Tag Archives: secure payment

Shopping via Selfie is the next thing …

Now the favorite past time of some (namely taking selfies!) might actually become a legit payment method for MasterCard users. The company is experimenting with a feature called ID Check, which would scan your face (or your fingerprint, depending on what you choose) in order to approve an online purchase. Basically they are trying to go full blown biometric.

Ajay Bhalla, the MasterCard executive who’s in charge of the new payment methods told CNN: “The new generation, which is into selfies … I think they’ll find it cool. They’ll embrace it.“

Why MasterCard would do something like that? Definitely not only to please us youngster, but also to cut down fraud, it seems. The US trial is supposed to start very soon with a limited customer base of 500. The launch will follow sometime after that.

If you’re afraid that you’ll need a selfie stick in order to make payments with your MasterCard in the future, don’t worry too much: The way the system is described you’ll just install the MasterCard app, purchase something, and once you want to pay a pop up appears. Now you can choose to complete the payment with a fingerprint scan or via said selfie. According to CNN “you stare at the phone — blink once — and you’re done. MasterCard’s security researchers decided blinking is the best way to prevent a thief from just holding up a picture of you and fooling the system.” Easy peasy, right?

Well, let’s see how it will work out and what’s next: Bhalla also said that MasterCard is experimenting with voice recognition and approving transactions by recognizing your heartbeat …

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