" ... The Halifax bank is enrolling unsuspecting customers in trials
of a new generation of RFID-enabled bank cards, and trying to
keep them in the program even if they have mis-givings about
the wave and pay technology.
PayWave allows punters to debit their account without having
to enter a PIN or sign for goods valued at less than £10.
The RFID-based technology, backed by Visa, is being rolled out
by UK banks Barclays and Halifax, as well as others on the
continent. Mastercard is backing a similar technology called
PayPass.
Halifax is introducing the technology in London to a number of
punters, including Reg reader Pete.
Pete, a current account holder at Halifax, was among those
issued with a new card. He didn't want to use the unsolicited
technology and his attempts to receive an alternative card,
though ultimately successful, proved frustrating.
"I have to input my PIN the very first time I use this
'Paywave' card, but after that it is automatically authorised
to work for all transactions under £10," Pete explained. "I
put the new card straight in the bin - in fact, I shredded it
and put it in several different bins. I don't want this highly
insecure-sounding facility, and I never use a debit card for
retail transactions anyway."
Pete thought no more of the card assuming his old plastic,
which had months left to run, would continue to be useable.
But when he went to his local bank in early December to get
some cash the ATM refused the transaction and retained his
card.
Bank staff, having verified Pete's identity, were not
immediately able to work out why the card had been retained.
They gave him back his card but, after other attempts to use
his card failed, he was faced with the chore of getting his
card replaced. After calling Halifax's helpline, Pete was told
that the (unsolicited) issue of the contactless card had
automatically cancelled his original card, something not
mentioned in the paperwork that came with the old card,
according to Pete.
"Halifax are cancelling peoples' bank cards without permission
and without even telling them, and forcing them to use these
new cards, which as far as I know nobody has asked for," Pete
told El Reg. ... "
of a new generation of RFID-enabled bank cards, and trying to
keep them in the program even if they have mis-givings about
the wave and pay technology.
PayWave allows punters to debit their account without having
to enter a PIN or sign for goods valued at less than £10.
The RFID-based technology, backed by Visa, is being rolled out
by UK banks Barclays and Halifax, as well as others on the
continent. Mastercard is backing a similar technology called
PayPass.
Halifax is introducing the technology in London to a number of
punters, including Reg reader Pete.
Pete, a current account holder at Halifax, was among those
issued with a new card. He didn't want to use the unsolicited
technology and his attempts to receive an alternative card,
though ultimately successful, proved frustrating.
"I have to input my PIN the very first time I use this
'Paywave' card, but after that it is automatically authorised
to work for all transactions under £10," Pete explained. "I
put the new card straight in the bin - in fact, I shredded it
and put it in several different bins. I don't want this highly
insecure-sounding facility, and I never use a debit card for
retail transactions anyway."
Pete thought no more of the card assuming his old plastic,
which had months left to run, would continue to be useable.
But when he went to his local bank in early December to get
some cash the ATM refused the transaction and retained his
card.
Bank staff, having verified Pete's identity, were not
immediately able to work out why the card had been retained.
They gave him back his card but, after other attempts to use
his card failed, he was faced with the chore of getting his
card replaced. After calling Halifax's helpline, Pete was told
that the (unsolicited) issue of the contactless card had
automatically cancelled his original card, something not
mentioned in the paperwork that came with the old card,
according to Pete.
"Halifax are cancelling peoples' bank cards without permission
and without even telling them, and forcing them to use these
new cards, which as far as I know nobody has asked for," Pete
told El Reg. ... "
~ Read on... ~
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