Contactless & phone wallet safety

Lesson 5 of 14 in our free Banking & Payments guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.

This lesson is in the full version.

Free with a code from your uni, college, council, landlord or employer (worth £600/year). Lesson 1 of Banking & Payments is free for everyone.

Questions you'll answer

Someone spends £60 on Mo's lost card before he freezes it. He hadn't shared his PIN. What usually happens?

Using a face or fingerprint lock on your phone → Safe. Your phone wallet relies on it. Lock it up.
Writing your PIN on a sticky note in your purse → Risky. Card + PIN together = jackpot for a thief, and you may not get refunded.
Turning on instant spending notifications → Safe. You'll spot weird payments in seconds.
Lending your card to a mate 'just for one round' → Risky. Sharing your card can make it harder to claim back any misuse.
Freezing your card the second you can't find it → Safe. Unfreezing is one tap if it turns up in your jeans.
Fact: “Contactless cards sometimes ask for your PIN as a security check.” — It's normal — a check after several taps in a row.
Myth: “Your bank will phone you and ask for your full PIN to 'keep it safe'.” — Never. A bank will never ask for your full PIN or passcodes. That's Ronnie.
Fact: “You can call 159 to reach many UK banks safely if you're unsure about a call.” — 159 connects you to your bank's real fraud team. Hang up, then dial it yourself.