# Credit card tap (contactless) stops working



## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

My credit card is contactless, and lets me tap to pay. For the second time in a year, this stopped working for me. And I think that both times, it happened around the time I travelled by air.

I can still insert the card into the chip reader, and the PIN works. It's just the tap that stops working.

Is it possible that the airport security x-ray machines could be damaging the card? Is anyone else seeing this happen when they fly? Curious if flying experts like @Flugzeug have seen this happen


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

Generally it happens over time and possibly quicker if you bend the card often. There is a copper wire trace embedded in the card and if that has poor contact somewhere tap will stop working (or have reduced distance). I got a replacement card for that reason a month ago, new one works great again.

Also, not all card readers are the same at the stores. Some would still work with my old card while others would not read it at all.


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## hfp75 (Mar 15, 2018)

J4B @ rbc, when I fly, in online banking, you register your card number @ the country your going to. The tap to pay is not as secure. To see it disabled when traveling isn't surprising.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

hfp75 said:


> J4B @ rbc, when I fly, in online banking, you register your card number @ the country your going to. The tap to pay is not as secure. To see it disabled when traveling isn't surprising.


This is domestic though, I didn't leave the country.

It's definitely something about damage, as @cainvest describes. I'm just trying to figure out how this damage is happening.

I tried a few different card readers at different stores. Since none of them worked, that's why I figure that it's been damaged. Ordering a replacement card is easy enough, I'm just surprised that mine are getting damaged this often.


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## dotnet_nerd (Jul 1, 2009)

Very strange James, my Costco CapitalOne card did the same thing, the tap stopped working several months ago.

But oddly, it now works again. Maybe it's a software glitch on their end. 

There must be some sort of business logic involved because tap only works if the amount is under X dollars. X varies from store to store. Under $100 at most places, but higher at Costco and other large $ retailers.


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## Plugging Along (Jan 3, 2011)

I say it either a software glitch on their end which I have happen many times or your card is wearing out.


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## Mortgage u/w (Feb 6, 2014)

Must be just a glitch. Just get a new card in case its damaged.

I still can't get over how security around cc has changed over time. 
First, you needed to sign the back of the card and couldn't purchase if it wasn't signed. _Technically, the signatures were to be verified but they never were. Big security there._
Then, they introduced the keypad. Much better security.
Now, throw all that away and just tap your card. 

Ironically, the cards still have a signature pad on it. Anyone still sign it?


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

dotnet_nerd said:


> There must be some sort of business logic involved because tap only works if the amount is under X dollars. X varies from store to store. Under $100 at most places, but higher at Costco and other large $ retailers.


I think all 'contactless' transactions moved up to $250 as a result of the pandemic. It started slowly early in the pandemic and then seemed to apply across the board. I've not experienced any limitation under $250 for well over a year.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

I have a new card (last 2 weeks) and it failed the tap for $115 at a restaurant. So I did the PIN. I know all kinds of retailers have tap limits but maybe it is adjustable by the issuer? Most high end restaurants are good for $200. BC liquor stores are $100!


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## Covariance (Oct 20, 2020)

james4beach said:


> This is domestic though, I didn't leave the country.
> 
> It's definitely something about damage, as @cainvest describes. I'm just trying to figure out how this damage is happening.
> 
> I tried a few different card readers at different stores. Since none of them worked, that's why I figure that it's been damaged. Ordering a replacement card is easy enough, I'm just surprised that mine are getting damaged this often.


I travel extensively and have never experienced a card being damaged due to the airport security screening process. Doesn’t mean it isn’t the reason in your case. If you believe it is the cause then you should contact them as the energy required to damage the card is probably impacting other things/people.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

We have been through countless airport security screenings over the past 10 years. Never impacted us. 

Never had a problem using our tap and go overseas except where they did not have it. We have had our chip crack once. Simply replaced the card. It is one reason why we have several cards. PIN is fine but occasionally the reader does not function properly because they are not serviced/cleaned.

We do not care.... tap or pin. The only thing we care about is if the transaction goes through and we can get on with it.

Remember the old system. Took an imprint of your card, gave you the flimsy, and the punch card went off to accounting/billing? I remember my parents old Morgan's bills. They would get those cardboard copies with their statements...in the mail of course.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

Sometimes they just go.
Also I think they sometimes they flag and disable contactless and force you to enter the PIN, though this is less common.

Whenever my card is flakey, I just call and get a new one.


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## MrBlackhill (Jun 10, 2020)

james4beach said:


> My credit card is contactless, and lets me tap to pay. For the second time in a year, this stopped working for me. And I think that both times, it happened around the time I travelled by air.
> 
> I can still insert the card into the chip reader, and the PIN works. It's just the tap that stops working.
> 
> Is it possible that the airport security x-ray machines could be damaging the card? Is anyone else seeing this happen when they fly? Curious if flying experts like @Flugzeug have seen this happen


It happens with my cards, maybe because I have too many cards stacked in my wallet. Anyways my simple solution is that now all of my cards are in my cellphone. Credit cards, rewards cards, etc. I hope someday we won't need a wallet anymore.


