I hear what you say, but to be honest, I find adding more 'financial' apps/options, etc. (like Bizum, Google Pay), more scary than a card. I guess I am reaching the point (and I have worked with technology all my life) where I am starting to find all this stuff confusing and worrying—I am entering my Luddite phase, I guess.

Interesting you say you had a card and money stolen - so how did they get your pin? Read the card I guess with a scanner...

I don't know what the solution is but I think we need a major change in technology!

My card was stolen while i was paying at supermarket it was a planned deception theft Team if 4 two behind me in queue and 2 other side of pay point . Two other side watch for pin then 2 in queue create distraction just before you take your card from machine while you are distracted 2 that got pin take card from machine. I left and went straight for petrol where i realised card missing . Informed bank straight away but by that time 600 euros taken. Reported to police they got 2 on cctv getting money from atm and linked them to team of 4, 3 men one woman. i identified the 2 in queue from photos gave statement etc but nothing came of it even though police knew them and said the team were known slick travelling thieves. Thats why i like to use my phone as that wont happen very easy with that . Mind chip and pin helps also as card never leaves your hand. You live and learn. One other thing i did following that was reduce amount bank will pay out from ATM etc that way limiting potential for amount that can be taken. If needs be and i ever need to withdraw more i can up the amount via bank app make withdrawal and then reduce the amount again. The banks usually pre set atm amount at 600 euros when card issued.

Literally every Apple phone still in use today should be fine as they've had NFC for over a decade, from the iPhone 6 to the newest 16 model.

ApplePay works brilliantly, there really is no reason to take out a physical, plastic card any more or type in any banking PIN numbers (iPhone biometrics - or phone PIN if you prefer - are used instead).

I thought Apple would have NFC but only using Android phones myself I wasn't sure. Way better than using a card to pay.

More hygienic too as you never have to touch the store pin-pad. You only use your phone.

https://euroweeklynews.com/2025/04/1...elated-stories

I am not so convinced stealing the cash is now the problem. Mugging will cause a bigger stir and direct police involvement.

Other than the cheapest of the cheap few Android phones of the last decade or so will lack NFC.

The banks are very tight lipped when it comes to explaining how thieves manage to withdraw cash from an ATM with a stolen card.

Last year my wife had her bag stolen in a Mercadona car park distraction theft.
She didn't realise until she got home only maybe 10 minutes after and even though I immediately cancelled her cards they still managed to get €50 from an ATM in the next town. There was no possible way for them to have got the PIN, we've used the same number for years and know it like our own birthdays so it's never ever written down or recorded anywhere and I don't believe they would be sophisticated enough to have the equipment to extract it from a card, it that's even possible, and certainly not in the time frame involved. They had in fact made two attempts to get more money both of which failed, but which would have succeeded if they'd had the PIN, so very clearly they didn't have it. Nevertheless on the 3rd attempt they still got €50 but nothing more after that despite trying several times.

Fortunately we both carry laminated copies of our driving licences and TIE's so she didn't have to go through he hassle of getting those replaced.

Out of interest had your wife used her card before it was stolen ?

yes they have been spotting the pin and then steal the bag/card

Agreed .... thats why I asked ...... because of this ....

Certainly a strange but possibly lucky ending to it all? I mean they were able to withdraw at the 3rd attempt... but not at the 4th and subsequent attempts. Plus they only got out 50 Euro when they might have been able to get a lot more. Or was that the card limit?

Yes they usually go for 600 euros which seems to be the standard limit banks set on the card when issuing it , its then up to you to change it.

Yes but contactless so no PIN involved, it never is below I think €50 or maybe €100 and she spent much less than that.

As said though if they had had the PIN then both the first, and very likely the second attempt, to withdraw €500 would have succeeded, why or how the third attempt for just €50 worked remains a mystery which the bank themselves either don't know or else were unwilling to disclose. Furthermore if the PIN had been used then the bank would have been able to see that, it wasn't and that much they were willing to share with me.

Yes thats good point and why they took 50 euros

Would be interesting to know how they even got €50 without a PIN or some other form of authentication. Many banks do contactless ATM withdrawals but they usually go hand in hand with another form of confirmation….. I guess the bank won’t tell you that bit 😃