Transaction data stored on Contactless Credit Cards

[Peter Tomlinson]

Roland,

TfL (and you) cannot write anything to a basic credit or debit card 
issued by your bank.

Please don't get confused with prepaid bank issued cards of the sort 
that are a store of value. Or with ITSO spec cards that can have prepaid 
travel tokens loaded onto them (those tokens are known as Stored Travel 
Rights in ITSO speak). TfL is not currently accepting ITSO cards but 
might in the near future accept ITSO spec ENCTS [1] bus passes at Oyster 
readers (at the moment we just wave the cards as we get on the bus in 
London, or show them to an inspector).

Peter Tomlinson

[1] English National Concessiionary Travel scheme, implemented on 
English buses outside London (Scotland and Wales have their own 
equivalent schemes).

On 09/09/2014 19:45, Roland Perry wrote:
> Now that Contactless Credit cards are being used as a way for paying for
> travel ticketing (for example by Transport for London getting sent a
> series of "swipes" that represent transitioning ticket gates at various
> tube stations, then working out what fare to charge as an overnight
> batch job) a question arises about what information travelling ticket
> inspectors might have access to - if equipped with suitable readers.
>
> When a Contactless Credit card is used, does the protocol include
> storing *on the card* details of where and when it was last[1] used (eg:
> entering the tube at Kings Cross, 19:38pm today) so that this can be
> used to verify that the person proffering the card is apparently
> following the rules?
>
> As a secondary issue, does a T&C displayed in TFL's basement behind a
> sign saying "beware of the Leopard" have full legal force when people
> start using this payment method - specifically the way in which they
> claim permission to make unspecified charges in the future.
>
> Or is this also covered by something in the Card Company's T&C with the
> user - along the lines of "Your contactless card is in effect a blank
> cheque for any merchant you wave it at".
>
>          "When you touch your contactless payment card on a yellow
>          [formerly Oyster -ed] card reader, or a portable card reader
>          held by staff, you are authorising TfL to charge the cost of
>          your journey, including any unpaid fares, to your card account."
>
> [1] FSVO "last", eg just the one most recent, or perhaps the most
>      recent N transactions.