Non-contactless or can set very low limit

Fertilizer

If people can recommend a suitable credit card, then please do.  This is what I want ...
a) First, I pay off in full every month by direct debit 
b) I don't borrow as such, and I have no balance to transfer
c) I don't let my telephone know anything about cards or banks BUT website from a Windows computer is fine
d) I don't really want contactless - does anyone still issue non-contactless ?
e) If contactless, I must be able to control the contactless spend to a very low amount from a PC or a call centre (not a phone)
f) The overall credit limit must be controllable to something low - could be via PC or maybe a call centre
g)  If the card attracts "rewards", then so much the better

Looking forward to a rush of advice ... 

jbrassy

I think you'll be lucky to find a card which ticks all the above. I would recommend an Amex cashback card if you pay off in full every month.

As for not using banking apps, why is a phone more insecure than a computer? Further, if you're worried about contactless (the concerns around which are hugely overblown), why not just use Google Pay or Apple Pay instead of the actual contactless card?

This is 2022 not 2005!

[Deleted User]

If you aren't going to spend large amounts or regularly, I wouldn't worry about rewards as it's likely to be pennies. 

Have you tried your existing bank/s? Failing that something like: https://www.aquacard.co.uk/credit-cards/reduce-interest-credit-card or https://www.tescobank.com/credit-cards/foundation-card/

[Deleted User]

Contactless is such a red herring, all these fake new stories about people waving card readers at wallets and stealing details has led to a crazy level of paranoia pushed by the media. A few card issuers do still issue contactless cards and others let you set the limits but really you're shooting yourself in the foot trying to avoid phones and apps. It's far more secure to go with a phone / app behind biometrics and use Google or Apple pay than using a windows computer where you could easily get hacked or download key loggers etc

Fertilizer

It's Friday night, I've got 3 replies, but it appears none of them have a card that they can control.  It seems the banks do all the controlling to suit themselves.

Sorry, but a phone message is too easy to intercept and it's too easy to take money from a contactless card.  When anyone describes such money-activities as "easy to use", I think they really mean it's easy for the crooks.

If anyone thinks I'm a bit behind the times, then I'd say that I'm not as gullible as the banks would like me to be.  As IT has been my business for decades, I have a fair understanding of the issues.

If anyone actually has a credit card which allows them to control what's going on, I'd be happy to hear.  It appears that credit card firms are not keen to advertise how easy it is for customers to control so it's not easy to find out what is available.

northwalesd

Fertilizer said:

As IT has been my business for decades, I have a fair understanding of the issues.

Then you'll know that as as Farfetch said:

Deleted_User said:

It's far more secure to go with a phone / app behind biometrics and use Google or Apple pay than using a windows computer where you could easily get hacked or download key loggers etc

MilesT6060842

northwalesd said:

Fertilizer said:

As IT has been my business for decades, I have a fair understanding of the issues.

Then you'll know that as as Farfetch said:

Deleted_User said:

It's far more secure to go with a phone / app behind biometrics and use Google or Apple pay than using a windows computer where you could easily get hacked or download key loggers etc

Or maybe the best of both approaches:  have a basic smart phone with a PAYG sim that you keep at home and only use for banking purposes (over the home WiFi connection) instead of managing the account on a laptop.  And a RF blocking wallet if you want to be cautious (with pickpocketing/street robbery being the remaining risk that a card that had low/no contactless feature would mitigate).  

born_again

Fertilizer said:

It's Friday night, I've got 3 replies, but it appears none of them have a card that they can control.  It seems the banks do all the controlling to suit themselves.

Sorry, but a phone message is too easy to intercept and it's too easy to take money from a contactless card.  When anyone describes such money-activities as "easy to use", I think they really mean it's easy for the crooks.

If anyone thinks I'm a bit behind the times, then I'd say that I'm not as gullible as the banks would like me to be.  As IT has been my business for decades, I have a fair understanding of the issues.

If anyone actually has a credit card which allows them to control what's going on, I'd be happy to hear.  It appears that credit card firms are not keen to advertise how easy it is for customers to control so it's not easy to find out what is available.

Been dealing with these since they came out. I can reassure you that the only way anyone can use the contactless side is if you lose or have the card stolen.
There are many scare stories about people reading cards through bags etc... Never happens, as a whole dept we never seen a single case that has not been due to a lost/stolen card. 

Intercept a phone call? GCHQ might monitor calls for keywords. But no one is going to intercept a call to get your details. Again in that case there would be thousands of cases of people getting through phone security at banks. Again not the case.

So do not worry... The media is simply out to scare you.

Halifax allows you to set a contactless limit. Think Santander is the same. 

Fertilizer

born_again said:

Halifax allows you to set a contactless limit. Think Santander is the same. 

Ah - some useful information at last.  I'll check those two.  Thank you.

Fertilizer

jbrassy said:

why not just use Google Pay or Apple Pay instead of the actual contactless card?

I avoid everything Apple and Google as far as possible.  In fact, these days I prefer to pay cash as far as possible

Brie

Fertilizer said:

jbrassy said:

why not just use Google Pay or Apple Pay instead of the actual contactless card?

I avoid everything Apple and Google as far as possible.  In fact, these days I prefer to pay cash as far as possible

I quite get this as they are things that I am ignoring for the time being.  For one thing I don't want to load up my phone with all sorts of apps as I find that these tend to make it difficult for me to use the phone as a normal communication device.  I want to use it for calls, texts, emails. I accept that I need to have a wallet with my various cards - both credit and loyalty ones.  

fyi - all bank cards can be made contactless if the bank decides to do so.  They don't tell you this as they don't want to have to deal with it and don't have the systems working to allow people to turn this on or off.  But if your card was used fraudulently a few times the bank's fraud would turn off the contactless function for you.  But only as it would save them money.