Contactless Technology FAQs
Get answers to frequently asked questions about near-field communication (NFC) payment methods and how this new process can make your next purchase or payment more convenient.
The enhanced contactless features for M&T Visa® credit and debit cards now contain a near-field communication (NFC) antenna which enables close-range payments. In addition to the insert Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV®) functionality you have grown used to, you can now “tap and go” with your card at a merchant terminal with the corresponding contactless symbol .
Our cards contain both a contactless antenna and an EMV chip for your convenience. The difference is in the way you interact at the terminal. With a contactless card, you simply “tap” your card on the contactless symbol and the transaction is processed within 1-2 seconds.
You can make contactless payments with your M&T Card anywhere you see the contactless symbol on a payment terminal. Simply tap or hold your card near the contactless symbol at checkout. The contactless indicator on your card should be within 1-2 inches of the contactless checkout terminal.
Look for the contactless indicator on your card to know if your card has the technology to make contactless payments.
Look for the contactless symbol on the payment terminal at millions of participating merchants worldwide.
Like chip technology, contactless technology helps protect your payment information against fraud and can be used anywhere within the U.S. or abroad to make purchases at merchants that accept card payments. The contactless transactions process within seconds without the card ever leaving your hand allowing you to just “tap and go”.
No. Your card is enabled with the EMV chip so you can continue to insert your card at the terminal.
Yes. M&T credit and debit cards will still be enabled with an EMV chip. If a merchant does not support contactless transactions, you can continue to insert your card using the EMV chip. If a merchant does not support any chip transactions, the card will continue to have the traditional magnetic strip on the back, enabling you to use it at merchants who do not yet have a chip-enabled terminal.
The functionality of the contactless card will be very similar to the experience of the payWave cards, but since your new contactless M&T credit or debit card contains chip technology, payments are more secure and cards are more difficult to counterfeit.
Contactless payments use short-range wireless technology to complete payments between a contactless card or payment-enabled device and a contactless-enabled checkout terminal. Similar to the EMV chip, contactless payments use encrypted technology.
For every contactless transaction, a transaction-specific, one-time code is created that helps secure the cardholder’s payment information. The code cannot be re-used by fraudsters even if they were to get ahold of it. The information would be useless to them; therefore a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) blocking sleeve or wallet isn’t necessary.
No additional fees apply – please refer to your cardholder agreement for standard card fees.
You may load your contactless card to any digital wallet that accepts M&T cards for payment.{{d204*}}
If you don't have an M&T debit or credit card with contactless technology today, you will receive one when your old card expires or needs to be reissued. If you would like the new functionality sooner, you can:
- Log in to Online Banking and select Order a Replacement Card from the Services Menu (personal banking customers)
- Log in to the M&T Mobile App, select Card Services from the Menu, and select Order a Replacement Card (personal banking customers)
- Call 1-800-724-2440 (personal banking customers), 1-866-279-0888 (credit card customers), or 1-800-724-6070 (business banking customers)
- Visit your local branch
If you are prompted for a pin when using your contactless card, you will enter the same pin you would use if you were to use the EMV chip or magnetic strip.
If your contactless card is lost or stolen, you should immediately report the incident:
- Log in to Online Banking and select Report a Lost or Stolen Card from the Services Menu (personal banking customers)
- Log in to the M&T Mobile App, select Card Services from the Menu, and select Report a Lost or Stolen Card (personal banking customers)
- Call 1-800-724-1552
- Visit your local branch
We’ll disable your old card to help prevent any further activity or usage and then issue you a new one right away. And because you bank with M&T, you won’t be liable for any fraudulent charges, thanks to our M&T Assurance® program.
No. Contactless card technology is not a locator system. The antenna in your card is limited to supporting the authentication of card data.
For credit cards, call 1-866-279-0888 (Mon–Fri 6am–9pm and Sat–Sun 9am–5pm ET). For retail debit cards, call 1-800-724-2440 or business cards, call 1-800-724-6070 (Mon–Fri 6am–9pm and Sat–Sun 9am–5pm ET) for more information.
No. Contactless technology requires the merchant to first initiate the payment and then the contactless card or payment-enabled device must be held in close proximity (1 - 2 inches) to the terminal for a transaction to take place.