A contactless card is a card which allows holders to not need physically insert the cards into any device but simply hold it up to a secure reader.
How does the process work?
Instead of using cash, customers can pay by simply tapping their card on the secure point-of-sale (POS) terminal and the payment is processed instantly and automatically.
Where can I use a contactless card?
Contactless cards can be used in all the shops and business having a POS enabled to contactless payments. You can recognise an enable machine through the symbol below.
Always check that the amount displayed in the POS is the correct one. Once confirmed, just tap your card against the machine. Usually this will emit a signal when the payment is correctly processed.
For small payments, you don’t need to insert the PIN of your cards. For payments which amount exceed 50€, the machine will ask to insert the PIN of your card.
Furthermore, after a number of contactless transactions, you will be asked occasionally to insert the PIN of your card as security measure.
Is this process secure?
In order to process the transaction, the card has to be close to the machine in order to avoid that your card can process the payment of another client.
These cards are extremely secure with a number of controls in place and the latest security technology. This avoids that the same payment is processed more than once.
There is also the same protection against fraudulent transactions as the existing chip and PIN system. As an extra precaution, customers will be asked to enter their PIN from time to time to confirm their identity.
Can I use my smartphone instead of the card?
The most recent smartphones or tablets use a technology called NFC (“Near Field Communication”) which enable payment by tapping the devices on a contactless payment terminal. This means that you can use your smartphone or table instead of the contactless card, with the same features (amount limits and safety). Most of the recent smartphones are enabled for this technology (through services like Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay). However, in order to use this feature, the bank issuing the card has to be enabled to the service. More information can be found on your bank website.
