Pub refused to make contactless payment

pollypenny

HSBC sent us contactless cards. However, you have to activate they 'contactless' part, I understand.

I haven't as I don't want to be paying out small amounts by card, I would rather use cash, then stop spending when it's gone.

duchy

Plenty of pubs around .if you don't like the policies in one then vote with your feet.

System

Yes, it's activated by completing one chip and pin transaction.
Assuming you've done this, then you've activated it

pollypenny wrote: »

HSBC sent us contactless cards. However, you have to activate they 'contactless' part, I understand.

I haven't as I don't want to be paying out small amounts by card, I would rather use cash, then stop spending when it's gone.

Gromitt

Heng_Leng wrote: »

Yes, it's activated by completing one chip and pin transaction.
Assuming you've done this, then you've activated it

Or ATM withdrawal, I'm sure.

Basically using your card and PIN anywhere both activates the contactless part and resets the "You need to enter your PIN" counter.

katejo

elsien wrote: »

I've never been seen anywhere offering contactless payment, or been asked if I want to use it. Maybe it depends where you live.

I have only used mine in cafes like Costa Coffee though I often still pay in cash. Last week I saw a notice by the till in my local Costa which said that they preferred use of the card over cash to reduce the queue more quickly.

mattyprice4004

geerex wrote: »

Carry more cash.

Is this what we've become? Paying for drinks with contactless cards?

It's called technological advancement - it's much more secure and easier than cash.

The past is calling, it's for you
I bet you still use Windows 95 'because it works' and still use an old Nokia phone, because 'it's a phone, all it needs to do is make calls!'

peaceandfreedom

Herbalus wrote: »

To be honest, I'd prefer a pub to not have contactless enabled, especially as they're taking your card so they can put it in the machine. If you have to enter your PIN, you have a chance to check the amount.

I can all to easily imagine somebody adding a few extra pounds, taking a customers card, and then tapping it without the customer noticing. Especially in an alcohol establishment.

I find this view rather puzzling. With contactless payment, no-one touches your card except you. You look at the amount on the machine, touch your card on it and it's all done. Fast and convenient and no need for any furtive typing in of a PIN.

Surely it would be vastly easier for a barman intent on defrauding tipsy customers to do it with a cash transaction. Short-changing them by a quid or two, or claiming they handed over a tenner not a twenty, that kind of thing.

Herbalus

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

I find this view rather puzzling. With contactless payment, no-one touches your card except you. You look at the amount on the machine, touch your card on it and it's all done. Fast and convenient and no need for any furtive typing in of a PIN.

In the opening post, a while back I admit, the OP said the barman took his card. It's with that in mind that I'd rather be sure that all transactions are verified by me by using a PIN.

Gromitt

peaceandfreedom wrote: »

With contactless payment, no-one touches your card except you. You look at the amount on the machine, touch your card on it and it's all done. Fast and convenient and no need for any furtive typing in of a PIN.

Then you've not noticed the bars and clubs around where I live. You buy the drinks and hand over the card as payment, they say "Is contactless ok?" and when you say "yes", then they pick up the wireless machine, tap the card on it and give you the card back.

(I'm not sure why they have to do the tapping in mid air - maybe to show the customer what they are doing?)

If you say "No" to contactless, they insert the card for you and pass the machine to you to enter your pin, so you get a chance to see the amount.

I'm not really that fussed either way as by the time I've taken the drink back to where I was, the transactions already on my phone.

peaceandfreedom

Gromitt wrote: »

Then you've not noticed the bars and clubs around where I live. You buy the drinks and hand over the card as payment, they say "Is contactless ok?" and when you say "yes", then they pick up the wireless machine, tap the card on it and give you the card back.

(I'm not sure why they have to do the tapping in mid air - maybe to show the customer what they are doing?)

If you say "No" to contactless, they insert the card for you and pass the machine to you to enter your pin, so you get a chance to see the amount.

I'm not really that fussed either way as by the time I've taken the drink back to where I was, the transactions already on my phone.

Although I don't know where you live I can be confident I'm not familiar with the clubs and bars because I only frequent local country pubs.

But I see what you and Herbalus mean now. I'm not sure why, if it's contactless, they don't just hand you the machine anyway and let you do the card-waving.