Using contactless credit/debit cards is growing in the UK, I must say that I have started to use this service more and more over the last few months. To be honest one of the main reasons I started to use the service more is because I felt uncomfortable at the till entering my card pin number when their was a queue behind me knowing that people behind were probably thinking "why doesn't he just swipe his bloody card over the machine" Very convenient I say and a good ploy by the card issuers too to make you spend more than if you were paying with cash http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37153565 Always remember to check the amount before you tap your card to pay http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-37159939
Never used a contactless card, and I always pay cash when I go shopping. Don't use a supermarket loyalty card either, it lets them track your every purchase.
I do have a Tesco loyalty Clubcard, and I am not too bothered about them tracking my shopping, if when from time to time they seem to send me money off vouchers for what I do need... Contactless cards is another matter, many times it has happened that someone else passing by has been charged for the purchase, without realizing.... Yup, a few feet are enough. https://www.lovemoney.com/news/21191/contactless-cards-safe-phantom-charges So, although I recently received one in the post, I won't be activating this service at all, and will happily continue with my old and trusted method of covering the display with one hand when I am entering my PIN on the machine with the other....
The loyalty card providers must have a field day being able to target their marketing by using the information from what customers buy. As Dom has mentioned there is a possibility you can get scammed when using a contactless card and I would expect this to increase as the trait of using contactless cards becomes even more popular.
[QUOTE="Timmers, post: 124240, member: 2249"]The loyalty card providers must have a field day being able to target their marketing by using the information from what customers buy. As Dom has mentioned there is a possibility you can get scammed when using a contactless card and I would expect this to increase as the trait of using contactless cards becomes even more popular.[/QUOTE] ha ha--this is true--i used to make a lot of home brew and wine--and bought tesco baby bottle sterilising tablets--ideal for sanitising wine making equipment. then one day i got a letter off tesco congratulating me becoming a dad--and inviting me to join their new baby club.
The contactless is convenient and the small amounts of cash retrievable through scamming wouldn't be worth the effort/risk IMO. I yet have to utilise my Android Pay.
I recently signed up for Revolut, an Android app, also on the apple store. Revolut allows you to do an FX transfer or foreign mastercard payment online using the current interbank rate without the usual 3% cut that the bank takes. For example, earlier this year I booked a flight online, charged in USD, but about £695 equivalent. By the time the bank had taken their cut I was charged £717.95. Hotels booked via the Accor website are also charged in the local currency, so subject to the 3% bank charge. I have the Revolut virtual card on my tab, and also applied for a Revolut plastic card which is waiting for me in the UK. The plastic might be needed if I am required to show the card at airport check-in, and can be used as an ATM card or for "card present" purchases. Good for online flight booking, hotel booking, sites such as Amazon.de that charge you in a foreign currency, and for local payments.