The use of smartphones or smart mobile phones has become so widespread that, according to Statista data, 63% of online users made purchases from their mobile devices. The figure is from 2018, but it not only demonstrates a progression but also supports the fact that these types of devices are essential in our daily lives and accompany us from the moment we wake up until we go to bed.
Do you know how to safely make payments with your mobile phone? What technology is used and how to protect your transactions?
Most bank cards, both debit and credit, already allow contactless payments, just by bringing them close to the point of sale (POS) terminal, using contactless technology. Using them has become an everyday practice. But, in addition, in recent years the use of mobile phones as a payment method in establishments has especially developed. To do this, it is necessary that both your smartphone and the establishment meet a series of requirements that are increasingly common.
How to pay with your mobile phone?
- To pay with contactless mobile technology :
- The mobile phone must have an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip, the name given to the technology that allows information to be exchanged by proximity.
- Configure your debit or credit cards from your bank in the pre-established payment app on your mobile. In the case of Banco Santander cards, the following applications can be used:
- Apple Pay: if your mobile is an iPhone or if you have an Apple Watch, iPad or Mac if you browse in Safari.
- Samsung Pay: if you have a latest generation Samsung mobile phone.
- Google Pay: If you have an Android device with an operating system version 5.0 or higher.
- The establishment’s POS must have contactless technology. Most businesses in the USA already have this type of terminal.
- When paying, you will only have to unlock and bring your phone closer to the establishment’s point of sale (POS) terminal with contactless technology. Depending on the configuration of the payment application, it may be necessary to open it and select the payment option (select card if there are several and execute the payment) within it. It is not necessary for the smartphone and POS to touch, just bring them closer than four centimetres.
- The transaction is completed automatically if the purchase amount is less than 20 euros. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided to increase this amount to 50 euros. We do not know if it will be maintained, although brands and some EU countries are in favour of making this measure definitive. In the case of making payments with Samsung Pay or Apple Pay, it will always be necessary to authenticate (biometric fingerprint or user security code) to activate and make the payment, regardless of the amount.
Other means of payment with mobile
Bizum
It is a service that allows you to send and receive money, between individuals, make donations to NGOs and make payments in electronic stores, all of this instantly and without the need to know the beneficiary’s account number. To send money through Bizum you only need to activate the service and accept its terms and conditions (in the case of Banco Santander within the Santander App or Online Banking), choose a contact on your mobile, or an NGO by selecting it from those available in the application or identifying it with its code, and indicate the amount you want to send. To pay with Bizum in electronic stores that have this payment method enabled, all you have to do is indicate your phone number and include the Bizum password provided by your Bank. It is a secure method supported by most Spanish banks.
Wearables
It is also possible to connect bank cards with other mobile devices such as Fitbit Ionic and Garmin smartwatches or smartwatches. To do this, you must properly configure the watch app on your mobile phone, which we show you how to do on the Fitbit Pay and Garmin Pay pages. Payment in this case is made when you bring the device closer to the POS.
Is it safe to pay from your mobile?
Transactions or payments are always carried out securely since the data is sent encrypted. In addition, they are made free of charge for the user and they do not bear additional costs in purchases, since no commissions are applied for paying with the smartphone or the other devices mentioned above. This service works in the same way that your bank cards do.
The OSI (Internet User Security Office) highlights the security of this payment system. Even in the event of theft or loss of the mobile phone, if we have it blocked with a PIN code, fingerprint or facial recognition, it will be difficult for someone to access the device. Depending on the configuration of your mobile, it will be necessary to unlock the home screen to access the application menu and therefore the payment method and authenticate.
Security advice
It is advisable to follow some basic security tips to keep our data safe. These are common recommendations that involve careful use of our electronic devices:
- Keep your operating system and antivirus updated.
- Disable NFC whenever it is not in use.
- Avoid connections through public or unsecured networks.
- Use a secure screen lock with a strong PIN, complicated pattern, fingerprint, or face ID.
- Lock the SIM card with a PIN, avoiding using the same number for the password used when unlocking the screen.
- From the OCU, they also recommend deactivating the system and removing the cards if it is given to a third party, for example for repair.
Paying with your mobile phone using different applications or banking services is already a common trend. Users value immediacy and speed in payments and convenience.
