Just received a new VISA card equipped with the 'touch reader' technology. Says we only wave the card over the reader for payment.That seems a bit dangerous to me - if the reader can read the wave, why not a stranger standing behind us in a store, or anywhere, with a scanner in hand. We don't sign anything, we don't show the safety number on the back, nothing but a wave and a charge. Now I also see 'card wallets' that have a wave protector screen. So, now we get a 'wave card' and need an 'anti-wave wallet' to protect it. One more thing to buy and carry around. Pretty soon we'd need a cargo trailer just for identification and credit cards and check cards, etc.Anyone have a comment on the safety of 'wave cards'... seems pretty easy to scan the signal.

The card pretty much needs to be right on top of the device when "tapped" as you will find when you use it you've got to be within about half and inch for it to work. There are a lot of good facts about this here is one article from Square that may help. You will find the mag stripe won't be around for long by 2024 they will begin to disappear.

Taping is much quicker so there is that. Safety is up to each person to be aware and check your account. One of our cards was hacked by an employee at a hospital snack bar where the reader was out of sight. Charged airline tickets 3 weeks in advance from Dallas. Credit card company folks were waiting.And then there was a $900 pair of hiking boots (not a typo) delivered to us with the address changed the prior day...Within a week of the charges we called and got a new card.

As said you pretty much have to almost touch the pad for it to work. I wouldn't worry about somebody standing behind you with a high tech scanner, the technology just doesn't work that way. Although there are a quite a few people in this world that are more than happy to make misleading claims and take your money for a protective sleeve.And seriously, what's the concern? It's a Visa. If they somehow steal your card you get the money back. My unsolicited advice... Login to your visa card website or call the card company using the phone number on the back of the card and ask for assistance. Setup an alert that sends you a text any time the card is charged. Set the dollar amount for the alert as low as possible (typically $1). Then go about your day and don't give this another thought. I have this setup and I often get that text while standing at the register waiting for my receipt to finish printing. If not I definitely get the text before I get to my car.If you ever get a text when you know you didn't just use the card you can be concerned. Until you figure out that it was your monthly Netflix renewal. Yep even after many years I still get caught by that one every month.

There are several Credit card safety's devices to stop others from steeling your info.

One of the reasons I use a credit card vs. a debit card. CCs have consumer protection.

CC safety | Good Sam Community

1492
Moderator
Jun 02, 2022
magicbus wrote:
Or as others have pointed out, put your card in your phone wallet and leave the card home. At least with an iPhone you tap your phone and approve the transaction using your fingerprint on your phone. Can’t get much safer - especially with something for which you have no liability, all you are trying to do is avoid the hassle of a stolen card.

Dave

More merchants need to get onboard, as many notably large businesses still are not setup to accept Apple Pay.
magicbus
Explorer II
Jun 02, 2022
Per the Apple Pay website (Link) it is accepted anywhere that takes contactless credit cards.

“Apple Pay is accepted at over 85 percent of retailers in the U.S., so you can likely use it wherever and however you want. If you’re not sure, just ask. Apple Pay works anywhere that takes contactless payments — from vending machines and grocery stores to taxis and subway stations.”

On edit: I only recently learned that the Apple Pay network is not required. When I added my BofA card to my wallet, BofA texted me a code then sent an email saying my CC was added to my iPhone wallet and could be used at any contactless station. I guess they added their transaction routing info to my phone in order to skip the need for the Apple Pay network.

Dave
1492
Moderator
Jun 02, 2022
magicbus wrote:

“Apple Pay is accepted at over 85 percent of retailers in the U.S., so you can likely use it wherever and however you want.

Except Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
magicbus
Explorer II
Jun 03, 2022
1492 wrote:
magicbus wrote:

“Apple Pay is accepted at over 85 percent of retailers in the U.S., so you can likely use it wherever and however you want.

Except Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.
Well I’m not going to argue you about it because my nearest Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes is 2 hours away. All I know is our local supermarket, ice cream shop, thrift shop, a wildlife refuge and gas station don’t display an Apple Pay icon but do accept contactless credit card transactions, and they accept my Visa on my iPhone. So there you go.

Dave

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