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AIBU?

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Original poster

Tapping to pay without seeing the amount

84 replies

Figmentofmyimagination · 08/03/2026 17:53

I know it’s on me to ask - but it really irritates me to be given a card machine to tap that doesn’t show the amount unless you ask for it. Tapping on the end of the machine is a real design fault imo.

I’ve just bought a hot chocolate in a train station queue in a rush and as I walked away, I realised I’d tapped without seeing amount and with no receipt either - now unnecessary stress as I’ll have to check my account on the laptop when I get home (I don’t bank on my phone).

I’m sure it’s all fine but mistakes do happen and the system should not make it this easy to tap your card without seeing how much you are paying. At least, for now, it’s not possible to take more that £100. Grrr.

OP posts:
Tigerbalmshark · 08/03/2026 20:30

TheChosenTwo · 08/03/2026 18:04

I do agree that you should be able to see the amount but why is this causing you so much stress that you need to check, are you imagining that you’ve been charged £70
for a hot chocolate?
disclaimer, I’m not saying people don’t get overcharged, I got double charged for fuel recently and didn’t realise until I went back the following time I stopped to get fuel again and the guy gave me my money back, said he’d made a note of my registration number and was waiting for me to come back!

I got charged £475 for a coffee - should have been £4.75. Luckily it’s somewhere I go often so no issues getting it refunded the next day, but if you are passing through a train station it might not be anywhere you are going to visit again.

ruffler45 · 08/03/2026 20:30

I always ask to see the total even if it only a few pounds.. I had one transaction a few years ago where the decimal point was missed out ,,,,I spotted it before it went through and I use that as my excuse for asking to see the total everytime.

Changednameagain999 · 08/03/2026 20:27

I have always been able to see the amount and they always say ‘do you want a receipt’. This is a non issue.

cardibach · 08/03/2026 20:25

I don’t understand the issue - it’s very easy to see the screen even though the contactless area is at the rear of the machine. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a situation where I can’t see it.

emmetgirl · 08/03/2026 20:15

I own a cafe bar and whenever I present the card terminal to the customer I always turn it round so it faces them so they can see the amount. I tell all my team to do the same. If I see them not doing this (and I have) I always remind them.
To me it’s basic sense. The customer needs to know that they’re being charged the correct amount!

rwalker · 08/03/2026 20:12

Figmentofmyimagination · 08/03/2026 18:24

I know. I think scrapping the contactless limit is insane.

You can set your own level which is far better than a blanket one

I agree it’s wrong that you can’t see amount
I have notifications for banking app so soon as I pay get notification if there was an issue the transaction will be sat as pending do you can deal with it and highlight it as an issue to bank before it goes through

RedRiverShore6 · 08/03/2026 20:11

It's mainly small amounts when you have to ask, I am sometimes a bit suspicious of it.

Psychosislotus · 08/03/2026 20:09

Executrixnotextraordinaire · 08/03/2026 19:12

There is currently no limit with Apple pay, I can tap for thousands.

Apple Pay isn’t contactless though. It’s biometric or password which is basically chip and pin.

Viviennemary · 08/03/2026 20:08

Im getting a bit fed upwith this too. I want to see the amount. And then getting no receipt. It's not on.

SummerFeverVenice · 08/03/2026 20:06

You can set your contactless limit as low as £10 with most banks. If you don’t have time to listen to or see the total, then I’d advise setting that limit to prevent unnecessary stress.

You can also set up banner notifications for all transactions or transactions over a certain amount.

RedRiverShore6 · 08/03/2026 20:04

I only use a credit card for everything so don't need my actual bank account on my phone as I only use it for direct debits and savings accounts. I would never pay with a debit card, have it in Apple Pay or use a debit card online.

auserna · 08/03/2026 19:59

Why don't you have a banking app on your phone?

Coconutter24 · 08/03/2026 19:48

Ohyeahitsme · 08/03/2026 19:25

Really?

