« Back to Blog

Contactless shopping with your Smartphone

Shot of a beautiful woman using her smart phone and an electronic reader to pay her bill in a coffee shop

Social distancing, masks, and vigilant hand-washing have become the new norm. One sure way to avoid contact with card readers and pin pads, while also adding a layer of fraud protection to your finances, is to use your smartphone at the register instead of your physical cards. Here’s why.

The World Has Gone Digital
Even before the pandemic, some large retailers and grocery stores had begun to accept payments through digital wallets available on smartphones and smartwatches. But the pandemic has moved even more stores to adopt the technology. The goal is to keep their customers safe. As more retailers accept these types of payments, you’ll have the option of shopping with your digital wallet instead of a physical credit or debit card.

What’s a Digital Wallet?
It’s part of your smartphone or smartwatch that allows you to input your credit card and debit card information, and then securely call up those cards to make encrypted payments at many retailers. Don’t worry. Your card information isn’t stored on your phone or watch. Instead, it’s all encrypted and retrieved in pieces from secure servers around the world.

When you want to buy something using your digital wallet, you simply activate it on your device, input your password (digital or biometric) to authenticate the purchase, and hold the phone or watch near the card reader. Your phone creates a one-time transaction code that can never be used again. Safe, secure, and simple for you.

Your digital wallet options include Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Apple Pay. Depending on your phone, you probably already have access to one of these options. Now all you need to do is add your InRoads cards to shop safer and smarter.

Losing a Physical Card is Frustrating
With real-life cards, if you lose them, you’ll end up on the phone canceling them, reordering new ones, and waiting days for replacements. If you lose your whole purse or wallet, that could mean replacing a handful of cards.

Digital wallets are different. Even if someone gets your phone, they cannot make a purchase. That’s because your card information isn’t stored on the phone or watch. That means you can leave your wallet or purse at home and relax knowing your digital wallet is with you all the time.

Take Even More Control of Your Cards
Want to add an additional layer of security to your financial life? Try IN Control. It’s an app for your smartphone that allows you to turn your InRoads debit and credit cards on and off with the push of a button. You can even set geographic boundaries. If your cards do go missing without you knowing it, they won’t be usable outside your usual area. Learn more and get the app at inroadscu.org/cardsolutions.

Shop Safely with Your Smartphone and InRoads
Whether you’re at the register, online or on vacation, your InRoads credit and debit cards make it easy to buy what you need when you need it. Learn how to add your cards to your digital wallet at inroadscu.org/digital-wallet. Have questions? Talk to us with InRoads LIVE, call 503.397.2376, or stop by.

Categories

Archives

 |