Be Careful with Your Contactless Cards

Contactless payment technology is convenient, widely adopted, and has expedited the card payment process. With just a tap of your card or phone on the machine, the payment is completed with no need to enter a password. However, this can be used by malicious individuals to scam users.

Contactless payments use Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which allows communication between two nearby devices, such as a card reader and your credit card or digital wallet. Criminals take advantage of this by hiding card readers in bags or newspapers and attempting to process unauthorized transactions in crowded places. If a contactless card is enabled within the reader's operating distance (typically between 2.5 and 5 cm), the transaction will go through, and the victim will suffer a financial loss.

Users should be careful when receiving a new card, as many financial institutions issue their cards with the contactless feature already enabled by default. Therefore, check the banking app or website to see if this feature is enabled and disable it if you prefer.

However, if you choose to continue leveraging the convenience of contactless cards, it's important to take some precautions: always keep your card securely, inside your wallet and close to other cards. You could also consider buying a protective case or wallet with RFID protection that blocks the signals emitted by your card and doesn’t allow unauthorized contactless transactions. This can be a good solution.

For apps like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay which can use your phone's NFC to process payments, here's an important tip: only activate the NFC feature when you're about to make a payment.

Also, pay attention when paying! Always confirm the amount displayed on the card reader and if your bank allows it, limit the number and the spending limit of contactless transactions. When you go to crowded places like concerts and other events, we recommend you disable the feature entirely.

Also, don't forget to enable notifications for the transactions made with your card. This will allow you to quickly identify unauthorized transactions. If you suspect a scam, file a police report, dispute the transaction, and request a refund from the bank that issued your card. You can also contact consumer protection agencies or even take legal action if necessary.

Audio Description

In the first scene, a teenager looks at a card reader displaying an amount to be paid. A hand approaches, swipes a card, and the payment is approved. At the top of the screen, a phrase appears: “Contactless payments are very convenient”.

In the next scene, the phrase changes to “But you must be careful not to fall for scams!”. The teenager is now at a bus stop and is carrying his card when a criminal with a card reader walks by. He stops next to the teenager for a few seconds, waiting for the reader to complete the transaction. The criminal walks away and the teenager receives a notification on his phone. He reads the message, which says “$75.00 purchase approved!”, and reacts with surprise.

In the next scene, the phrase “Enable notifications in the bank app and use a blocking sleeve” appears at the top of the screen. The character then checks his app settings and places his card in a protective sleeve.