Learn How to Use Your Contactless Debit and Credit Cards
Whether you’re paying with a credit card or debit card, contactless cards are the new and easy way to make secure transactions at your favorite stores. From restaurants and convenience stores to gas stations and grocery stores, many merchants are now supporting the contactless payment option. Our NB Debit Mastercard®, and both of our credit cards, NB Rewards Mastercard® and NB Credit Advantage Mastercard® all have contactless technology. If you are looking for a faster checkout experience and more peace of mind with the security of your transactions, read below on how your Needham Bank contactless card works.
How it works
Contactless cards work very similarly to digital wallets. A contactless card chip allows you to simply hold or tap the card on the contactless-enabled card reader to complete the payment. Keep in mind that if the register doesn’t have a contactless payment option, your debit and credit cards still work by inserting or swiping them.
Contactless cards use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology, to allow the card to communicate with the card reader when it is held nearby (approximately two inches) during a transaction. Your Needham Bank debit and credit cards also come with an EMV chip, in order to pay by inserting your card, and a magnetic strip, to pay by swiping your card, so you have several payment options.
How to use it
In order to use your contactless card, follow these three simple steps: 
- Look at your card
The four curved lines on the front-right of your card, which looks like the Wi-Fi symbol turned on its side, indicate that you can tap to pay anywhere you see the contactless symbol.
- Look at the payment terminal
Look for the same symbol that appears on your card, at payment terminals. This means that you can pay through a contactless transaction.
- Tap your card
Tap or hold your contactless card near the contactless symbol on the payment terminal. You may be asked to enter your Personal Identification Number (PIN) for debit card transactions. If the purchase is approved, you will receive confirmation typically through a beep, green light or checkmark.
Features and benefits
- Protection
Completing a transaction with your contactless card is more secure than other forms of payment. Each contactless transaction is encrypted to discourage hacking attempts and the card never leaves your hand, so there is a minimized chance that the card will be lost or forgotten during the transaction.
- Simplicity
Just tap your card whenever you see the contactless symbol for a quick and easy way to make a payment. It is even easier than swiping or inserting your card.
- Efficiency
The tap-and-go process only takes a few seconds, so your checkout is smoother and faster than normal card transactions and cash payments.
Paying with a contactless card offers you more convenience and security than a traditional debit or credit card. And now that you know how contactless payments work, you can start making purchases with this option today. Besides the contactless technology, learn more about the benefits and features of our NB Debit Mastercard, NB Rewards Mastercard and NB Credit Advantage Mastercard, as well as the digital wallet feature that our cards have.