Contactless cards? Yay or nay?

It works for some, but not everything. I use my contactless cards here in Canada all the time. Unfortunately, it wasn't recognized by the contactless readers in the UK. I always had to go back and swipe and sign. Thankfully, I had enough cash for the tour bus that only took credit cards (as in European contactless credit cards) or cash.
Some countries no longer deal with cash, so you need something.

If you've ever used a key fob at work (to open a garage entry gate or a secured door), then you've used a contactless card. I use one for the subway system here in DC and I've used one in Chicago, among other places. The biggest advantage is speed of transaction vs. a typical chip card that you have to put into a reader and wait for authentication. You just need to tap a contactless card against a compliant terminal and you're done, it's very quick. It's like Apple Pay on your mobile phone - tap and go.

You say you aren't so open to them. What are your objections or hesitations about using them, other than that they are new to you?

Much of the world has been using them for years. We first encountered them when we lived in Germany, years ago. As a PP has mentioned we've had "tap and go" cards in Canada for a while now. If you have one and don't want to use the tap feature, then don't- just use it like a regular card. Of course this supposes that your bank or credit card company is actually rolling these out.

Agnes brought up another common use for contact less cards- public transit . The London Oyster card springs to mind. Or your hotel key card. They all operate on a similar system using RFID.

I guess that's what the vaporetto pass is in Venice, eh? Never realized it!

I’ve started using contactless cards and Apple Pay more and more. Faster than inserting your card and supposedly very secure.

https://newsroom.mastercard.com/2018/01/17/dispelling-the-myths-the-reality-about-contactless-security-2/

Edit to add: Apple Pay allows you to make contactless payment with cards you don’t have with you. The underlying physical credit card does not need to have contactless technology. So it’s nice being able to leave the physical cards at home or back in the hotel.

From a security point it is a nightmare because people can just pass very close to you and just get money from your card. So, always try to enable security features.

Beyond just credit cards, we're be seeing more and more contactless card implementations. Lots of hotels are using a (not quite the same but similar) technology to replace traditional room keys, or even magnetic stripe keys - you hold a blank card up to the door lock and the door unlocks. The cards tend to use RFID, with smartphones using NFC (which is just a type of RFID, really).

To help anyone somewhat wary of the technology get a bit more comfortable with it, consider all the countless ways you may have been using RFID technology already. If your pet is microchipped, you have a toll tag in the windshield of your car, you've bought clothing at a store and tried to exit without the clerk having removed the little plastic anti-theft devices, or you've checked out a library book, you've likely used RFID.

Have you used the London Oyster Card? Do you have a badge at work you wave at a reader that lets you in? Have you ever used Apple or Android Pay? Do you have a toll road sticker on your car window that tracks your toll road use? If yes, then you have already been using contactless cards or at least the technology behind them.

I am all in favor of them.

Most contactless cards issued so far in the US still have a mag stripe and the chip that requires the card to be inserted into a reader as optional ways to use it when you find a merchant that does not yet accept contactless. The contactless cards have a symbol on them that looks like a WiFi symbol. Waving the card close to or touching the outside of the terminal triggers the card and device to exchange information to authorize and complete the transaction. The card only has to be near the terminal long enough to be read and then can be put away as the transaction completes. It is faster in most cases than Apple pay (don't use Android so can't say on the speed). Good news is the information generated is unique per transaction and can only be used once for that specific transaction. People copying the card's response will be disappointed as it cannot be used repeatedly nor can a functioning mag stripe card be created from the contactless information.

YAY

Contactless cards are more secure than those with the magnetic strip in the back.

AMEX sent me one a few years ago when it replaced a card that was about to expire. It's amazing how many cashiers in stores have no idea that their credit card machines have the functionality to accept contactless payments. My Bank of America Travel Rewards card is slow to upgrade to the current contactless technology so I put it on my Apple Pay to make the payments contactless.

This functionality isn't limited to when you travel. Jessica, you'll like the convenience and security of the technology.

I use my contactless card every day. It takes a second and no more having to sign. If the purchase is over £30 then you can't use contactless and the card becomes chip and signature.

This sounds better (safer) to me than the phone-based payment systems.

Yay. I did my research. Transaction is fast and secure. The problem is businesses have to code the card reader for contactless. They just finished with chip readers. Not happening near my home in the suburbs. where it is happening is SLC.

Markk's "nightmare" response repeats what I think is an urban myth. Such theft is pretty much unknown in Canada where chip cards allowing up to a $100 purchase have become common.

On my most recent trip to Ireland this May I had an interesting experience with contactless card payments. There is a limit on sales with contactless cards. It's limited to under 30 euro purchases and I believe no more than 3 purchases a day. Originally I thought it was a limit on the merchants but figured out it was a limit on my card use. I guess they had a problem with stolen cards being used at various vendors so have set the contactless limit as an anti-fraud measure. I believe there was a similar limit in Northern Ireland, so it may be a broader rule in Europe?

There are different figures set in different countries - some more examples for cards are £30 in the UK and €20 in Spain. Often payment by other contactless methods (Apple, Google etc) has a much higher limit.

The card issuer normally requires authentication occasionally; for most it will be the PIN but I guess for most USA-issued cards it would be a signature if that occurred.

Ohhh, I see
Sorry I couldn't reply since, busy busy busy.
So apparently I have been using contactless cards since and I just didn't know it. Lolllll
it just seemed too good to be true.
Thanks for letting me know the pros and cons guys. So grateful