Payments have come a long way in the digital age thanks to services like Apple Pay, but there is one fact that has been around for years: We continue to depend on a plastic card that can be subject to attack. Attacks which can come from different fronts and which are increasingly sophisticated.
Fortunately, Apple services allow you to bypass almost all of these scams. Never in a way that doesn’t worry us completely, but so that we can be more calm about the risk of seeing a cloned card and emptying our bank account.
The danger of cloners and the advantage of the Wallet application
The most serious threat to card cloning lies in techniques called “Skimming”, which involve use a device that clones cards simply by touching them. Criminals can put this device in their pocket and approach other people looking for cards in their wallets. Once in possession of the copy, they can use it with any payment terminal without contact.
This device can also stand at vending machines, camouflaging itself like its original card readers. The victim believes they are using the ATM reader authorized by their bank, but in reality they place the card in a third-party reader which stores all the data necessary to clone it.
All communications Apple uses with its payment services are fully encrypted
What can we do to avoid this type of cloning? If they directly clone our plastic card we can’t do anything, but things change if we use Apple Pay. The Wallet application on our iPhone encrypts all information on our cardsso one of these “cloners” would obtain data that it would not be able to understand.
The most modern vending machines also have an NFC reader, so instead of using the traditional credit card we can bring the iPhone or even Apple Watch closer to be able to withdraw money. The entire transaction is encrypted, so a cloner couldn’t do anything, even collect the data without us realizing it.
This is why I always prefer to avoid using a physical plastic card, always favoring my iPhone or my Apple Watch. With this alone we eliminate any risk of cloning.
What can I do to avoid being deceived?
Apple Pay and iPhone technology with its NFC chip protect us from this type of cloner, but be careful: it is not an infallible solution. Everything can fall apart if we fall victim to a phishing scam. Therefore, we will always give you these tips:
- Never trust bank communications that ask you to send them personal information in plain text via SMS or email.
- Always verify all communications through your bank’s official website and apps..
- Enable any two-factor authentication options the bank asks you to do. In some cases, Face ID can also be used.
And above all, don’t panic if you receive a text message or email telling you that you have lost a lot of money or that your accounts have been canceled. This is precisely what scammers want: for you to act in fear without thinking. SO above all always very calm.
Pictures | Vagaro
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