Frequently asked questions

No, there's no need to press any buttons on the contactless terminal. With contactless technology the transaction is automatically processed to the transaction account or credit account linked to the CREDIT button.

You can't get cash out from a contactless transaction i.e. by only holding your card against the terminal. However, if you have transaction accounts linked to your card and the merchant allows the cash out option, you can get cash out simply by pressing CHQ or SAV and swiping or inserting your card into the terminal. You will also need to enter your PIN.

You should hold your contactless card within 4cm of the contactless terminal. If you choose to keep multiple cards in your wallet or purse while paying, only one card will be read by the contactless terminal. If you have multiple cards in your wallet or purse, the card read by the terminal and the account charged may not necessarily be the one you intended. The surest way is to remove the card you want to use from your wallet or purse and hold it against the contactless terminal.

The terminal will indicate when your transaction has been approved.

A contactless payment is designed to let you make low value transactions quickly and conveniently. If you'd like a receipt to confirm the contactless transaction, just ask the merchant before you pay. For purchases $200* and over, a receipt will be provided after you swipe or insert your card and sign or enter your PIN.

Purchases made with your contactless card will be displayed on your statement in the same way any other purchase you make with your card is displayed. This means you can now track all those small, everyday transactions on your statement.

For purchases $200* and over you can still use your contactless card by swiping or inserting the card in the terminal and providing your signature or PIN.

The card has a chip and magnetic stripe that also allows the card to be used in the same way a card without contactless technology is used* (when you sign or enter a PIN to complete a transaction).

*Cards can be used for purchases where Mastercard®; Visa and American Express are  accepted and processed electronically (excluding cash and cash equivalent transactions at ATMs and over the counter at financial institutions, gambling merchants and a small number of merchants displaying the Mastercard®, Visa or American Express logos who elect not to accept the cards).

Yes there is. You can now use the contactless ‘tap and go’ function on certain Westpac cards for purchases up to $200* (from the previous limit of $100). This is a temporary increase that is being progressively rolled out, and will be only available on certain cards and payment terminals at certain retailers, so simply follow the prompts at each terminal to determine whether a PIN is required.

The increase to the contactless limit is a temporary measure in response to the COVID-19 crisis. In line with the Government's social distancing measures, reducing people's physical contact with surfaces may lower their chance of COVID-19 infection. 

The introduction of this change with over 900,000 payment terminals across Australia will take time. 

There are some products, such as our Westpac Handycard, where will not be able to temporarily change the contactless transaction limit.  

Just follow the payment terminal prompts. The payment terminal prompts will advise if a PIN needs to be entered for the transaction. 

Contactless terminals are designed to accept one card per transaction at any time. All contactless terminals are tested and certified to confirm that a card is only read once before the transaction is completed. As a safeguard, each transaction must be completed (accepted or declined) before another one can be entered into the contactless terminal. If you believe that you have been charged twice for a transaction, contact the Cards Customer Service Line on 1300 651 089.  

To ensure that using contactless technology is as simple and convenient as cash, merchants that accept contactless payments do not require you to sign or enter your PIN for small purchases of under $200*.  

Yes. The Westpac and Mastercard® or Visa or American Express security systems will continue to offer you protection from unauthorised transactions. In addition, with contactless technology, you retain control of your card during the transaction, which reduces the risk of fraud.  

It is very likely your experience may differ between stores and cards, while a temporary increase in the contactless limit from $100 to $200* is being rolled out across the country.  Just continue to follow the payment terminal prompts. The payment terminal prompts will advise if a PIN needs to be entered for the transaction. 

As with any other card, if you have lost your card or suspect unauthorised activity on your account, stop using your card and contact the Cards Customer Service Line on 1300 651 089 immediately. As with your current Mastercard® or Visa or American Express card, if you comply with the terms of the cardholder agreement and the terms of the Mastercard® Zero Liability policy or Visa Zero Liability policy or the American Express fraud protection guarantee (depending on your card type), you will be reimbursed for any unauthorised activity on your card.