Oddities on GWR

[dcd]

Today I caught the train from Romsey to Warminster, walked to Dilton Marsh caught the train back to Warminster, then travelled on to Romsey.

First oddity when I bought my ticket at Romsey a day return to Westbury (had intended to walk to Westbury but it was too hot) I paid by Apple Pay on my watch. Usually you just hold the watch on the reader until it says read and then get a receipt if you want one. I have never before been asked to sign their receipt and produce the card with the signature to verify. My receipt has printed on it signature verified. Does this not defeat the whole point of Apple pay in that you should only need the watch?

Second oddity, but maybe not, there were quite a few people getting on at Dilton Marsh, a request stop with a very short platform and no ticket facilities. Only one door is opened, we all got on and sat near the door as there was plenty of room. The guard then walked straight past us all, 3 children together were waving a £10 note to no avail. There was then an announcement to have all tickets ready for inspection, but nobody came. The journey is just over 3 miles until the train terminates at Warminster, so at Warminster the children got off and left the station, no staff on the station.
We had to wait nearly an hour for our next train, it was running 12 late, so noticed another of the Dilton Marsh passengers come back with shopping and come over to the platform he had arrived at and using the ticket machine before going back to the platform he needed to return to Dilton Marsh. That platform also had a working machine. Did he think by using the machine on the platform he'd arrived on he could buy a ticket from Dilton Marsh?
Not sure what happened with the other passengers who got on with me as I did not see them with money, they might have had tickets or might not but none used the machine on arrival.
Lots of lost money for GWR, well not lots but some.

 

[me123]

First oddity when I bought my ticket at Romsey a day return to Westbury (had intended to walk to Westbury but it was too hot) I paid by Apple Pay on my watch. Usually you just hold the watch on the reader until it says read and then get a receipt if you want one. I have never before been asked to sign their receipt and produce the card with the signature to verify. My receipt has printed on it signature verified. Does this not defeat the whole point of Apple pay in that you should only need the watch?

I understand that contactless payments (including Apple Pay) are subject to occasional checks to prevent fraud (although I've never encountered this). My understanding was that this would be a request for the PIN, but I suppose a signature check would be usable too. If this has just been a once-off thing, perhaps the bank is just checking that it is the legitimate card holder who is using the card?

 

[richw]

I understand that contactless payments (including Apple Pay) are subject to occasional checks to prevent fraud (although I've never encountered this). My understanding was that this would be a request for the PIN, but I suppose a signature check would be usable too. If this has just been a once-off thing, perhaps the bank is just checking that it is the legitimate card holder who is using the card?

Maximum of 10 consecutive contactless transactions for the card between verifications be that pin or signature. Applies to Apple Pay as well, in theory it's rare that 10 consecutive transactions will be contactless, as we are bound to encounter a retailer without contact or make a larger transaction.

 

[me123]

I would presume though that it is possible for the bank to block contactless on occasion and request verification? Or perhaps the OP (with his shiny Apple Watch) has exceeded those ten transactions.

 

[dcd]

Maximum of 10 consecutive contactless transactions for the card between verifications be that pin or signature. Applies to Apple Pay as well, in theory it's rare that 10 consecutive transactions will be contactless, as we are bound to encounter a retailer without contact or make a larger transaction.

Not sure about 10 consecutive transactions, the previous 6 transactions on the card were by chip and pin or online, so not 10 consecutive prior to this transaction.