Barclaycard raises alarm with upgrade to OnePulse

by Gill Montia

Story link: Barclaycard raises alarm with upgrade to OnePulse

Barclaycard has plans to replace some of its customers’ credit cards with new “three-in-one” cards that will include a cashless payment facility.

The credit card provider has already begun writing to its Platinum cardholders living within London and the south-east, to advise them they are being “upgraded” to a OnePulse card.

OnePulse combines a credit card with an Oyster card (the Transport for London payment system) and a “contactless” payment facility that allows payment for low-value items without the need for the cardholder to key in a PIN.

Targeted customers will need to actively opt out of receiving the new issue cards or their names, dates of birth and other personal information will be passed on to Transport for London.

A Barclaycard spokeswoman has stated that the company’s mailing makes it quite clear that upgrading to a OnePulse card is optional but customers have complained that the opting out method is biased against consumers.

The move by Barclaycard has also been criticised by customers with security concerns.

Contactless payment technology has its weaknesses and criminals many be able to capture card details using illicit readers.

The cards emit a signal that can be picked up from a couple of feet away by a reader than has been adapted to be more powerful than the device found on the retail counter.

Should this should happen, only the contactless payment details on the card can be captured and not information on the built-in credit or debit card.