Non- and Un-contacless credit card

Jennifer_Jane

Thanks Rafter and Jakegreen for your replies. So I now understand that contactless credit/debit cards should rather be compared with using cash than with chip & pin, in other words they are designed to replace cash.

I hardly ever use cash precisely for the reasons Rafter mentions, completely agree that cash is dirty, heavy, and easily lost, just carry a tiny bit as an emergency, so see no benefit currently for me in the contactless card, but I can see that on busses and such things they are a good idea. Hadn't occurred to me as I don't get busses and have the bus pass if I did.

Thanks for clarifying. I would like the choice, however, as others have mentioned.

gusgorman

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Thanks Rafter and Jakegreen for your replies. So I now understand that contactless credit/debit cards should rather be compared with using cash than with chip & pin, in other words they are designed to replace cash.

They have been designed to replace cash by Visa/Mastercard - but not for the reasons given above.

The reason is that Visa/Mastercard want people to use their system instead of cash. Why? So that they make more money.

reclusive46

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Thanks Rafter and Jakegreen for your replies. So I now understand that contactless credit/debit cards should rather be compared with using cash than with chip & pin, in other words they are designed to replace cash.

I hardly ever use cash precisely for the reasons Rafter mentions, completely agree that cash is dirty, heavy, and easily lost, just carry a tiny bit as an emergency, so see no benefit currently for me in the contactless card, but I can see that on busses and such things they are a good idea. Hadn't occurred to me as I don't get busses and have the bus pass if I did.

Thanks for clarifying. I would like the choice, however, as others have mentioned.

If your worried about dirty things :P Imagine all the germs on the Pin Pad :P You can avoid all of that with contactless.

I can imagine it being Visa's next slogan :P "Don't get ill this winter, pay by contactless" :P.

Jennifer_Jane

reclusive46 wrote: »

If your worried about dirty things :P Imagine all the germs on the Pin Pad :P You can avoid all of that with contactless.

I can imagine it being Visa's next slogan :P "Don't get ill this winter, pay by contactless" :P.

Hahaha! Excellent. Well, agree with that one!

But, I'm not so terribly fastidious about pinpads!

Hominu

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

The comparison with Chip & Pin is, IMHO, spurious, as that was an additional level of security. Contactless seems to be a lesser level of security than even the old signature requirement.

I think it depends on the card and issuer, but there are cards which have two card numbers - the one embossed on the card is the CnP number, this is used for CnP and phone/internet transactions. There is also another card used exclusively for contactless.

The retailer obtains your full card number for each purchase. So if you pay by CnP, they could potentially use your details to buy products off the internet or via phone (not everyone asks for the security code from the back of the card). However, try and use the contactless number over the phone or internet and its instantly declined, likewise if you try and authorise in excess of £20. Contactless also has a rolling code so you can't present the same transaction twice, compared to the PIN and security code for a CnP which is static - the same unless you or the bank decide to change it.

Therefore Contactless can provide more security than CnP or signature.

Buzby

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

The comparison with Chip & Pin is, IMHO, spurious, as that was an additional level of security.

Actually, it wasn't additional (incremental?) but a replacement to the signature requirement. At the same time, the card operators moved the goalposts. Previously, the merchant was liable for letting through an unauthorised (ie forged) signature - with C&P, it was the cardholder who became the fall guy - if the PIN was entered it was up to the cardholder they didn't enter it.

[Deleted User]

Fertilizer wrote: »

As I said at the top, I only wanted replies from non-complacent people.

You're not entitled to post threads with the proviso that the replies you receive agree with you.
If you wanted a proper discussion you should have just countered any points of view which differed from yours.

By threatening not to reply any more, you have lost the debate.

[Deleted User]

Fertilizer wrote: »

I don't want banks to send me unrequested contactless cards

Easy solution, phone up your bank and request one

al69

Google contactless payment hack.

Sorry couldnt post links as my account wont let me yet

The thing is with wireless type technology we rely on it working and being secure.
I know for a fact rolling code car remote technology has been hacked so it doesnt suprise me this is happening with contactless cards.

The other thing is some readers are more powerful than others which causes problems too and causes the additional payments.

Gromitt

al69 wrote: »

Google contactless payment hack.

You mean the one where someone decrypted the file stored on your phone to access the PIN required to access the Google wallet? and then the media exploded it into "Hack shows contactless payments still aren't secure" ?

Sure, Contactless cards are not 100% perfect. Neither are the non-contactless variety. Just yesterday it was stated on the news that hundreds of people had their card details skimmed and accounts defrauded.

Their isn't a way to be secure, if you ignored cards, used a passbook account and carried cash, you could lose significantly more and not get any of it back.

The only thing holding back progression and new technology is fear. Fraudsters will continue to defraud people regardless of the payment method. We just need to make sure that when that happens, they can be refunded.