In today’s times, fast payment methods are changing rapidly. Earlier, most people used to pay through cash, then came the era of debit and credit cards and now the UPI trend has grown. But even today many people prefer to make card payments in shops and shopping malls. First the card had to be swiped into the machine and then the PIN had to be entered. But now the payment is done by taking the card to the machine. This feature is called tap and pay or contactless payment.
With the help of this technology, the payment is completed within seconds. But have you ever wondered how money is withdrawn from the account without swiping the card and entering the PIN? Is it safe to pay this way? Can someone withdraw money from the card from your pocket? Let’s understand in simple language how card tap and pay service works and what things should be kept in mind while using it?
What is the card’s tap and pay service?
Tap and Pay is a facility that allows you to make payments without inserting your card into the machine. For this you have to take your debit or credit card to the shopkeeper’s payment machine i.e. POS. The machine recognizes the card and the payment is completed within seconds.
This feature is also called contactless payment, as it does not require touching the card or inserting it into the machine. If your card has a Wi-Fi symbol, it means that your card supports contactless payments.
How is payment made through NFC technology?
NFC stands for Near Field Communication Technology works behind tap and pay service. This technology works to send information between two devices over short distances. It is a wireless technology similar to Bluetooth, but its working distance is much shorter. Inside your contactless card is a small chip and an antenna. When a shopper activates his POS machine by entering a payment amount, the machine sends a radio signal.
As soon as you bring the card within about 2 to 4 centimeters of the machine, the card’s antenna picks up these signals. After this the card chip becomes activated and shares the necessary information with the machine. This way the payment process starts without swiping the card.
Keep these things in mind while using Tap & Pay
- Always keep the payment in front of your eyes.
- Check SMS or app notification after every transaction.
- Before tapping the card, check the amount written on the machine.
- Inform the bank if the card is lost or stolen
- You can reduce the contactless payment limit through the options available in the bank’s mobile app.
- Turn off the service when not needed
How to withdraw money without entering PIN?
Many people feel that it is not safe to make a payment without entering a PIN. But security is also taken care of in this system. The card generates a separate security code for each transaction. This can be called a one-time use code. This code reaches the bank through the payment machine. The bank’s system checks whether the transaction is correct or not and whether there are sufficient funds in the account. If everything is correct, the bank approves the payment. After this, the machine beeps and the money is deducted from the account.
As per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations, contactless card payments up to Rs 5,000 in India generally do not require entering a PIN. For payment of more than this amount, PIN is required to be entered after tapping the card.
Can money be stolen from a pocket card?
Such videos are often seen on social media about contactless payments, which claim that someone can withdraw money with a machine near your pocket. However, this is not easy to do. NFC technology works over very short distances. For this the card and the machine need to be very close to each other. Apart from this, bank approval is also required for every payment. The payment machine is also linked to the registered merchant’s bank account. However, this does not mean that you do not need to be careful. There are a few things to keep in mind to protect your card.
