FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQ

 

Q. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CARD IS AT RISK OF REMOTE FRAUD?

A. The contactless payment symbol appears on the front of cards that are vulnerable to fraud. This symbol consists of four curved lines used on all contactless payment cards.

 

Q. IS IT TRUE THAT THE SECURITY CODE ON THE BACK OF THE CARD CANNOT BE READ?

A. The code on the back of the card cannot be read remotely, but this is irrelevant as the card information can still be used, e.g. for online purchases where this code is not required and real-time payments always work without the security code.

 

Q. ISN’T THE FINANCIAL RISK MINIMAL AS CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS CANNOT EXCEED 25 EUROS?

A. The limit is 25 euros for a contactless payment, but the scanned information can be used for much larger online purchases where the limit is either the entire card account balance or a pre-set transaction limit.

 

Q. DON’T FRAUDSTERS HAVE TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT AND AN ACCOUNT FOR A PAYMENT TERMINAL, MAKING THEM EASY TO CATCH?

A. Anyone using a payment terminal should have an agreement, but fraudsters do not use this method. Instead they scan and record information for later use in online purchasing and other ways. There is also an underground online market for stolen card information.

 

Fraudsters nowadays also have devices that can make real-time purchases using a card in someone else’s wallet or handbag. This approach leaves no trace of the thief or method used, as the shop payment terminal is tricked into thinking the victim’s card was used at the terminal, even though it never left the victim’s wallet.

 

Q. ISN’T THE BANK ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE IN CASE OF FRAUD?

A. Even though the banks are partly liable for compensation, this liability is not absolute. Customers must regularly check their account statements for signs of misuse. Banks often only cover incorrect transactions that are less than 2 months old. Many customers therefore miss out on full compensation.

 

This is in addition to the hassle of filing a police report, explaining the case to the bank, and then waiting for a new card and PIN code. Compensation claims have sometimes taken several months to process.

 

Q. HAVE ANY CONTACTLESS PAYMENT FRAUDS BEEN REPORTED?

A. The statistics are unclear on this point, as remote scanning does not leave a trace for the authorities to follow ans as such information may also be obtained by ATM card skimmers and online hacking, no separate information is collected by the authorities. The suspicious payment transactions found on the account are the only available clue.

 

The rate of offences involving contactless payments has been increasing rapidly for some years.

 

Q. DOES KEEPING SEVERAL CONTACTLESS PAYMENT CARDS CLOSE TOGETHER PROVIDE PROTECTION AGAINST FRAUD?

A. This is a common misconception. Multiple adjacent cards confuse a point of sale reader, as it cannot determine which contactless payment card the buyer is attempting to use, but scanners fitted with an anti-collision function can read the information on the cards.

 

Q. DOES ALUMINIUM FOIL PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM FRAUD?

A. Any sufficiently thick metal foil wrapped around the whole card may provide protection, but this package will have to be opened when using the card and then resealed again afterwards. This effectively negates the ease of use that is the main benefit of a contactless payment card.

 

Q. DO ALL CARD PROTECTORS WORK IN THE SAME WAY?

A. The wide range of card protectors on the market includes everything from special wallets to card covers. Protective wallets generally work well, but depend on materials that the signal cannot penetrate. This means that the protection only works when the wallet is closed. These wallets also tend to be metal casings or have an otherwise odd appearance.

 

Card covers must be made of the right material and their metal coatings may wear out with use in some instances, causing the protection to deteriorate over time. They are often more difficult to use and aesthetically less pleasing, ultimately protecting only one or two cards. These card covers represent the first generation of protective devices.

 

The older generation of protectors also includes those that rely on a simple metal shield with no embedded electronics. They only work when the protection is in contact with the payment card, and when the shielding is on both sides of the card.

 

CardProtect uses the latest technology and works conveniently in all wallets. It requires no special measures and its protection field (over 40 mm) effectively protects up to 20 payment cards. Other commercially available protection cards have only demonstrated a protective distance of 1-2 mm in tests.

 

Q. ISN’T THE READILITY RANGE ONLY 1-2 CM, MAKING IT EASY TO NOTICE ATTEMPTS TO SCAN A CARD?

A. A readability range of 1-2 cm is normal with a basic reader, but longer ranges are possible using more powerful scanners and an antenna concealed in a backpack. Various testing institutes and universities have reported successful test readings at ranges of between 80 cm and 1.5 metres. Tests performed by the Finnish technology magazine Tekniikan Maailma demonstrated a reading distance of about one metre.

 

Q. WHAT ELSE CAN I PROTECT USING CARDPROTECT?

A. CardProtect can be used for shielding such devices as:

- Credit cards

- Debit cards

- Travel cards

- Hotel key cards

- Employee access passes

- Membership cards

- Passports

 

Q. DOES CARDPROTECT INTERFERE WITH OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES LIKE MOBILE PHONES?

A. CardProtect does not interfere with other devices. It is not active all of the time, as it only activates automatically when a scanner is near.

 

Q. CAN I ALSO ORDER CARDPROTECT WITH CUSTOM PRINT?

A. Yes, you can. We provide cards and packages with customised designs for businesses ordering 100 cards or more.

Read more about custom printed cards HERE