Contactless card fraud

Michael Little

Michael Little

Messages
255
Name
Mike
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi all,
Just to make more people aware of a flaw with contactless cards that we have found out the hard way. My Nan had her bag snatched from her around 2 weeks ago in Willenhall, a little town right by her bank. She went right to the bank minutes after and cancelled her card. However she has received a letter today telling her her card has still been used, it seems even when cancelled the card can still be used.

I don't mean to scare people as i believe you are not charged for these transactions but just to let people know.

Heres the article

Mike
 
Michael Little said:
Hi all,
Just to make more people aware of a flaw with contactless cards that we have found out the hard way. My Nan had her bag snatched from her around 2 weeks ago in Willenhall, a little town right by her bank. She went right to the bank minutes after and cancelled her card. However she has received a letter today telling her her card has still been used, it seems even when cancelled the card can still be used.

I don't mean to scare people as i believe you are not charged for these transactions but just to let people know.

Heres the article

Mike
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear about your Nan's woes.
A right pain for her, but at least she's not liable for any of the transactions.
I don't believe there'll ever be a fraud-free financial system.
 
I saw a programme about this issue not so long ago. (n)
(Sad for your Nan :( )

Apparently other countries (USA?) have tougher user/customer protection re card fraud & if UK customers had better protection & rights, the banks would put more time & money into the problem.

But, as Viv says;

viv1969 said:
I don't believe there'll ever be a fraud-free financial system.
Click to expand...
 
So whats the problem here?

The bank gives you a card that enables you to pay for things without cash.
The card it gives you is free, no charge, gratis.
If it gets stolen, you report it and the bank doesn't charge you for the hooky charges.

There is no charge for all these things?
 
Mr Bump said:
So whats the problem here?

The bank gives you a card that enables you to pay for things without cash.
The card it gives you is free, no charge, gratis.
If it gets stolen, you report it and the bank doesn't charge you for the hooky charges.

There is no charge for all these things?
Click to expand...
And where does the Bank get it's money to pay for these frauds, ER, you and me through bank charges, interest rates on borrowing etc. No such thing as a free lunch.
Matt
 
MatBin said:
And where does the Bank get it's money to pay for these frauds, ER, you and me through bank charges, interest rates on borrowing etc. No such thing as a free lunch.
Matt
Click to expand...

Agreed but that is up to you? the account itself is free
 
MatBin said:
And where does the Bank get it's money to pay for these frauds, ER, you and me through bank charges, interest rates on borrowing etc. No such thing as a free lunch.
Matt
Click to expand...
I'd like to thank the pair of you paying for any possible future frauds on my account. Better than my banking being free, the bank pays me.(y)
 
So would we complain if we withdrew cash from a bank and then lost it and someone spent it?
 
Personally I think contactless payments or pay via mobile are the stupidest idea ever ,all it does is give the wide boys more opportunities to steal from you ,another one is the new phone cases that you can also store your cards in ,lots of people have there PIN numbers stored on there phone ,Ali babas paradise springs to mind
 
If anything pay by mobile is better as you generally have to unlock the device to activate the payment. Good luck doing that.

It's convenience at the end of the day contactless doesn't always need to contact the bank for the transaction. But it only works for payments under £30 and only for a few transactions before requiring a PIN, so not the end of the world if it gets pinched.

And who stores PINs on their phone, that's just stupid.
 
I don't have a UK bank card. Can you disable the contactless feature, or ask the bank to do this?
 
Mr Bump said:
So whats the problem here?

The bank Lends you a card that enables you to pay for things without cash.
The card it Lends you is free, no charge, gratis.
If it gets stolen, you report it and the bank doesn't charge you for the hooky charges.

There is no charge for all these things?
Click to expand...

Small but important point, the card is and remains the property of the bank which is why you'll never get a captured card returned
 
You can get card wallets that stop any ability for the card to be read without your knowledge. That would at least cut down on some of it.

If you don't use contactless at all I think it isn't enabled until you use it for the first time and enter the pin for the card. I'd hope no bank enables it by default...
 
I thought the same, Suz but when I first used it contactless, it didn't ask me for my PIN. I had used it as a normal chip and PIN card before trying contactless so maybe that automatically enabled it?
 
Nod said:
I thought the same, Suz but when I first used it contactless, it didn't ask me for my PIN. I had used it as a normal chip and PIN card before trying contactless so maybe that automatically enabled it?
Click to expand...

Depressing if they do that as there is literally no way of turning off this stupid feature.
 
