Problem with TSB contactless?

Moneysavour

Old thread but I was compelled to add my experience. Have had this contactless cashback offer from TSB for a while and it has been frustrating to say the least. I have ordered 3 new cards over this time but it would be more if I had been more proactive about sorting it each time.

When I go to pay the chip and pin machine bleeps twice when I try to do the contactless payment. Yes I did activate my card. Yes it was working ok for the first couple of weeks. No I am not asked for bank security check (only occasionally when it is working does it ask for this). It simply begins to work less and less and finally stops working anywhere. Yes I have tried to enter my pin incase this would help. Both myself and my wife have a a sole account and we also have a joint account so there was potential for £15 a month cashback at one point until they started withdrawing the offer (I have suspicions that they got tired of people complaining about the contactless not working so they pulled the offer).

The other day we were in Sainsbury's and my joint account card didn't work, then my wife's sole account didn't work, then my wife's joint account didn't work. Then strangely my wife's joint account did work. This has occasionally happened to me before where it has bleeped at me twice and after subsequent tries it has worked (no I didn't enter the pin between tries). The TSB person over the phone told me it could be that my phone was kept too close to my cards. If that were the case how come other contactless cards (HSBC and Tesco Credit Card) work fine every time. Not once have they bleeped twice at me. They either work or occasionally they ask for bank security check.

Lastly after a long conversation with TSB the person said I should report to them as soon as it stops working on day 1 of getting the card. Well it was working fine for a few weeks it's only started playing up now. They also said that they had no record of any of the transactions not working at their end. I assume that when it asks for bank security details they see this at their end. So the person from TSB could not understand what was going on and was of no help.

I'm about to order my 4th card as we could still get up to £10 a month from contactless but I don't know why we bother.

Terry98

Moneysavour wrote: »

I'm about to order my 4th card as we could still get up to £10 a month from contactless but I don't know why we bother.

I only started using contactless since I opened my TSB account a few months ago to get the £10 a month. I haven't had the same hassles as you although I have had a few double beeps in the last few weeks.

When the £10 ends in a couple of months I will not be using it as much but the tenner has certainly helped me realise there is nothing to be afraid of using contactless providing of course it's hassle free!

Robin9

I've just returned from a holiday in Switzerland where my TSB Contactless card was used several times without need for a pin.

Are there are USA contactless users on the forum ? I'm off to the states and on a previous visit 2 years ago found the USA quite backward in still using signed slips - chip and pin was rare - I didn't have a contactless at the time.

PS Only once in 12 months have I needed a pin - that time I had exceeded 4 uses a day. I presume that info is held on the card.

teddysmum

Robin9 wrote: »

PS Only once in 12 months have I needed a pin - that time I had exceeded 4 uses a day. I presume that info is held on the card.

Is your card under the 5% offer on up to £100 offer ?


This is where the problem lies. TSB insist that cards are randomly chosen, to require a PIN,but, as above, I find all three cards needing a PIN at the same time (and on numerous occasions), is beyond coincidence.


At these times, I don't give a PIN but use my Co-op card to get 5p.It's also now a surprise, when a card actually does work contactless.


From September, when the offer ends, I will use the Co-op card all the time and just use TSB for the current account interest.

eDicky

Robin9 wrote: »

I've just returned from a holiday in Switzerland where my TSB Contactless card was used several times without need for a pin.

Are there are USA contactless users on the forum ? I'm off to the states and on a previous visit 2 years ago found the USA quite backward in still using signed slips - chip and pin was rare - I didn't have a contactless at the time.

PS Only once in 12 months have I needed a pin - that time I had exceeded 4 uses a day. I presume that info is held on the card.

If it's the regular debit card I'm surprised you would consider using it overseas when they load 2.99% on the exchange rate plus £1 charge per purchase. Their other cards are not much better. You can easily avoid all such fees, the simplest way with zero cost is the Monzo card, also contactless, load it with your debit card instantly as needed:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/prepaid-travel-cards#monzo

Robin9

As I understand it Monzo uses a Smart phone app. I dont have a Smart phone.

eDicky

Robin9 wrote: »

As I understand it Monzo uses a Smart phone app. I dont have a Smart phone.

In that case, how about a fee-free credit card, no smartphone required:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/travel-credit-cards

S0lv3ntFl3X

Chaykin wrote: »

Personally I think that the "algorithm" is not so sophisticated and claims that "contactless cards use the same secure technology as Chip and PIN" are mainly for marketing, to limit cash payments as much as possible.

IMHO main part of the "algorithm" is to do with consecutive contactless payments in a set period of time. Even VISA on their official site - - say that "Each participating contactless bank sets a limit on the number or value of Visa contactless transactions that can be made before a cardholder is asked to do a normal chip and PIN transaction."

Banks in UK do not publicly say what the limits are but banks in other countries do, see e.g.:

sorry to necro this old post but after reading through it. i decided to test myself. now i maxed out my 3 contactless attempts, tried the 4th and got pin verification request. refused it and paid in cash. waited 4 days without touching my card at all and went back to the store and again tried contactless. *BOOM* it went through without an online auth. i do beleive this "counter theory" but i also do believe that the counter is also tied in with a total contactless spend limit within a given period of time. that period seems to be a few days. i doubt its different with each bank as that would confuse retailers on what they can accept and not. i also know it is tied in with the retailers floor limit on contactless spending per transaction and total amount. this is to protect the bank for liability. shops for insurance etc and the customer themselves (or relevant card holder)