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## Covariance (Oct 20, 2020)

MrBlackhill said:


> Anyways my simple solution is that now all of my cards are in my cellphone. Credit cards, rewards cards, etc. I hope someday we won't need a wallet anymore.


Same here. Pay with iPhone or watch.


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## Ponderling (Mar 1, 2013)

The most fun I have is a business trip to PQ, and the card keeps speaking en francais for a few weeks even when back home in Ontario


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## Flugzeug (Aug 15, 2018)

james4beach said:


> My credit card is contactless, and lets me tap to pay. For the second time in a year, this stopped working for me. And I think that both times, it happened around the time I travelled by air.
> 
> I can still insert the card into the chip reader, and the PIN works. It's just the tap that stops working.
> 
> Is it possible that the airport security x-ray machines could be damaging the card? Is anyone else seeing this happen when they fly? Curious if flying experts like @Flugzeug have seen this happen


I haven’t seen this before. My cards are through those x-ray machines constantly (about 14 times in the past month) and mine have never stopped working.

Could be random safety reasons or damage for some reason like other have mentioned.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

Flugzeug said:


> I haven’t seen this before. My cards are through those x-ray machines constantly (about 14 times in the past month) and mine have never stopped working.
> 
> Could be random safety reasons or damage for some reason like other have mentioned.


Thanks. So it definitely can't be the x-ray machines.


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## gardner (Feb 13, 2014)

I would be very surprised as well, if it is anything to do with the travel that causes this problem. I have travelled with touch/proximity cards all over the place and have never had a failure that I would consider correlated to travel in any way. OTOH, I have found the NFC/proximity feature of my Amex card to be quite fragile somehow. The card takes on a bend in my wallet and unlike my bank, transit and visa proximity cards, quickly develops a fault when a hairline crack develops in the card. This takes about 8 months for an Amex and 3 years for my other cards. Amex has been good about replacing the cards, but it's still a PITA. They say they are introducing a new physical card. Maybe it will be more robust.


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## cainvest (May 1, 2013)

gardner said:


> The card takes on a bend in my wallet ...


That's definitely a known issue, don't bend them and they'll likely last to the expiry date. My friend goes though many cards because he keeps his wallet in a back pocket and sits on it.  

I also see some people bend their cards on readers not realizing they don't need to touch it for tap to work.


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## AltaRed (Jun 8, 2009)

For 2+ years now, spouse and I use the Secrid credit card protector for our CC cards. It is fantastic for just pulling out of one's pocket (forget taking one's wallet out of one's pocket), pull the Tab and pick out the credit card one wants. Protects from bends, card malfunction from a cellphone or key FOB if put in the same pocket, etc. It handles up to 4-5 cards well, 6 not really. I don't have more than 4 on me at any given time anyway. Fits nicely in a breast or shirt pocket.

The link I provided is likely US based and just for information. I think spouse found them locally at lower prices.I've not ever taken my wallet out of my pocket for ages.

P.S. I also see people bending the cards on a Tap-n-Go reader...


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## gardner (Feb 13, 2014)

cainvest said:


> don't bend them and they'll likely last to the expiry date


Maybe. But out of 5 different NFC/proximity cards I generally carry around in the same wallet, it is the Amex that always gives out soonest. I use my bank card's tap for Interac just as often, and it lasts at least three times as long. I know I am tough on them, but the Amex is more fragile than the others.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

AltaRed said:


> For 2+ years now, spouse and I use the Secrid credit card protector for our CC cards.


Your post just made me realize why this is likely happening when I travel! @Flugzeug you might find this interesting (it just dawned on me).

Normally I keep my credit card inside a protective metal/foil sleeve. Just a small one to cover a single card. This protects it from bending, but also prevents RFID transactions because I have to explicitly remove it from the sleeve.

Because that sleeve is metallic, I remove it before I fly. This way I can just walk through the metal detector with my wallet in my pocket, no beeping.

So I think what's happening is that when I travel, I'm removing those protective covers. The cards might be bending in my pocket, especially with long hours sitting on the plane. That might explain why I'm seeing my cards damaged after flying around... because normally the protector prevents the bending.


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## ian (Jun 18, 2016)

james4beach said:


> Your post just made me realize why this is likely happening when I travel! @Flugzeug you might find this interesting (it just dawned on me).
> 
> Normally I keep my credit card inside a protective metal/foil sleeve. Just a small one to cover a single card. This protects it from bending, but also prevents RFID transactions because I have to explicitly remove it from the sleeve.
> 
> ...


I do not believe that it is such a big deal. If your tap does not work then use the pin method. It that fails, simply get a new card. 

The bigger issue is only having one credit credit card. If it fails for any reason, or goes walkabout you are toast for any in person transactions. We travel with three cards each for that very reason. On our last two extended trips pre covid we must have gone through 6 or 7 airport security scanners. Not unusual, even after retiring to go through 14 or more per year. Prior to retirement....too many to count. Never an issue.


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## james4beach (Nov 15, 2012)

ian said:


> ?


Hi @ian , your post seemed to just have the quote. Is there some other text that disappeared?


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