Major credit card payments provider Visa and local Catalan bank La Caixa have partnered to launch Europe’s first citywide contactless payment system in Barcelona. More here.
Quick-thinking tweeters have asked why a new one is needed when the world’s best contactless payment system – pickpocketing – is already so popular here?
Whilst technological developments and day-to-day comfort is always welcome, we at “Robbed in Barcelona” are a little concerned by the implications for those who have just had their bag or wallets robbed. We have 16,500 reported robberies a month here.
The new contactless payment system – also known as “tap-and-go” – means that the card need only be flashed in front of a terminal for purchases of up to €20, and there is no need for signature, pin or identity confirmation.
More than a million cards will be distributed to locals by Visa and La Caixa by the end of February 2012.
Where a stolen credit card previously may or may not have had a value for the criminal, depending on their own particular speciality, this new contactless payment system gives each credit card a value of up to €20 and perhaps more depending on how many times the criminal is willing to use it.
Consider the scenario where a wallet has been stolen with two credit cards inside. The thief takes the cards to any one of 15,000 businesses in Barcelona which will use the new system. They make a purchase worth €19. They do it again, same card. They take out a second card, make a purchase. Then the second card is used once again. Same shop or different shops. Two cards, four purchases, €76 in value, one sorry victim. Even if the criminal is caught on camera they’ll be back on the street a few hours later to do it again, see here.
Barcelona was selected as a starting point because La Caixa hopes to showcase the technology during next month’s Mobile World Congress, which for us here at “Robbed in Barcelona” has its own special significance.
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As I still often have to show my passport even with creditcard + PIN, I expect to have to show it even with this system too.
I am sure some thieves will make innovative use of this new system though.
It does still happen Christof, but not so much in the Zaras, El Cortes and larger stores. Criminals will know where they can get away with it, as you say.
Tap-and-go works wonderfully in Hong Kong, but petty theft isn’t really a problem there. In Barcelona, it’s going to be a field day for thieves.
By the way, here’s a recent email from a friend who was in BCN for New Year: “I was in this bar, just having a beer, and this boy who looked like Michael MacIntryre was in the bar having a beer as well. Anyway we start chatting and he offers to buy me a beer, so we have one. Then I buy him one. Then, at some point, I check my phone and put it on the bar. Less than a second later he’s grabbed it and ran out the door.” Thief buys a tourist a beer, they buy him one back so the thief is not out of pocket. The tourist, lulled into a false sense of security, is soon very much out of pocket.
Personally I was planning to return to Barcelona for the Primavera Sound festival this year, but now they’re having one in Porto as well, so I’m going to that. The tickets are cheaper and I won’t have to worry about my valuables all the time.
Don, OK with you (and your friend) if we pen a story about that, it’s a quirky one. Could you ask your friend (or put us in contact) what bar that happened in and where, and if he happened to know or guess where his co-drinker was from?
Sure, is it best to just email the address at the top of robbedinbarcelona.com?
He sent on this info: “It was a bar on Paral·lel. Just a general cafe-bar joint, I honestly don’t know the name. The boy was Spanish, or so he said. Could have been South American. At the police station, the police guy refused to believe the robber was Spanish. I said he was Spanish, and he said “no, South American maybe?” I said “no, he was Spanish.” It was like he didn’t want to put Spanish on the form. And eventually, he did it grudgingly. Like a Spaniard can’t be a thief!”
Thank you Don, will post a story about it, will likely be the week of Jan 23rd as we’re backed-up til then.
Funny, a mate of mine just last night had the same thing happen. It was outside, in the street, near Port olimpic, my mate had been arguing with his girlfriend on the phone and passed it to his new ‘friend’ to listen, whereupon the guy ran away with the phone. So, it seems the thieves have a new strategy – make friends first. Watch out for those charmers who buy you a drink and sympathize with your life.
Moral of the story is do not have drinks with complete strangers and beleive they are your new best friend! Don´t leave your mobile on display, on the bar, on the table or wave it around in public and then be surprised if you get robbed! Really! For all the news, advertising, testimonials about pickpocketing and theft in Barcelona, many tourists and residents are just too trusting and seem to lose all common sense!