Contactless cards, are they reliable and secure?
Contactless payment systems have had the same effect on consumers as mobile phones had, at first, they caused a certain distrust, now, we cannot conceive of life without them.
As we say, something similar happens with contactless cards, we are not able to imagine another more comfortable way of payment. In fact, those of us who constantly use them are bothered by the fact of having to enter the PIN code in the dataphone when the device in question does not have the appropriate technology or when our purchases exceed 20 euros. And, this is the maximum amount that we can pay through this system.
Contactless, short-range technology
As many of you already know, the contactless system allows us to pay the amount of a purchase by just bringing the card closer to the point of sale terminal (POS or dataphone), which represents an important saving of time and comfort. In Spain, this system has expanded rapidly since it began to be used five years ago, with its use being completely normalized.
The contactless payment system requires a specific card, equipped with technology based on what is called NFC: Near Field Communications, that is, a short-range wireless connection for the instant transaction of data between devices.
Greater comfort, greater control
When a consumer is presented with the opportunity to use the aforementioned technology, they think about the possibilities of fraud, since if the card is lost or stolen, it could be used to make small purchases without having to enter the PIN, thus endangering your money.
However, the control systems over the use of credit cards have been increased by financial institutions to provide this service, which aims to be more comfortable, with higher levels of security. The possibility of blocking the card after a certain number of purchases or the sending of security alarms that inform us of the completion of each payment we make are some examples of this new commitment to customer control over their cards and bank transactions.
And, as with the new ways of requesting microcredits or mini-credits online , the bet of financial companies on the digital security of their services and devices is increasing.