Can I insist on a non contactless card from my bank?

kah22

I had an issue with my debit card a few days back reported it and the card was promptly renewed. The problem, it’s a contactless card and for security reasons I don’t want to have a contactless card.

I’m just off the phone to my bank, the Bank of  Ireland UK Limited, and they inform me that their policy is ‘contactless only,’ and that all other banks are going, or have gone, that way.

So question: it’s my money and can they refuse to issue me with a non-contactless card?  I appreciate that they may have this written into their agreements.

To me this is an important issue as it can be a potential threat to my bank security.

 Kevin

[Deleted User]

Yes, they can refuse. It's your money but their bank, cards, accounts and infrastructure. 

kah22

As I say I’m security conscious and it just occurred to me can I disable the Wi-fi facility on the card in any way, including physical?

[Deleted User]

People often mention drilling a small hole in the appropriate place...

JenB79

OP, if you’re that desperate to have a non-contactless debit card why not open an account with a bank (eg First Direct) which lets you switch off the contactless feature in their app? Pretty much the same thing…

Brie

What I don't understand from the bank's point of view is that if someone does not want contactless then there is less of a threat to the bank's money.  If someone skims the card and steals money the bank will likely compensate the customer.  If the bank knows it's been turned off then the customer can never successfully claim the card has been skimmed.

And besides even if a bank says it can't turn off the contactless feature they normally can as this is what they do when they think someone has tried to claim more often than is believable to them.

JenB79

Brie said:

What I don't understand from the bank's point of view is that if someone does not want contactless then there is less of a threat to the bank's money.  If someone skims the card and steals money the bank will likely compensate the customer.  If the bank knows it's been turned off then the customer can never successfully claim the card has been skimmed.

And besides even if a bank says it can't turn off the contactless feature they normally can as this is what they do when they think someone has tried to claim more often than is believable to them.

It’s only a very tiny minority who want non contactless cards so banks aren’t going to spend extra money issuing separate cards. Meanwhile the rest of us find the contactless feature very useful. 

Brie

JenB79 said:

It’s only a very tiny minority who want non contactless cards so banks aren’t going to spend extra money issuing separate cards. Meanwhile the rest of us find the contactless feature very useful. 

A different card isn't required.  The bank simply turns off the contactless feature.  No different than as someone up thread mentioned individuals can do on line with some bank cards.

Ballard

The bank either offer contactless or they don’t. If you feel that you really don’t want a contactless one then look around for a bank who offer it. The bank will have very little to gain by turning the feature off for customers as they’d almost certainly have people asking it to be turned on and off frequently. This would take a resource and open them up to complaints if something went wrong with it. All for no additional benefit to them. 

mab3000

If you really want to have a non contactless card Barclays is one bank that you can request one (if you open the account through the app or online you’ll end up with a contactless debit card as standard. But you can contact them to send out a replacement non contactless card). 

glennevis

Had an email from Santander yesterday, they will be replacing my Visa debit card with a mastercard.

Santander's new Debit Mastercard features the ability to switch on or off features such as contactless, international, online or gambling payments via the app. And you can instantly freeze it via the app if you’ve temporarily misplaced it or to stop it being used if it’s been lost or stolen.