No Contact Cards

[coccinelle]

Just a question to see if these cards also exist in UK. My bank is telling me my next Mastercard Debit card will be a 'no contact' one which means I don't need to put in a pin number or sign for anything up to 20€. This card can be used upto 50€ in a day without contact. I don't want this kind of card as anybody could use it and quite honestly seems to me a reason more to steal these cards as you don't need to have the pin number.

[sunny-dave]

Lots of blocking options - glad I had a look :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_13?url=search-alias%3Dshoes&field-keywords=rfid%20blocking%20wallet&sprefix=rfid+blocking%2Cshoes%2C288&rh=i%3Ashoes%2Ck%3Arfid%20blocking%20wallet

[jno]

anyone with an Oyster card in London already has one (not strictly contactless as you do have to touch the reader rather than just hover within 6 inches). But if you touch it with a holder that also has a contactless credit card in it, how do you know it won't take the money off your credit card - which isn't price-capped, unlike an Oyster card?

[Hopkirk]

Simple Jno.

Don't put your wallet by the reader, just take out the card you wish to use and present that to the machine.

[pretty_snowdrop]

The card readers have to be activated by the cashier to authorise the payment, like it is done now before you put your pin number in. Money won't be taken out of somebody's account because they have walked too close to a terminal. If you don't want to use it, just pay cash like the majority of people already do.

[jno]

that's what I do, Hopkirk. But it isn't "simple" in the sense of being easier than the previous system - the whole point of the Oyster cards (or one of them, anyway) was to get buses moving more quickly as passengers just tapped a reader rather than fiddling about with pennies and waiting for change from the driver. Now they're fiddling around with purses and cards.

[jno]

snowdrop, I think the fear is that evil-minded persons will acquire handheld readers and walk through crowds hoovering electronic money out of people's pockets.

I have not the faintest idea if this is possible.

[rockyracoon]

Jno, I think that technology is here, I'm sure Daffy's daughter had a problem like this.

[coccinelle]

So I realise they are more common than I thought. I just don't see the point in them unless in a couple of years people will be able to use their cards on vending machines etc
snowdrop: one of the reasons I use my card is because I don't want to be carrying a lot of money on me.
I have looked further into the instructions and it states that it isn't 50€ per day but upto 50€ before a next purchase needs the pin number. Still not happy with it so not sure what to do.

[ladybirder]

I thought the idea was to do away with PIN numbers because people moaned about having to remember them. But peeps are still moaning.

[woofgang]

will silver block the contact? I have a rather posh retro hidden hinge silver cigarette case that I am looking for another use for. It would make a devastating card case but no use if it wont block the contactless thing

[coccinelle]

Worth a try woofgang. i've got a brass cigarette case, if I have no other choice than to accept this card, I might try that.
Why is it that banks hold our money and more or less do what they want with it and come up with changing stuff the clients don't want? I've moved banks twice because they want to CHARGE me for having an account with them; wait a minute they've got MY money.

[Old_Geezer]

There is no point to them. They must be someone's "baby". Something to put on the CV that you forced through as if it were a good thing.

[=rizla=]

I've recently switched to barclays bank, and had the option of not having a contactless card, when i explained my reason, ie i wouldnt use it and worried about an illegal 'reader' stealing £20 off me the guy at the bank said he'd heard the same thing 100's of times, so if you dont want a contactless card, tell your bank, they may be able to help and if they cant maybe they will pass it up the chain that a lot of people dont want them.