Publish Date: October 2023
As technology continues to evolve, so does Your Hometown Bank. We are excited to announce that Fidelity Bank & Trust debit cards will become contactless in early 2024.
“This launch is a significant step forward in the evolution of digital payments,” said Lora Williams, Assistant Vice President of Debit Card Operations at Fidelity Bank & Trust. “Not only do we pride ourselves on offering top-notch products and services, but we consistently evaluate technology to offer our customers the best banking experience.”
Contactless debit cards are a convenient payment option that allows you to make quick and easy transactions eliminating the need for physical contact with the card reader. Instead, you simply hover or tap the card at the merchant’s terminal.
Learn more about our launch of contactless debit cards, how to use one, and when you can expect to receive your new card:
WHEN CAN I USE MY NEW CONTACTLESS DEBIT CARD?
All Fidelity Bank & Trust debit card holders will receive a new contactless debit card in the mail in early 2024. More detailed information and dates will be provided soon, but please plan to make this transition of debit cards when directed as your current debit card will become obsolete.
HOW DO I USE A CONTACTLESS DEBIT CARD?
If you are at a retailer that accepts contactless payment, the symbol to the right will appear on the terminal. Stores may refer to contactless payment as ‘tap to pay’; however, tapping is not necessary. You can simply place your card within a few inches of the terminal to initiate payment. It may take a couple seconds for the transaction to complete, so keep your card hovered until the terminal beeps or indicates your transaction is complete.
WHAT IF THE RETAILER DOESN’T ACCEPT CONTACTLESS PAYMENT?
That is no problem! Your new contactless debit card simply provides you 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.
ARE CONTACTLESS DEBIT CARDS SECURE?
Absolutely! Security is a top priority for us and is a significant reason Fidelity Bank & Trust is transitioning to contactless debit cards. Similar to using a digital wallet, contactless debit cards create a one-time code for each transaction. In the event your debit card is in a data breach, fraudsters can only access the one-time code and not your actual debit card number. Contactless debit cards are also less susceptible to card skimmers since you don’t have to insert your card into the chip reader where a skimmer could be hiding.
HOW DOES A CONTACTLESS DEBIT CARD ACTUALLY WORK?
Contactless cards use radio frequency identification technology and near-field communication (NFC) to process transactions. In other words, a contactless debit card is embedded with a computer chip and a radio frequency antenna. When you hold your contactless debit 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.
Contact us for more information about Fidelity Bank & Trust’s transition to contactless debit cards.