How to avoid Contactless cards?

dalesrider

James wrote: »

Call your card issuer up.

Have them record the fact that you won't be carrying out any wireless transactions. Tell them to treat such transactions as fraudulent.


You could go further and put this in writing and asking for confirmation they'v received your letter.

Good luck

You jest of course......

18 months of contactless cards and I have only ever seen one case of contactless fraud.
Even when people have cards stolen, we do not see contactless fraud.

DoA_2

I am at uni studying computer science. I can tell you for absolute certain that someone already has software (running on a mobile phone) which will scan your card (through your wallet), decrypt the details & either save on that mobile or send them to any other mobile device.

This is not a scare story. It's real. I'm dreading receiving my contactless card.

It IS only a matter of time before contactless fraud spirals out of control.

reclusive46

DoA wrote: »

I am at uni studying computer science. I can tell you for absolute certain that someone already has software (running on a mobile phone) which will scan your card (through your wallet), decrypt the details & either save on that mobile or send them to any other mobile device.

This is not a scare story. It's real. I'm dreading receiving my contactless card.

It IS only a matter of time before contactless fraud spirals out of control.

The whole two cards next to each other gets around this though.

DoA_2

reclusive46 wrote: »

The whole two cards next to each other gets around this though.

And if you only have one? The risk to the banks far outweigh the advantages of quicker, easier payment (plus the added bonus of the constant search by banks to desensitise us to the reality of money - the effect of - it's not real money we're spending)... THAT is the only reason banks are pushing contactless - it is certainly not for our convenience!

RobTang

Just buy a faraday wallet ?

or get a couple of blank rfid cards should only be a few quid each

DoA_2

Yes, I'm not disputing there are ways to fix the problem... but realistically how many people do you think:
a) Think that their contactless cards are totally secure from the get-go.
b) Don't know about the 2 card blocking thing.
c) Wouldn't even know a Faraday wallet exists.

Bravehearted_2

DoA wrote: »

And if you only have one? The risk to the banks far outweigh the advantages of quicker, easier payment (plus the added bonus of the constant search by banks to desensitise us to the reality of money - the effect of - it's not real money we're spending)... THAT is the only reason banks are pushing contactless - it is certainly not for our convenience!

This is such a loony backwards thing to say, it beggars belief. More so coming from someone studying a science.

Using a card makes you think the money you're spending isn't real? Because you're so unintelligent that you think the money just appears as if by magic? Did PIN replacing signing receipts also desensitise you?

Or perhaps you'd prefer a bag of rocks.

When it does happen that a contactless card is used fraudulently - the same way your safe secure wallet of physical money can be stolen - you call your bank, report it, they sort it and refund you.

Except of course with 'real' money, you're stuffed. Don't know about you, but I'll take my chances with the card.

Hominu

DoA wrote: »

I can tell you for absolute certain that someone already has software (running on a mobile phone) which will scan your card (through your wallet), decrypt the details & either save on that mobile or send them to any other mobile device.

I've seen this as well. It also had one small flaw: the details received are only valid for a single transaction, and if the card holder uses the card again before you use the saved details, what you have saved is worthless. Any attempt to use the details will be declined and the card stopped.

If you use a contactless card from the states, things are easier as the terminals emulate barcode readers, so you don't have to decrypt anything or buy any dodgy software (unless you want to write the saved details to another card). You will not get many transactions out of it however.

So I carry around my contactless card in my unshielded wallet. If I get scammed, I'll just report it. I'll only worry if it starts getting regular, which I doubt it will.

DoA_2

Bravehearted wrote: »

This is such a loony backwards thing to say, it beggars belief. More so coming from someone studying a science.

Using a card makes you think the money you're spending isn't real? Because you're so unintelligent that you think the money just appears as if by magic? Did PIN replacing signing receipts also desensitise you?

Or perhaps you'd prefer a bag of rocks.

When it does happen that a contactless card is used fraudulently - the same way your safe secure wallet of physical money can be stolen - you call your bank, report it, they sort it and refund you.

Except of course with 'real' money, you're stuffed. Don't know about you, but I'll take my chances with the card.

I have no quantifiable data so I'll refrain from using the word 'proof'. I also never said I didn't think the money I'm spending isn't real. Some individuals may (and my anecdotal research backs this up) feel less like they're handing over real money - for whatever reason, certainly (to me) 4x £5 swipes of a card wouldn't psychologically add up to handing over 4 fivers ... but then again, I'm not studying psycology so perhaps I'm not allowed a viewpoint on that either?

I'm not here for an argument, just adding my 2 pence.

[Deleted User]

DoA wrote: »

I am at uni studying computer science. I can tell you for absolute certain that someone already has software (running on a mobile phone) which will scan your card (through your wallet), decrypt the details & either save on that mobile or send them to any other mobile device.

You don't need to be on a Computer Science degree to know that. The app is freely available on the Google Play store.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.noSquare&hl=en

Works great on my Galaxy Note II.