What is Interac Flash?

Whether it’s a quick trip to the grocery store or your morning cup of coffee, Interac Flash® offers a fast, convenient, and safe way to use your credit union debit card to tap and pay for everyday purchases with no PIN required.

 

How does it work?

Look for the Interac Flash® logo when making a debit purchase. Hold your card within 4 cm from the front of the terminal and wait for a beep or approval message, letting you now your purchase is complete The Amount of your purchase will be debited from your credit union account.

 

What are the benefits?

Fast and convenient. Just tap and go for purchases up to $250 (up to a combined maximum of $400 daily) before needing to enter your PIN Secure. Purchases are backed by Interac’s Zero Liability Policy, meaning your transactions are protected.

 

Will my Interac Flash card work with debit terminals that aren’t Interac Flash enabled?

Yes. Your Interac Flash debit card will work even if a business does not have an Interac Flash terminal. Instead, you will simply insert your card and enter your PIN.

 

How do I know that Interac Flash is safe?

Contactless payment options come with multiple layers of protection, including secure chip processing. This protects contactless cards against skimming, being copied and counterfeited, and other types of fraud, including electronic pick-pocketing. We have security measures in place to help safeguard you.

 

Why should I use Interac Flash?

Paying for purchases up to $100 at participating retailers is quick and easy. Save time by simply holding your card over the card reader. The card reader will indicate when the transaction has been processed. If you see a "declined" message, insert your card and enter your PIN #. There’s no need to swipe and sign or insert your card and enter your PIN #.

 

How do I know where can I use Interac Flash?

The card reader at the cashier needs to be enabled for contactless, which means you can tap with your debit card to pay for your purchase. Not every store offers contactless yet. Look for the contactless symbol on the card reader.

 

How much can I spend with Interac Flash?

There are two spending limits to be aware of: the spending limit on a single purchase, and the cumulative spending limit. (Of course, the required funds must be available in your KCCU account at the time of purchase.)

You can use Interac Flash when your single purchase is $100 or less and the card reader is enabled for contactless. Otherwise, insert your card and enter your PIN # the regular way.

As an added layer of protection, there is a $200 cumulative spend limit for Interac Flash transactions. This is the sum of all contactless transactions made with the card since the last time you entered your PIN #. If a purchase is above the $200 cumulative limit, the card reader will prompt you to insert your card and enter your PIN #. This will reset your cumulative spend limit so you can continue to use Interac Flash.

 

What if I get a message to “insert card”, “insert chip”, “declined”, “transaction not complete” on the card reader?

Each merchant has its own maximum limits for Interac Flash transactions and, in some cases, you may need to insert your card and enter your PIN #. As an additional safety feature, some transactions within the limit may also require you to insert your card and enter your PIN # to further protect your card.

 

Can I accidentally pay for something if I stand or hold my wallet too close to a terminal?

In order for a transaction to go through while having a card in a purse or wallet, two things would have to happen at the same time. First the machine would have to be ready to receive the debit transaction. Second you would have to intentionally tap the wallet or purse within 4 cm of the machine.

 

What protections are in place in the instance of fraud?

You are protected under the Interac Zero Liability Policy from any losses due to unauthorized transactions. If your card is lost or stolen, please call our 24 hour support at 1-877-801-9516.

 

What happens if my KCCU MEMBER CARD debit card is stolen?

KCCU MEMBER CARD debit cardholders are protected by the Interac Zero Liability policy. Once you tell us your card has been lost or stolen you won’t be responsible for any fraudulent transactions on your card. Contact us right away if you suspect fraudulent charges.

 

Am I protected if my card is stolen?

If your MEMBER CARD® debit card is ever lost or stolen, call 1-877-801-9516 right away; 24 hours a day; so we can cancel your card and prevent unauthorized transactions. The Interac Zero Liability Policy also protects you from unauthorized transactions should you ever lose or have your card stolen.

 

Are Interac Flash cards vulnerable to illegal readers and fraudulent activity?

No. Interac Flash uses RF enabled smartcard technology which is designed to protect sensitive information. Although you don’t enter a PIN with Flash transactions, the PIN remains a part of Interac Flash security. As an added layer of protection, once you reach the pre-determined spending limit for Interac Flash contactless payments, you’ll be prompted to insert your card and PIN into the terminal to confirm that you are the owner of the card.

 

Can I still use my debit card with my PIN, if I choose not to use the contactless payment technology?

Yes, your debit card will continue to function as it always has so you can continue to use your PIN when conducting point-of-sale or ATM transactions.

 

Do I have to use Interac Flash?

No, we’ve added the contactless functionality to our cards to make it quicker and easier to pay for purchases up to $100. It’s up to you whether you use contactless or stick to inserting your card and entering your PIN #.

 

Can I get a card without Interac Flash or shut it off?

You can opt-out of having Interac Flash on your debit card. Please visit one of our branches and speak with the supervisor. Your signature is required to cancel the Flash feature on your card.

 

Will Interac Flash work in the U.S.?

No. While your KCCU MEMBER CARD debit card may work at some point-of-sale terminals in the United States, Interac Flash contactless technology will not.

 

Where can I get more information about Interac Flash?

Please visit www.interac.ca for more information.