Contactless Card Conundrum

thepurple1

Hi everyone, here's the story.

I've had a Barclay's current account and debit card which I've used as my main account for around six years. I travel a lot around London and would get lots of use out of a contactless card, 95% of my purchases are <£20 and most places I shop are contactless enabled.

I contacted Barclays firstly by phone, I requested a contactless card and they told me that they had sent one out; a few days later I received a normal (non contactless card) so I took my query to my local branch. I spoke to a clerk behind the desk who told me they had ordered me one and to wait another few days. A few days went by and nothing came. This was around six months ago, I got sick and left the trail cold.

After some even more regular travel to London over the past few weeks I picked up the trail again and contacted Barclays by phone. I spoke to an agent for over 20 minutes whilst he searched through his system attempting to "order" me a contactless card. At the end of the call, and following a discussion with a supervisor (cue horrendously repetitive hold music) I was told that the exact system which was required to order a new card wasn't working and that I should call back in around a month. I'm almost certain that a large organisation such as Barclays can manage a software update in less than a month but hey, that was the message. I took to twitter and they apologised, told me to go back into my branch; i went into branch and they couldn't help me.

Next up, my Mam had just opened an account with TSB so I decided to sign up for an account as it said that they come with a contactless debit card (it ranked fairly highly on one of Martin's lists so would be a win-win). Everything was looking positive, I was accepted for the account and when I signed into the online account, the little thumbnail showed a contactless card so I thought I was home and free. Thought, but not evidenced; the letter came with my card attached - the card being a non-contactless card again. Back to the phone. I contacted TSB who politely informed me that because my account was new, they didn't issue a contactless card. I thought this was weird, but accepted this. I asked if there was a particular amount of time to wait before requesting one again, but they couldn't tell me. I took to twitter again and was told there was no set time, but cards were subject to eligibility. I wasn't told that credit was issue, just eligibility.

My final option was Santander. I've had a secondary account for a few years which I've used for various things. So I rang them on the phone and was told that they could absolutely order me a card, asked for my address and other details and told to wait a few days and it would arrive - even told that I needed to take the card to a Santander machine before I could use the contactless.

So I got home today after work, opened the letter from Santander and once again only a standard card was inside.

I'm really disappointed that the banks are hiding behind system problems, or just plain lies. All I want is a contactless card, I'm not asking for an overdraft, or a loan - just to be able to use my money in the way I want to.

Has anyone got any ideas on where to go with this, or had a similar experience?

colsten

You have almost certainly a problem with credit worthiness. What do your credit reference files say about you? Start with checking noddle.co.uk as that's a free one. Don't buy anything they recommend, just look at your data and sort out any issues that might show on your file.

Paul_1977

TSB gave me a contactless card with a brand new account, so did Barclays, someone is stopping a contactless card being issued.

Perhaps get a Barclays Bpay. or Barclaycard, if credit allows.

https://www.bpayband.co.uk/?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

I don't understand why banks prevent some customers from having contactless cards.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/bank-accounts/11340025/Why-have-I-been-turned-down-for-a-contactless-payment-card.html

When I initially approached Barclays, the bank wouldn't tell me why the customer had been denied a contactless payment card without conducting an investigation into her case, but said that the majority of the debit cards issued last year automatically had the contactless facility.

Lloyds, on the other hand, told me why its customers might be turned down for a contactless debit card.

A spokesman for the bank said: "When contactless transactions are made, using our debit cards, they are authorised immediately at the terminal and do not check whether the customer has sufficient funds in their account.

"At Lloyds, customers receive debit cards with different levels of control to suit their needs and financial position. The decision on what kind of debit card they receive is made when the customer opens their account (following a credit check). If an existing customer requests a contactless card, we review the financial profile they hold with us for appropriateness, rather than doing another formal credit check."
The spokesman said that some customers are not provided with contactless debit cards after this check "to help protect them against going into an unplanned overdraft."

Drp8713

How is your credit history? The last 8 credit and debit cards I have had were all contactless, I think pretty much all banks issue contactless as standard now.

You could try and bad credit credit card? If they accept you for the card they will likely issue you contactless.

thepurple1

Hi colsten - thanks for the reply

I have recently had new credit and had credit limits increased.

I have had some problems in the past, but well over a few years ago.

How I understood credit rating anyway, is that each bank uses different criteria, I find it weird that three banks have refused to provide a contactless card.

colsten

May be the banks are of the view that you already have as much credit as they think you should have. Contactless cards are usually not offered to people who don't have a really good credit record as you can easily run up a lot of debt in a single day.

thepurple1

colsten wrote: »

May be the banks are of the view that you already have as much credit as they think you should have. Contactless cards are usually not offered to people who don't have a really good credit record as you can easily run up a lot of debt in a single day.

I can't help feeling that it's a bit of a cop out from the banks if that is the reason, I understand that the individual transactions aren't checked immediately, but I assume that the transactions are reported back fairly regularly and so they would know fairly quickly if I was heading into overdraft.

Either way, I wish they would tell me, not just ask me to call again in a month.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Herbalus

That's if the staff know what the reason is.

We don't know - we're guessing, and we don't know the bank systems from the inside. It is the most logical reason from what you've said though.

Although why they would say they've ordered a contactless if they haven't is beyond me.

lee111s

If you have an iPhone, you can link some bank cards to that and use your handset as your contactless device. It matters not if the card is contactless enabled.

Chino

lee111s wrote: »

If you have an iPhone

Specifically an iPhone 6.

https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/

Blackpool_Saver

You don't want those things anyway, they are a security risk