Contactless Credit cards - safe

[disneysteve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4legsgood I so far have found contactless annoying because I have to wait for the checker to have done something before I tap the card, "Ok, can I tap now?". I prefer immediately putting the card in the card reader, and then daydreaming or people watch, or look at phone until chip reader beeps at me. .

That varies by store. At the grocery store I can tap as soon as the cashier starts to ring up my order and I’m done. Other places I can’t tap or insert until they’re done the transaction.

[indiajust]

much more secure than doing a swipe, because swipe data is not encrypted. Safest bet is with apple pay. no physical card to video and no unencrypted data to steal.

[Out of Steam]

I'm far more comfortable with using contactless payment at gas pumps than inserting a card.

[Sunset]

Tapping is safer than inserting.

From Visa:

https://usa.visa.com/pay-with-visa/c...authorization.

"Tapping to pay with your Visa contactless chip card or payment-enabled mobile/wearable device is a secure way to pay because each transaction generates a transaction-specific, one-time code, that is extremely effective in reducing counterfeit fraud."

[TheWizard]

Contactless is fine and secure; I use it all the time.
If your phone supports Near Field Communication, like my Pixel 5 does, you can setup credit card payments using Apple Pay or Google Pay rather than getting out the card itself. (The payment procedure is the same.)

And when in London, you can use your contactless card or smartphone to pay for your rides on the Tube/Underground, tapping in and tapping out with the same device...

[rk911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by disneysteve If nothing else, it’s faster. You don’t need to insert your card and wait for it to say to remove it. That’s enough advantage to me. Of course you’re also not touching stuff that every other customer has touched if you care about that. Faster and cleaner. Two advantages.

i'm retired...a few extra seconds is not a big deal. neither is touching stuff. YMMV.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by badatmath ... But does that then mean you cannot insert the card, you MUST BE contactless?

Mine can be used contactless or inserted. You're overthinking it.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by badatmath Thank you. I am still annoyed they just force this crap on me but maybe I will give it a try at least.

I actually like it... a couple seconds quicker... when it works.

[6miths]

We've been touchless in Canada for a few years now and I love it. We were chip and PIN for a few years before that. The contactless has been great with Covid and also great at the gas station, especially in the winter!

[Closet_Gamer]

We use them in London nearly exclusively unless the purchase is over the limit.

We keep our cards in a little RF blockers (either a wallet designed that way or little sleeves) because in theory if you're on a tightly packed tube someone can simple put a card reader next to your purse/pocket and try to draw a contactless payment from it.

I'm not sure if that a real risk or not.

[misanman]

I use contactless (credit card or phone) whenever possible as it is so much faster and easier. I think it has noticeably speeded up the gas lines at Costco, unless you happen to be behind someone who can't figure out what credit card to use or how to insert it (

[mpeirce]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWizard And when in London, you can use your contactless card or smartphone to pay for your rides on the Tube/Underground, tapping in and tapping out with the same device...

We used Apple Pay this fall on the subway in New York and it was a big improvement over those paper swipe cards.

Easy and secure and no need to refill.

[JoeWras]

I love contact-less. I only have one card that supports it. Problem is, I'm only seeing it (for credit cards) on gas pumps. Most of the places I frequent (Big Box Home Stores) still require me to insert the card. After using contact-less, I find it annoying.

I don't have a phone that does NFC so no phone support for me yet.

[GalaxyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4legsgood I so far have found contactless annoying because I have to wait for the checker to have done something before I tap the card, "Ok, can I tap now?"

Definitely a problem around my neck of the woods where folks are always at least ten years behind when it comes to adopting change. It’s not uncommon for a cashier to keep the card reader out of reach of the customer and insist on inserting the card themselves. One store never trained their people to initiate a transaction except by inserting a card which apparently starts things rolling. But when I asked to use my watch (I saw the NFC icon on the machine) it took two other employees plus a manager to figure out how to make it work. And of course the next time it was the same drill so I gave up using NFC there.

[camfused]

Magnetic stripes on CCs will start to disappear in 2024, and will be completely gone by 2033, at least for Mastercard. I think Visa has similar goals. This will force merchants to switch their terminals to support the NFC cards. The stripes are a 1960s technology that is easily read and less secure than the NFC chips.

When I get gas, say at a Sheetz, it is a lot faster/easier to hold the card up to the NFC reader on the pump, then to have to insert the card, wait for the chip to be read (many now lock on to your card while this is happening), and then input my zip code.

Especially in these Covid/Flu days, I don't want to touch anything that I don't have to. NFC cards make the transaction completely touch free.

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by camfused Magnetic stripes on CCs will start to disappear in 2024, and will be completely gone by 2033, at least for Mastercard. I think Visa has similar goals. This will force merchants to switch their terminals to support the NFC cards. The stripes are a 1960s technology that is easily read and less secure than the NFC chips. When I get gas, say at a Sheetz, it is a lot faster/easier to hold the card up to the NFC reader on the pump, then to have to insert the card, wait for the chip to be read (many now lock on to your card while this is happening), and then input my zip code. Especially in these Covid/Flu days, I don't want to touch anything that I don't have to. NFC cards make the transaction completely touch free.

But, but, it isn't just the mag stripes. Not all chip cards have the NFC capability. Likewise, not all chip-reader terminals can deal with NFC contactless.

So, you have to inject the card into the machine, trying to play a game of "Operation" to avoid touching your fingers on the device and picking up someone's booger juice from the previous transactions. There's actually more danger in touching the device compared to the mag stripe swipe. (I realize what you are saying about the mag-stripe though, and not discounting it.)

The contact-less terminals are awesome. Just get the card within an inch or so of the pad and you are done.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeWras But, but, it isn't just the mag stripes. Not all chip cards have the NFC capability. Likewise, not all chip-reader terminals can deal with NFC contactless.

Some may not realize that there are two different technologies here.

The original chip function was RFID and that requires inserting the card into the machine.

For contactless (NFC), you need to see this symbol both on your card and on the machine (that's the place where you tap it).

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister Some may not realize that there are two different technologies here. The original chip function was RFID and that requires inserting the card into the machine. For contactless (NFC), you need to see this symbol both on your card and on the machine (that's the place where you tap it).

Exactly!!!!

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Closet_Gamer in theory if you're on a tightly packed tube someone can simple put a card reader next to your purse/pocket and try to draw a contactless payment from it. I'm not sure if that a real risk or not.

There's an easy way to prevent that. Just don't use deodorant on those mornings.

[brett]

We have been using tap and go (contactless) for quite some time.

Not certain why anyone would think they are less safe.

Even now in restaurants more often than not be can use on tap and go on the portable units that also take pin.

Very convenient, very easy.

Not really certain what the issue is....other than change.