Maybe I'm old fashioned but I just don't see the point of contactless payment
It only takes a moment to enter your pin no
An extra risk for little gain
 
LCPete said:
It only takes a moment to enter your pin no
Click to expand...

Yeah right :confused:
I use various pin codes for access to places at work, door codes, gate codes etc. so have to be very careful when using my bank cards :D
 
Is this part of the move towards a 'cashless' society? Wouldn't surprise me, just 'see how easy it is, and no need to carry cash at all..'
 
I have memory problems so use words rather than numbers (I can usually remember words better!) to remember the numbers. Most ATM keyboards have letters on the keys (ABC on 2, DEF on 3 etc.) so I have a name I can always remember and type it in using the appropriate keys. Luckily, card payment terminals have the same letters - usually!
 
Does your phone have letters on it's keypad?
If so, could you whip that out to refer to when faced with a letterless terminal?
 
No physical keys. I do have the numbers stored in my phone in disguise. Not sure I can remember how to expose them though!!!
 
srichards said:
If you don't use contactless at all I think it isn't enabled until you use it for the first time and enter the pin for the card. I'd hope no bank enables it by default...
Click to expand...
IIRC mine was enabled by default. My new card had the little wave symbol on it, so one day when buying a small item *tap* and it worked.
srichards said:
Depressing if they do that as there is literally no way of turning off this stupid feature.
Click to expand...
If you've got one, you could try putting the contactless symbol (where I assume the coil/chip is located) under the stabby bit of a paper hole punch, and perforating it.
I've got a replacement card coming this week, so I can test this with the old one and post the results before I shred it.
 
MartynK said:
Is this part of the move towards a 'cashless' society? Wouldn't surprise me, just 'see how easy it is, and no need to carry cash at all..'
Click to expand...


I don't think it will happen quickly. There are any number of places which do not accept cards - market stalls, small shops, takeaways, slot machines at casinos, lots of parking meters, minicab drivers etc.
 
Although a lot of that can be substituted for online payments. Just eat, ring-go parking, uber etc

Cashless society would be brilliant though. Personally I hate, and rarely do, carry cash.
 
So are people saying the US a device that can scan your card for payment when it's in your wallet in your pocket? Wouldn't they have to be extremely close to do that? I have to almost touch the card to the machine for it to work!
 
andy700 said:
I don't think it will happen quickly. There are any number of places which do not accept cards - market stalls, small shops, takeaways, slot machines at casinos, lots of parking meters, minicab drivers etc.
Click to expand...
You might be surprised, more and more market stall holders have PDQ machines and, with the ability to take payment on mobile phones, it won't be that long until the need for cash is all but wiped out.
 
Some smartphones have NFC read/write capability.
Someone carrying a phone would not look suspicious.
With the right app installed there's a possibility they could read your card if they swipe their phone over your back pocket as they walk past, then retransmit that to the shops reader later.
 
Tori_T said:
Some smartphones have NFC read/write capability.
Someone carrying a phone would not look suspicious.
With the right app installed there's a possibility they could read your card if they swipe their phone over your back pocket as they walk past, then retransmit that to the shops reader later.
Click to expand...

Can't think of a worse place to keep a wallet than in a back pocket!
 
Tori_T said:
Can you access the contacts list/phone book on your phone?
Click to expand...

If that's to me, yes. And the numbers are hidden in there - it's just remembering which number relates to which card!

fabs said:
So's Strictly! :D
Click to expand...

And Britain's Got Bakers etc....

I seem to be in a minority in preferring cash to using cards. If I'm holding the folding, I know I can afford what it'll buy. Only use a credit card for the extra layer of protection it gives on online purchases and a debit card for bigger buys (cars, bikes etc..)
 
I don't do internet banking - much better IMO to deal with humans in branch. Luckily, my bank has real people to talk to, despite them having to try to sell customers internet banking and talk themselves out of jobs.
 
Nod said:
I don't do internet banking - much better IMO to deal with humans in branch. Luckily, my bank has real people to talk to, despite them having to try to sell customers internet banking and talk themselves out of jobs.
Click to expand...

Our bank (NatWest) has just closed it's branch in our town and what remains of the humans have gone off to work in Milton Keynes which is c.16 miles away. Not so convenient?

By the way, referring to an earlier post, I bought a new wallet recently which as the faraday cage lining to stop scanners nicking the details. As all our cards are going over to contactless, it seemed a sensible thing to do.

Anthony.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top