Often if the tap bit is at the top, the cashier will hold the reader towards them, pointing the tap bit at the customer, which makes the screen very hard to read.

Show quote history

No I’ve never had that but if that happened then I would just ask how much the total is

RedRiverShore6 · 08/03/2026 19:45

All these notifications though are after you have paid and then they have to do a refund which can take several days sometimes so a bit useless if you have no money because a wrong payment has taken it all

Original poster
Figmentofmyimagination · 08/03/2026 19:44

To some PPs yes I know I should always ask to see the amount - I did say this in my OP - 99.999% of the time I remember to ask, obviously, but there are certainly machines that are presented to you to tap at the end with the amount not showing - I am v surprised some PPs have never seen these - and this was a quick hot chocolate at a mainline train station in a queue in between trains on a long tiring journey across the uk - yes - it’s on me - and when I eventually get home I will have to log on and check that all is ok - fingers crossed - but these poorly designed hand sets should not exist, as they invite mistakes and even fraud - that’s my point.

I am 62 and I’ve always resisted having my banking on a mobile phone (although my children do) as it didn’t seem very secure to me. This thread has made me rethink, especially with the card limits going up (although I’m not going to agree to this for my card.) - but I still feel naturally resistant to paying by phone.

OP posts:
RedRiverShore6 · 08/03/2026 19:41

It annoys me too, I always ask to see, I know it often pops up on your phone immediately, though not always, sometimes it's an hour or more later, probably signal related and by then it's a bit late anyway as you have already paid.

jomaIone · 08/03/2026 19:38

I have never been in a shop and the cashier has not told me the amount to pay! I also work retail and always tell them the total....

goingtotown · 08/03/2026 19:38

The amount is on the payment screen sometimes very small.

BenedictsButton · 08/03/2026 19:35

I always check the amount. I don’t have any cards on my phone. I won’t give my card to anyone else to use for contactless payments.

Summerunlover · 08/03/2026 19:34

I am blind and always ask the amount. I also have banking app on my phone that pops up and alerts me straight away with the amount.

JohnBullshit · 08/03/2026 19:32

It's quite easy to be unable to see the amount at a busy bar, for example, when as @Ohyeahitsme says, the business end of the card reader gets pointed in your direction but the screen is facing away from you. I'm short and my head's too low down to see over the top of it. I usually ask for a receipt, as it feels less as if I'm implying I don't altogether trust the person behind the counter.

StrawberrySquash · 08/03/2026 19:28

Wherestheteenguide · 08/03/2026 18:56

I'd go one further op - I'm so old fashioned that I can't stand the fact that cashiers no longer tell you the amount. Just expect you to look at the machine! When I worked in retail it would be 'that'll be twenty pounds Mrs goggins!'

Yes, this really annoys me. Lots just don't bother. And if the screen isn't even showing me that's even worse!

Pistachiocake · 08/03/2026 19:25

Years ago, I was charged £300 odd for a £30 meal when the server took my card (maybe I should have been more assertive when they snatched it out of my hand) and luckily I got the money back, but that could have been a real problem for some people, so since then, I have always checked. You're right, mistakes and fraud both happen.

Ohyeahitsme · 08/03/2026 19:25

Coconutter24 · 08/03/2026 19:17

I have never seen a card machine that doesn’t clearly show the amount

Show quote history

Really?

Often if the tap bit is at the top, the cashier will hold the reader towards them, pointing the tap bit at the customer, which makes the screen very hard to read.

Coconutter24 · 08/03/2026 19:23

I use Apple Pay on my phone for all card payments which there’s no limit for but I always look at the screen and can see the amount I’m paying for so I voted YABU because the information is there you either see it on screen before paying or you ask the person charging you. I do have notifications set for every payment that goes out. If you do online banking on your laptop why don’t you log in online on your phone or download the banking app to save yourself the stress?