Non 'Contactless' credit cards are available!

in Credit cards
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sairy.gampsairy.gamp Forumite
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As many (but by no means all) will know, many banks will upon request issue the customer with a Debit card that does NOT have the insecure 'Contactless' payment function enabled (they DO keep increasing the spending limit dont they :) ). What is less well appreciated is that some issuers will now provide the customer with a CREDIT card that likewise is 'NON contactless'. This is very useful if losing your card (and all the subsequent cancellation hassle that creates) is a worry to you. Vanquis and Santander are two providers that will provide their customers with a non contactless CREDIT card upon request. No firm (to my knowledge) offers you an 'opt out of contactless' option during the application process - you have to contact them afterwards. 
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Forumite
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    That's great but I suspect they won't last forever, contactless isn't going away and you can just leave cards at home and use something like google pay if you are concerned
  • TMSGTMSG Forumite
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    400ixl said:
    Coming into the 21st century, most card issuers now have apps which allow you to turn off all of the different features individually giving you full control as and when you need it. No need for them to issue specific cards as its in your control anyway.

    Usually you can switch on/off contactless, set the limit if on, control ATM, Online, In Person and importantly swiping features as well.

    No need to limit yourself to a could of options when the world has moved on and what you want is generally available anyway.
    I wish that were true. I have four cards, three credit, one debit, all from mainstream banks. NONE of them allows me to switch on/off contactless, let alone set a payment limit or set other options. So "generally available" it is certainly not. Perhaps I should at some point vote with my feet and change to a provider who does all that... but it's a real hassle and I'd rather prefer my current providers would "move into the 21st century".
  • Oblong1Oblong1 Forumite
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    As many (but by no means all) will know, many banks will upon request issue the customer with a Debit card that does NOT have the insecure 'Contactless' payment function enabled (they DO keep increasing the spending limit dont they :) ). What is less well appreciated is that some issuers will now provide the customer with a CREDIT card that likewise is 'NON contactless'. This is very useful if losing your card (and all the subsequent cancellation hassle that creates) is a worry to you. Vanquis and Santander are two providers that will provide their customers with a non contactless CREDIT card upon request. No firm (to my knowledge) offers you an 'opt out of contactless' option during the application process - you have to contact them afterwards. 
    I cut my card just a tiny bit where the contactless icon is and then always use my PIN number to pay 😁
  • Oblong1Oblong1 Forumite
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    So once cut it won’t work contactless……
  • 400ixl400ixl Forumite
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    TMSG said:

    I wish that were true. I have four cards, three credit, one debit, all from mainstream banks. NONE of them allows me to switch on/off contactless, let alone set a payment limit or set other options. So "generally available" it is certainly not. Perhaps I should at some point vote with my feet and change to a provider who does all that... but it's a real hassle and I'd rather prefer my current providers would "move into the 21st century".
    Which banks are they? In this household we have First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Nationwide, Starling and Chase and every one of them offers all of the features. So that's 6 out of 6 covering traditional mainstream and challenger banks.

    Lloyds, RBS and Natwest at least also do it. Pretty general to me and far easier than being limited to the banks that still do non contactless cards you have to specifically request.

    As for cutting where the contactless symbol is. Would work I guess if that is where the RFID chip actually is and you do enough damage to it to render it non functioning.
  • Nebulous2Nebulous2 Forumite
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    400ixl said:
    TMSG said:

    I wish that were true. I have four cards, three credit, one debit, all from mainstream banks. NONE of them allows me to switch on/off contactless, let alone set a payment limit or set other options. So "generally available" it is certainly not. Perhaps I should at some point vote with my feet and change to a provider who does all that... but it's a real hassle and I'd rather prefer my current providers would "move into the 21st century".
    Which banks are they? In this household we have First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Nationwide, Starling and Chase and every one of them offers all of the features. So that's 6 out of 6 covering traditional mainstream and challenger banks.

    Lloyds, RBS and Natwest at least also do it. Pretty general to me and far easier than being limited to the banks that still do non contactless cards you have to specifically request.

    As for cutting where the contactless symbol is. Would work I guess if that is where the RFID chip actually is and you do enough damage to it to render it non functioning.

    Before the shielding wallets became popular there were a lot of instructions online about how to disable contactless. Apparently there is an aerial which runs around the card and if you snip it it doesn't work. What I  remember seeing was to cut a small notch out of the card. 

    I've no idea if it works or not - I like contactless.

    The only problem I've had with it is that I have too many cards and my wallet used to set off the theft alarm in some shops, including Lidl and Sainsbury's. I've started leaving some of them at home. 
  • edited 25 July 2022 at 2:32PM
    TMSGTMSG Forumite
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    edited 25 July 2022 at 2:32PM
    400ixl said:
    TMSG said:

    I wish that were true. I have four cards, three credit, one debit, all from mainstream banks. NONE of them allows me to switch on/off contactless, let alone set a payment limit or set other options. So "generally available" it is certainly not. Perhaps I should at some point vote with my feet and change to a provider who does all that... but it's a real hassle and I'd rather prefer my current providers would "move into the 21st century".
    Which banks are they? In this household we have First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Nationwide, Starling and Chase and every one of them offers all of the features. So that's 6 out of 6 covering traditional mainstream and challenger banks.

    Lloyds, RBS and Natwest at least also do it. Pretty general to me and far easier than being limited to the banks that still do non contactless cards you have to specifically request.

    As for cutting where the contactless symbol is. Would work I guess if that is where the RFID chip actually is and you do enough damage to it to render it non functioning.
    So let's take First Direct. I do have a credit and a debit card from them but I have nowhere on the app or the website found a page to disable say the contactless feature or even to adjust its limit (just checked again). Is there a special page or some other trick to it?

    Edit: And there also this:
    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/09/how-to-set-a-cap-on-your-contactless-limit-if-you-want-to-avoid-/
  • 400ixl400ixl Forumite
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    TMSG said:
    400ixl said:
    TMSG said:

    I wish that were true. I have four cards, three credit, one debit, all from mainstream banks. NONE of them allows me to switch on/off contactless, let alone set a payment limit or set other options. So "generally available" it is certainly not. Perhaps I should at some point vote with my feet and change to a provider who does all that... but it's a real hassle and I'd rather prefer my current providers would "move into the 21st century".
    Which banks are they? In this household we have First Direct, HSBC, Halifax, Nationwide, Starling and Chase and every one of them offers all of the features. So that's 6 out of 6 covering traditional mainstream and challenger banks.

    Lloyds, RBS and Natwest at least also do it. Pretty general to me and far easier than being limited to the banks that still do non contactless cards you have to specifically request.

    As for cutting where the contactless symbol is. Would work I guess if that is where the RFID chip actually is and you do enough damage to it to render it non functioning.
    So let's take First Direct. I do have a credit and a debit card from them but I have nowhere on the app or the website found a page to disable say the contactless feature or even to adjust its limit (just checked again). Is there a special page or some other trick to it?

    Edit: And there also this:
    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/09/how-to-set-a-cap-on-your-contactless-limit-if-you-want-to-avoid-/
    Its in my app and not hidden away, quite obvious really.

    Load the First Direct app and log in - Select the top left Hamburger Icon - Cards - Set Limits and Controls

    On the debit card it can control:
    ATM Withdrawals
    Daily Limit
    Contactless Transactions
    Online Transactions
    Pin and Swipe Purchases
    Gambling Transactions

    You can also Freeze the whole card and manage the PIN on the Cards page in the app

    Has been available for more than a year or two in the First Direct app.
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