Security of contactless payment apps in the light of new proposed upper spend limit

jon81uk

ratechaser said:

I was a total ApplePay convert until I found that it can sometimes break the chain when it comes to retailer offers - can't recall if it was Avios or Virgin Miles, but my registered cards for earning in Caffè Nero would only work if used directly and not through ApplePay.

This is because Apple Pay doesn't actually give the retailer your card number, it uses a unique identifier each time. So if you have a cashback type offer that is dependant on the card number being looked up in a database you need to use the actual card.
I used to do the same to get the Virgin miles when shopping in store with Waitrose (although haven't been in a Waitrose store in ages!)

Zanderman

I have thought it obvious that the various apps are more secure, as a thief would need to be able to activate the phone/app.  And most of the apps have had a higher limit already.

Surely the objections to the increased contactless limit are largely related to use of actual cards, which don't need to be activated and so able to used by a thief.

And, speaking for myself, I still prefer to use actual cards.  They don't break, never ever need charging and occupy a very small space.  

Whereas my smartphone is breakable, valuable in itself, needs charging each day and is bigger to carry.  I don't carry that everywhere (I'm not married to it) but I do carry a debit and credit card everywhere as those are easy to carry and to use.

The higher contactless limit may make me review this - but I will regard it as a sad day when I must carry a smartphone if I want to buy anything.

NameWithheld

I've started using GPay recently. I can pay up to the contactless limit (currently £45) without unlocking my phone. Is there any way of turning this feature off.

armith

There is a passive security feature in G-Pay too. Yes you can pay up to £45 without unlocking the phone - but there's no indication (on my phone at least) that G-Pay is installed at all. It would take a brave thief to pinch my phone then pop in to Tesco to buy £45 worth of stuff with a random phone they've just stolen!
Whereas a debit card is a debit card

NameWithheld

Yes there is that. However my phone displayed my cards when I press the power button, which would indicate the presence of GPay. Never having used that feature, I have just turned it off.

Eco_Miser

armith said:

There is a passive security feature in G-Pay too. Yes you can pay up to £45 without unlocking the phone - but there's no indication (on my phone at least) that G-Pay is installed at all. It would take a brave thief to pinch my phone then pop in to Tesco to buy £45 worth of stuff with a random phone they've just stolen!
Whereas a debit card is a debit card

Thief goes to self-service till, tries your phone, either it works, great!, or it doesn't, thief uses known good card to pay instead, maybe even his own.

colsten

NameWithheld said:

Yes there is that. However my phone displayed my cards when I press the power button, which would indicate the presence of GPay. Never having used that feature, I have just turned it off.

Don't you have a phonelock activated?

NameWithheld

Yes. GPay doesn't work if you don't have a phonelovk. But with the power key you could still see the cards and switch between cards. I have disabled that function now 

phillw

armith said:

but there's no indication (on my phone at least) that G-Pay is installed at all.

No visible indication, but if g-pay is running and able to give out payment details then someone can watch for that.
It's not so easy now that people aren't close to each other, but pre-covid on the underground you could easily scan for contactless cards and phones when pressed up against someone.

Prism

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