader, I would recommend insulating your wallet against RFID to ensure people don't read your cards without your knowledge.

It's just fairly unlikely full stop. What would be more profitable to you, if you were a criminal:

1) Buy and install a rogue RFID reader, which as you say most people are unlikely to place their cards or wallets against (especially not most people who understand what contactless cards are) and try and get people to put their cards up against it to obtain information of limited usefulness to a fraudster due to lack of CVV codes

2) Steal peoples' wallets and obtain all of their cards plus the CVV codes and possibly PIN numbers if they're stupid and they've written them down.

Gromitt

JuicyJesus wrote: »

It's just fairly unlikely full stop. What would be more profitable to you, if you were a criminal:

We all know the answer to that, but there's a third option:

In my junk box recently I found a nice advertisement for a 'Contactless Card Reader'*. Apparently all you need to do is wave it over a persons pocket (preferably the one with the wallet in) and it will attempt to read and store the details of any contactless cards. Much easier than (2) and less chance of landing you in hospital. Find a crowded station and you might find several card numbers. Combine this with known forums** which tell you of websites that don't use CVV and it could be quite profitable. (2) also suffers from the fact that the cards may be cancelled within an hour of your stealing them. With (3), the "victim" wouldn't even know until he checks his statement, which could be upto 4 weeks afterwards.

* - of course, the advertisement could be fake and they just want your cash to rip you off, but we all know its possible. Shrinking such a device into something you can hold in your hand wouldn't be that difficult, IMO.

** - Not tested.

(2) wouldn't work on my cards, as I don't carry the PINs around, and used a PCB brush to erase the CVV digits from the back of the cards. They are instead stored in a secure location as I only need them at home, so pointless taking them out with me.

lofielectronic

Jeez, was only after some advice re the bank, didn't think it would come to putting tin foil up on the windows.

As said, its doubtfull there will be an issue, but it is possible. And for a service I don't want I'd rather not have to worry about it. Have contacted Barclays and will see what they say.

I may be back to find out where to drill the car as yet, as ridiculous as that seems.

Thank you.

andrew-the-cat

This again! I have been trying for the last year and a bit to get a contactless debit card with no luck. Lloyds claim they do not issue them even though it says on their website they will give you one if you ask (and someone on this forum has one too).

Barclays would not give me one because apparently at 22 I was "too young.

I'll swap your contactless card for my Barclays non-contactless one?