Contactless Cards Coming Soon

 

As technology continues to evolve, so does your Southern Credit Union. We are excited to announce that our Visa Debit and Credit Cards have begun transitioning to contactless technology. Contactless cards are a convenient payment option that allows you to make quick and easy transactions without physical contact with the card reader. Instead, you hover or tap the card at the merchant’s terminal.

 

“This transition is a significant step forward in the evolution of digital payments,” said Jim Phillips, EVP at The Southern Credit Union. “We consistently evaluate technology and security to offer our members the best experience and member service.”

 

Beginning in April, all Visa debit and credit cardholders will receive a new contactless debit and/or credit card by mail when their current cards expire. Contactless cards are not yet available in branches for replacement.

 

If you are at a retailer that accepts contactless payment, the symbol to the left will appear on the terminal. Stores may refer to contactless payment as ‘tap to pay’; however, tapping is not necessary. Just place your card within a few inches of the terminal to initiate payment. Your transaction may take a couple of seconds to complete, so keep your card hovered until the terminal beeps or indicates your transaction is complete.

 

 

That is no problem! Your new contactless debit card simply provides you with an additional payment option that is more secure; however, you can continue to use your new debit card as you have been accustomed to by inserting it in the terminal.

 

Contactless cards use radio frequency identification technology and near-field communication (NFC) to process transactions. In other words, a contactless card is embedded with a computer chip and a radio frequency antenna. When you hold your contactless card near a payment terminal, the terminal emits a radio frequency signal. The signal powers up the computer chip in your card, which then sends a unique code back to the terminal. The terminal uses this one-time code to access your bank account information and process the payment. This entire process takes only a few seconds and is typically faster than traditional payment methods.

 

Still have questions? You can contact us for more information about The Southern Credit Union’s transition to contactless cards by visiting a nearby branch, calling our Telephone Service Center at 770.719.1111, or emailing us at tscu@southernonline.org.