But this would just mean the name on the card does NOT match the name on the ID. How does this help with the issue of fraud at all?

That’s an issue that can be dealt with by calling the card issuer.

How is that supposed to work? The toll free number on the back of my card just goes to some customer support line with 30+ minute wait times. There's absolutely no chance that a cashier is going through that for a typical transaction. Also, the whole point of this program is to make this less awkward for transgender people. Being deadnamed might be bad, but at least it's straightforward. The cardholder name matches the one on your government id, and the picture in the government id matches your face, done. I'm not sure how having mismatched names and having to call the bank is more pleasant.

Not being able to call your card issuer is a reason to change issuer. I would put 30+ minutes wait time in this category, although I know someone who is a seasoned hand when it comes to getting through tasks during phone waiting times.

It would be nice if card issuers avoided deadnaming, but there could be an innocent explanation for why a card was issued with the wrong name.

I can't speak for wherever you are.

But in most countries they don't require ID in order to make a credit card purchase.

In South Africa, I tap to pay practically everywhere and no one ever looks at my phone (or prior to my getting Apple Pay, my physical card). In the last 12 months I had to insert my card for chip and PIN maybe twice.

Speaking of chip and PIN, before tap to pay became prominent, people actually never touched my card, I would insert it myself (reducing risk of fraud) enter my PIN and all the merchant cared about was whether the the machine said “approved” or “declined” after doing an online check.

This has to be a USA thing right? In the 15 years i have had debit/credit cards in the EU nobody has ever checked the name on it. In fact, since the rise of contactless all the card info is now on the backside and not on front as before. Not to mention the fact that quite a few people today pay by phone contactless.

Are we talking everyday purchases (eg. buying groceries), or high risk transactions like buying $1000 worth of prepaid cards?

how do they do it for contactless?