About contactless technology
Making a payment
Security of contactless payments
About contactless technology
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1. What is contactless technology?
Contactless technology is a fast new contactless way to pay. No signature or PIN is required for purchases under $100. To pay you simply hold your contactless card against the contactless terminal.
Contactless cards have an embedded antenna within the plastic so that when it is
used at a contactless terminal it securely transmits information to and from the contactless terminal.
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2. How does contactless technology benefit me?
- You don't always have to carry cash or worry about looking for exact change when making small value everyday purchases at participating merchants
- You can save time due to quicker transactions, which can mean shorter queues
- You are in control because your card never has to leave your hand when making a payment at the terminal
- You don't have to sign anything or enter a PIN for purchases under $100
- You will have a record of all your everyday purchases on your account statement
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3. What do I need to be able to use contactless technology?
All you need is a Westpac card with the PayPass™ or payWave feature. To find out if your card has contactless technology, check it has the PayPass or payWave logo on the front.
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4. How do I recognise a contactless card?
The MasterCard® PayPass logo or Visa payWave logo will be displayed on the front of the contactless card.
Making a payment
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1. How do I use my contactless card?
- Check your card has the MasterCard PayPass or Visa payWave logo.
- Where you see the MasterCard PayPass logo or the Visa logo in combination with the contactless symbol, let the merchant know you'd like to pay using your contactless card and if you'd like a receipt for the transaction.
- When the transaction amount is shown on the contactless terminal, hold your card against the contactless symbol.
- The terminal will indicate once your transaction is approved. Collect your receipt if you asked for one, and you're done!
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2. Do I need to select the credit, savings, or cheque buttons when I make a contactless transaction?
No, there's no need to press any buttons on the contactless terminal. With contactless technology the transaction is automatically processed to the transaction account or credit account linked to the CREDIT button.
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3. Can I get cash out using contactless technology?
You can't get cash out from a contactless transaction i.e. by only holding your card against the terminal. However, if you have transaction accounts linked to your card and the merchant allows the cash out option, you can get cash out simply by pressing CHQ or SAV and swiping or inserting your card into the terminal. You will also need to enter your PIN.
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4. How close does the card need to be to the terminal?
You should hold your contactless card within 4cm of the contactless terminal. If you choose to keep multiple cards in your wallet or purse while paying, only one card will be read by the contactless terminal. If you have multiple cards in your wallet or purse, the card read by the terminal and the account charged may not necessarily be the one you intended. The surest way is to remove the card you want to use from your wallet or purse and hold it against the contactless terminal.
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5. How do I know when a purchase has been made?
The terminal will indicate when your transaction has been approved.
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6. Will I receive a receipt for transactions I make?
A contactless payment is designed to let you make low value transactions quickly and conveniently. If you'd like a receipt to confirm the contactless transaction, just ask the merchant before you pay. For purchases $100 and over, a receipt will be provided after you swipe or insert your card and sign or enter your PIN.
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7. How will purchases with a contactless card appear on my account statement?
Purchases made with your contactless card will be displayed on your statement in the same way any other purchase you make with your card is displayed. This means you can now track all those small, everyday transactions on your statement.
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8. Is there a limit on the value of goods or services I can purchase with contactless technology?
You can use your contactless card for purchases just as you would use
your other cards of the same type (i.e. credit or debit card). With
contactless technology, for purchases under $100, you can choose to pay by simply holding your card against the contactless terminal.
Purchases $100 and over may require you to swipe or insert your card in the terminal and provide a signature or PIN.
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9. What happens if I try to purchase goods $100 and over?
For purchases $100 and over you can still use your contactless card by swiping or inserting the card in the terminal and providing your signature or PIN.
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10. Where can I use my contactless card?
Your card will be accepted at participating merchants where you see the MasterCard PayPass logo or the Visa logo in combination with the contactless symbol in Australia or around the world*.
If you don't see these logos or symbols, your card can still be used by swiping or inserting it in the terminal.
*Cards can be used for purchases where MasterCard and Visa are accepted and processed electronically (excluding cash and cash equivalent transactions at ATMs and over the counter at financial institutions, gambling merchants and a small number of merchants displaying the MasterCard or Visa logos who elect not to accept the cards).
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11. Can I use my card at merchants that do not have contactless terminals?
The card has a chip and magnetic stripe that also allows the card to be used in the same way a card without contactless technology is used* (when you sign or enter a PIN to complete a transaction).
*Cards can be used for purchases where MasterCard is accepted and processed electronically (excluding cash and cash equivalent transactions at ATMs and over the counter at financial institutions, gambling merchants and a small number of merchants displaying the MasterCard logo who elect not to accept the cards).
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12. Is there a limit per contactless transaction?
Yes there is. Limits apply per contactless transaction: MasterCard limit: $100 or less, Visa limit: under $100.
Security of contactless payments
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1. Could I unknowingly have made a purchase if I walk past the terminal?
No. Your card has to be within 4cm of the contactless terminal and held for more than half a second and the merchant must have first entered the amount
for you to approve.
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2. Is there any chance that payments may be taken twice from my account?
Contactless terminals are designed to accept one card per transaction at any time. All contactless terminals are tested and certified to confirm that a card is only read once before the transaction is completed. As a safeguard, each transaction must be completed (accepted or declined) before another one can be entered into the contactless terminal. If you believe that you have been charged twice for a transaction, contact the Cards Customer Service Line on 1300 651 089.
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3. How do I know that my transaction information is secure?
The contactless technology platforms are based on secure EMV chip technology, which provides both data protection and transaction security via the use of keys and the latest encryption technology. Transactions are processed through the same payment network as EMV chip transactions.
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4. Why aren't signatures or PINs required?
To ensure that using contactless technology is as simple and convenient as cash, merchants that accept contactless payments do not require you to sign or enter your PIN for small purchases of under $100.
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5. Is this technology as secure as my current card?
Yes. The Westpac and MasterCard® or Visa security systems will continue to offer you protection from unauthorised transactions. In addition, with contactless technology, you retain control of your card during the transaction, which reduces the risk of fraud.
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6. What do I do if my contactless card has been lost or stolen?
As with any other card, if you have lost your card or suspect unauthorised activity on your account, stop using your card and contact the Cards Customer Service Line on 1300 651 089 immediately. As with your current MasterCard or Visa card, if you comply with the terms of the cardholder agreement and the terms of the MasterCard Zero Liability policy or Visa Zero Liability policy (depending on your card type), you will be reimbursed for any unauthorised activity on your card.
