Contactless Payment Problems
For Show 88, we took a look at contactless payment, or NFC - and the problems being reported where transactions are not debited as the customer expects - how reliable is contactless cash?
Listen to, or download, FrequencyCast Show 88 (30 mins) |
NFC Payment:
Here's the transcript of our piece on contactless payment from Show 88:
Transcript continues from Show 88: Cashback Apps
Pete:
Now, while you've got your purse out, can I just have a look at one of your either credit cards or debit cards, please?
Kelly:
OK, well it's going to have to be debit, because I don't have credit cards either. All in all, you've not done too well with me today.
Pete:
You're sounding like a bit of a Carl - you're not fully technically-equipped there.
Kelly:
I sound like I'm probably about 80, and I don't believe in online banking, or anything else.
Pete:
But you do - you are a high-tech girly, aren't you, really?
Kelly:
Yeah, I am. It's only a few things like credit cards, that I have no desire to have.
Pete:
That's my Barclaycard Business card - what do you notice about that one?
Kelly:
I know exactly what you're going to ask me now - it's your little touchpay.
Pete:
Yes - contactless payment. You haven't got a contactless payment card, then?
Kelly:
No, I haven't got one.
Pete:
If you want to buy something for under £20 - coffee, fast food or whatever, you walk in, tap the card on a reader, and it will just take out the money for you - no pin numbers, no signatures - no nothing. So it's a cashless way of spending under £20, and of course you can now start using them on public transport, that kind of thing. A good idea?
Kelly:
I think so. It'd be fantastic if they could get your travelcard on there as well one day.
Pete:
Well, of course, you've already got the same technology, which is called NFC (near field communication). You've got them in Oyster cards - why not have them in credit cards? Of course, these are ultimately coming to mobile phones, where you can just tap your mobile against a reader and do it.
Kelly:
Again, it's still going to be open to abuse in the same way online banking and everything else is.
Pete:
Well, funny you talk about abuse, because if you were watching the news this morning, as I was, the abuse has already started with these little contactless cards.
Kelly:
Oh, God - OK.
Pete:
People have worked out, that with the right equipment, you can stand on the high street and wait for people to walk past you, and lift details from these cards as they walk past. But what's quite amusing at the moment is, it's not actually fraud - it's accidental purchases. So what people are doing, and it was Marks & Spencers that were in the news for this one, is if you go to a Marks & Spencers' machine to pay, and you get your credit card out, but you happen to leave your wallet or your purse near the reader, it will detect your card in your wallet as the device to pay with. So they're automatically getting the money taken out of their wallet, and then they put their card in, and do the chip and pin read as well. A word to our listeners: be careful.
Kelly:
There's always going to be problems with new technology like that, and it's just a case of ironing out the creases.
Pete:
So now you've given me your Visa card there, I'm off to the cash machine. Could you just tell me your pin?
Kelly:
No, and you wouldn't get anything out of it anyway.
Pete:
So, we've digressed. Your application of the month - now you've found a rather nice little app, haven't you? What have you found?
Kelly:
I have. I've found a nice little app from Headcast.
Pete:
OK, now of course, anyone that's into the online world, and particularly Twitter, will know there is one main dude that is all over the internet, and who is that?
Kelly:
Of course, it's Stephen Fry.
Pete:
And Headcast have brought out the Stephen Fry app. Now, I've had a quick play with this already, but this is rather nice. The idea is, Stephen Fry - very into his Twitter, very into his podcasts and everything else; he's now got this service on his device, that he can hit a button, record something, and it's pushed out to anyone that's got this application. Is that about the size of it?
Kelly:
Pretty much - you've got that down to a tee.
Pete:
Go on then - show me how it works. So you're holding it, you've started it up, and there's a little picture of a man that you've just pressed, and there's now a list of things - hit "Welcome to Headcast" for me.
Stephen: "Hello, and welcome to the world of the Headcast. This is me, Stephen Fry, virtually Stephen Fry ... "
Pete:
So he's talking away, and there's an actual avatar of him talking away. Tickle his tummy, go on.
(Stephen laughs)
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Pete:
And again. So he's scratching his head, as you tickle his tummy. Do that again - press his nose, and again. So this is a virtual Stephen Fry, and he can send his new messages to you, and push them straight to you. There's a little bit here that explains what's going on. Let's just have a quick listen to Mr Fry.
Stephen: "Well, this time I thought I'd wear a pair of glasses, just to show that it's not always the same. What happens is, that I have a special app which is for me to record these little Headcast productions on, and I can do various adjustments to myself, like touch my glasses, or clap my hands, or shrug, or roll my eyes."
Pete:
So there you go - that's your app of the month, Stephen Fry's Headcast?
Kelly:
Yes. I think it's a very very interesting app actually, and I think, if this does get rolled out to Twitter, rather than just using tweets, you can actually have your own Headcast, it will be quite revolutionary.
Pete:
So are we going to get a Kelly headcast soon?
Kelly:
Oh, maybe - you never know!
Pete:
Ooh! - and what happens if I press your nose?
Kelly:
Miaow!
Pete:
Very good!
Listen to, or download, FrequencyCast Show 88 (30 mins) |
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