Mobile phone apps have simplified the way we transact with businesses. They make it easier, cheaper, and safer to send money to friends and family.
Believe it or not, your mobile phone can save your financial details. It uses them to make secure, instant, contactless payments in stores. Moreover, it is easy to set up an app-based payment platform on your device.
The technology behind app-based payment platforms is Near Field Communication. It is an industry standard that both Google and Apple use for their services.
With mobile phone payments, you wave your device on a payment terminal. You will be glad to know that you are not sharing your card details. You are using the Near Field Communication to confirm the authorization to use your phone to make a payment on your behalf. It also uses an encrypted code.
Your smartphone will safely store your card details, and it will not share them with any third parties.
How To Make Contactless Payments Using Your Mobile Phone?
Mobile phone payment services enable you to link your credit or debit card to your smartphone. This way, you can pay for goods and services by simply tapping your phone on the contactless card reader. With it, you do not need to bring your card with you.
If you plan to sign up for a mobile payment service in the UK, you can choose from Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Most huge banks support these mobile payment services. These banks include First Direct, HSBC, NatWest, Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds, and Barclays.
So, how do you get started?
If you have an iPhone, you should open the Wallet app. If you have an Android phone, you should download the Google Pay application from the Google Play Store.
And if you are a Samsung smartphone user, you should download Samsung Pay from the Samsung Galaxy Store.
The three applications will ask you to add your card details by taking a photo of the card. Then, your bank will send a verification code as a text message or through a phone call.
How can you use a mobile phone payment service? First, unlock your phone and hold it over the contactless reader.
You can use the mobile phone payment services anywhere that takes contactless cards and has an Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay logo.
Keep in mind that as of October 2021, the contactless limit is at £100.
This contactless payment service is safe. That is because your smartphone does not store your card details. You can even delete your debit or credit card details from your device if you lose them.
How To Make Mobile Payments More Secure?
Before using mobile payment services, choose a secure application.
Fortunately, you can make your mobile payment app more secure. You only need to do the following:
Choose 2FA. Two-factor authentication requires you to enter a passcode and the second piece of information. It is a code sent to the phone number you connected to your mobile payment app account.
Turn Off Bluetooth. Bluetooth is one of the options for wireless payments. If you want to secure the mobile payment app you are using, make sure to turn off Bluetooth. Only turn on Bluetooth when you need to use it. This way, you can limit unwanted access to the data on your mobile phone.
Keep Apps Updated. One of the easiest ways for hackers to access your private information is to exploit a known and public vulnerability. Application updates patch these holes. As such, you should keep all the apps on your mobile phone up to date. This way, you can prevent hackers from hacking the rest of your phone.
Update Your OS. Apart from updating your applications, you can patch holes by keeping your operating system up to date.
Check Your Statements. You can check your statements through the mobile payment system. You only need to open up your app and look for unusual charges. Make sure you do not overlook small charges. You see, hackers and identity thieves may run trial charges of a small amount. They also check if you will notice charges of a large amount.
Try Mobile Security. Internet security software is vital for your mobile phone. It can help protect your device from malware and warn you of suspicious apps. It includes mobile payment applications.
Always Lock Your Mobile Phone. Make sure to turn on auto-lock and create a strong password. Take a step beyond physical protection by encrypting the data on your device.
Do All Mobile Phones Support Mobile Payments?
Can I use my phone for contactless payment?
Read on to learn what you need to know whether your device supports contactless payments.
iPhone 6 is the oldest Apple smartphone model you can use for contactless payments.
Google Pay works on any Android 5.0 smartphone or newer with Near-Field Communication.
Samsung Pay works on the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the more recent Galaxy S models and Galaxy A series devices.
Most mobile payment apps offer a simple way to make and send payments using your mobile phone. However, keep in mind that they have limitations. They have their fees too.
The following are some of the best mobile payment apps you can use today:
Apple Pay Apple Pay works on iPhones, and you can use it for online purchases on Macs. To use it, you need to provide your credit card information to your Apple account. Then, you can use your iPhone for the purchase through a contactless payment method at a retail establishment. Apple Pay is secure since you have to verify your identity through the Touch ID sensor or Face ID. You can also use Apple Pay to send and receive cash through an iMessage or ask Apple's digital assistant Siri. The cash you receive goes to your Apple Pay Cash balance. Moreover, you can transfer it to your bank account.
Google Pay The mobile payment app for Android smartphones is Google Pay. It comes preloaded on Android mobile devices. You can use this service at several retail stores. These include Bloomingdale's, Chick-Fil-A, Nike, Staples, among others. You can also use it to pay for online services like Airbnb and DoorDash. Google Pay claims it is more secure than using a traditional credit card and protected via multi-layer security encryption. This mobile payment app supports several credit cards from several major providers. You can send money directly to another user. However, you need the Google Pay Send app.
Samsung Pay It is a handy mobile payment app that you can use on your Samsung smartphone. The Samsung Pay application connects to credit and debit cards from various big banks. Samsung Pay is near-universal acceptance since merchants do not need to opt into the program. This payment service works with conventional credit card readers. It uses the newer EMV or NFC technology.
PayPal Paypal delivers direct person-to-person payments. If you want to get into the retail space, you are more likely to pay online with this service than at the checkout counter. However, Paypal has fees that are complicated to understand. Fortunately, this service does not charge a fee. PayPal also does not charge for a person-to-person transfer. As such, you can send some cash to help split a check.
Venmo Venmo works through a mobile app on your smartphone. You can sign up on Venmo using your Facebook account. Then, you can link your bank account or credit card to this application. After that, you can use Venmo to send or receive money from other users. You can also send money through a phone number or email since the app can access your Facebook or phone contacts.
Are you planning on upgrading your mobile device to a smartphone-compatible for contactless payment? You can purchase one at an affordable price when you shop at a reputable retailer that sells refurbished phones.
One of the best and most reliable brands for all your refurbished needs in the UK is QwikFone. This company offers a vast selection of refurbished phones from different smartphone brands, such as Apple, Samsung, and Google.
All refurbished phones from QwikFone come with a complete set of brand-new accessories. These include the charging adaptor, USB charging cable, headphones, and SIM ejector pin of your preferred mobile phone.
Moreover, all refurbished phones from this retailer come with a 12-month warranty and a 30-day return policy with a full refund guarantee. QwikFone also offers a free shipping option to minimize the cost of your purchase.
You can also buy the refurbished phone you prefer and pay for it later over monthly installments. They are interest-free. You can use PayPal Credit or Klarna for your payment.
Do you want to know more about the collection of refurbished phones from QwikFone? You only need to click this link right here: https://qwikfone.com/collections/refurbished-phones.