Contactless card declined but not chip and pin

[TheRealGussieFinkNottle]

Tried to use contactless card just now in a cafe, and it was declined twice. Went to the bank to check my balance, which was fine. I then tried to use the chip and pin instead, which worked. Have only used by contactless card for public transport so far this morning. Any ideas why it may have been declined?

They make you input your pin after a few taps it's an anti theft precaution

Could have been a fault with their machine or the signal or anything really.

There is a limit on the number of times you can use contactless without having to put pin in. I think it might be random but when it declines, always try chip and pin.

This is basically a security feature in case someone steals your card, although they can use it for a few small purchases, they won't be able to do that for very long

There's a limit to how often you can use contactless without putting your pin in, think it's 5-10 times. That should come up on the machine though, it'll say "enter card" or something instead.

every so often you need to use your pin as a fraud prevention measure

Could have been a few things

-you reached your limit
-fault with the machine
-fault with your card

All possible. Usually when I'm in work and the card is declined by the contactless I ask the customer to have a go with chip and pin and it usually works.

Very occasionally I have to enter my pin, I assume it's a random security check.

My boyfriend has a shop and his bank told him it was 4x contactless then 5th you needed your PIN.

Did you not try C&P in the shop after the contactless was declined ?

Yep, it's an anti fraud thing. Perfectly normal.

I’ve got a card that despite its nearly brand new it’s contactless never works.

A small amount of damage to the card will do this.
If you've had the card a while ask for a replacement, if it happens again.

Or it could just be the reader was having a hissy moment.

Oh haha this happens to me a lot now I know why! I assumed my contactless wasn't working.

I thought it was £30 a day and then you need to use chip and pin?

£30 is the max value per contactless transaction not a daily limit. Most card issuers will have ask you to verify with chip & pin at some point but the frequency of this differs between companies.

Also if someone was using the landline phone at the time....that always ends up declining my card.

Shocked at the £30 limit, it’s $100 here and I use mine for every transaction (except the weekly food shop) and have never been prompted to enter a PIN.

$100 is about £60.

It’s probably the random security check - different for each type of card and depends on your spend. I can go up to £200 on contactless in a day (have tested this) on my Amex as I use it a lot, but only 20 on my Visa and mastercard.

Did the chip and pin work in a cash machine? I have had my card declined in a shop and when I phoned the bank they said it had been flagged for fraudulent use so wouldn’t work in shops, but if I used it in a cash machine and put my pin in it would work fine after.

That's odd. I use my contactless card about 10 times a day (tube, overground, pret, wasabi, Sainsburys, pharmacy, etc.). Literally never put my PIN in unless it is over £30. Which is rare.

Thankfully $100 is £75 not £60 our economy isn't that bad!

Our machines will often decline contactless and ask for chip and pin. Either for security reasons or because our machines are old and knackered and sometimes one handset won't talk to the other machine, etc etc.

If a machine declines your contactless card, then always try your chip and pin, it's usually not your bank balance, but the machine. Oh, unless you've got a brand new card, because if it's new you have to use it with chip and pin at least once before you can use it contactless. Security, you see.

And you'd be glad it's only £30 and calls for chip and pin after so many uses (bank dependent, some it's only three, others you can use it more often) if someone stole your card...

I work in retail and it is one of 2 reasons if you have adequate funds.

1. random, standard security check to ensure the person actually hold the card is authorized to do so.

2. you have reached your contactless limit for a period, daily or a longer period.

Annoying, but both good security measures. I find that certain card issuers require PIN verification more than others. Cards rejected for verification are probably 80% from a particular issuer but I am in Canada, so it probably wasn't yours.

I work in a pub, and there are several reasons why contactless would be declined, but not chip & pin.
Either....

1. You've used contactless up to the limit, which I believe is currently £30...this is to prevent thieves using your card for multiple expensive purchases.
2. I know they make random security checks, especially in a place you've never been before. I had my contactless declined when I first tried to use it Poland this year, but subsequent uses were fine.
3. Our card reader is a fucking miserable sod, and sometimes will refuse to read anything contactless.
4. Damage to the card can sometimes fuck up the contactless chip.

Thankfully $100 is £75 not £60 our economy isn't that bad!

Unless it's Australian dollars, which is about £59