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.
Read the full story here along with over 100 comments: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/27/paywave/
Note: http://www.visapaywave.... http://www.theregister...
Stumble It!