Some South African banks such as Standard Bank and FnB are making use of Tap and Pay to avoid delays in queues and simply. You can now pay faster for purchases under R 200 using an antenna embedded in your bank card.
After the cashier has rung up the amount to be paid, you simply tap your credit card within 5cm of the terminal at the point of sale wherever you see a masterCard PayPass or the PayPass logo.
Tap & Go is completely safe and also increases security as you don’t have to hand your card over to swipe, dip or enter your PIN.
Most major South African banks and credit unions have rolled out contactless credit and debit cards across the country. If you check your wallet, you probably have a credit or debit card that uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) for making contactless payments.
Instead of entering your pin or signing a receipt, you just place the card on the terminal and tap. It’s convenient for the merchant and consumer, but it may make it easier for thieves to get your credit card information. Despite the convenience, these types of credit cards could also make you vulnerable to being skimmed without it ever leaving your pocket.
According to some security advisors, stealing someone’s credit card information is “as simple as loading an app onto your Android Smartphone and tapping it.”
The fraudster doesn’t have to physically steal your credit card to make an electronic pickpocket. The credit card information, according to Wisniewski, can be read through wallets, pockets and purses.
The app, available on Android phones, allows the phone to read the RFID chip on a credit card. Theoretically, if the fraudster is standing near you they could pick up the cardholder’s name, credit card number and expiry date.