Destroying a contactless payment debit card

[Jonny69]

I took it into the bank and let it be their problem.

I might not be thinking about this deeply enough but wouldn't the RFID chip be linked to the details contained in the card (which would include the expiry date)? If that's the case then when the card hits its expiry date and gets chopped up then shouldn't the RFID chip also be useless?

It wasn't an expired card - I managed to break the chip out of it in my pocket but the contactless bit was still working. I didn't think to stick it in the x-ray box (yeah, we have one of them too), that would have been a really good idea! Won't do it on the new card though, just in case

 

[planty]

You could just ring the bank and tell them to cancel the old card.

 

[ShortWarning]

My card split along the part that machines used to scan (by sliding through) and my contactless payments stopped working. I think if the circuit is broken (IE by cutting the card in half) then that will be enough. I'm probably wrong though.

 

[i5aces]

Nuke it from orbit.

Post #9
being GD I thought this would come much earlier

 

[Pawnless Endgame]

kill it with fire

Although "kill it with fire" is one of those memes / catchphrases, that's what I do with my old cards anyway. Hold the card over a gas hob using a pair of tongs and watch it shrivel out of shape. Cool it in water then bin it

 

[Cosimo]

Nuke it from orbit.

Post it through a letterbox with the card....

 

[Zbornak]

Give it to a time travelling robot so he can lower himself into a smelting plant.

 

[wazza300]

stick it in a blender

 

[Jonny69]

You could just ring the bank and tell them to cancel the old card.

That would involve trying to talk to someone through a helpline. I'd potentially end up with with a smashed work phone and a still-partially-functioning debit card

 

[Dano]

So long as you've cut the antenna it should be good, I destroyed the contactless ability on my Barclaycard whilst leaving the card otherwise working and intact by doing so after they refused to send me one without the contactless enabled.

 

[Aod]

Microwave?

Is the correct answer. The induced current through the antenna for the RFID chip will zap it in seconds. Bonus; it works on the magstripe and the regular chip too.

 

[wndsr]

When I worked for Barclays we had a number of customers bring their old debit cards into branch for disposal. We'd bag them up and send them off in the nightly mail drop to the secure shredder.

 

[Chives]

So long as you've cut the antenna it should be good, I destroyed the contactless ability on my Barclaycard whilst leaving the card otherwise working and intact by doing so after they refused to send me one without the contactless enabled.

Really?

 

[Sasahara]

Hammer time!

Have fun.

 

[Steviepunk]

Nuke it from orbit.

It's the only way to be sure.

I cut them up with scissors into confetti and bin them bit by bit in various bins just to make sure.
Probably a bit OTT considering my bank balance.

This tends to my approach as well (given the lack of orbital strike platforms available). I do also keep the card for a while so that it should be long deactivated by the time I dispose of the pieces

 

[DampCat]

The dog chewed my card and it split in the centre on the contactless side and now it doesn't work. I doubt it will take much to destroy

 

[413x]

Give it to the other half to buy petrol with after hiding her wallet saying.. It will l be fine!

But yeah I just cyst through the chip and magnetic strip
That is enough

 

[memyselfandi]

I used to cut up and then drop off bits in different bins but now I have a microcut shredder with a card slot ... that doesn't leave much for anyone to work with.

 

[Dano]

Really?

Yup, got a problem with that?

 

[A.N.Other]

Cutting the antenna that runs around the card will prevent the chip being powered anyway, so unless you've got a technically experienced and very determined thief, it's the same as it always has been. Standard is put it through a shredder if you have one else scissors.