Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay – The Safer Ways to Make Purchases!

You may have heard people mention their “digital wallet,” or advertise the acceptance of Apple Pay®, Samsung Pay®, or Google Pay™, but you may be wondering what it is, how it works, and if it’s safe. We’re here to help!

Here’s What You Need to Know:

Mobile wallets are digital ways to store credit cards, debit cards, IDs and even gift cards on your digital device(s). These digital and mobile wallets can be used to make purchases instead of swiping a physical card at the register.

Plus, mobile or digital wallets are actually more secure than physical cards because card information and mobile payments are heavily encrypted and tokenized, meaning that actual card and account numbers are NOT stored within the digital wallet.

What is Tokenization?

Payment or credit card tokenization works by replacing a cardholder’s primary account number with a one-time unique identifier (a token). The tokenized data is a stand-in for sensitive information that communicates where the payment request is being sent from. This means your cardholder data and card details are never exposed during the payment process, which adds a layer of protection against data breaches. These unique tokens are randomly generated every time you make a payment.

The added layer of authentication with contactless, digital payments means they’re safer than using a physical card’s chip or magnetic stripe to make purchases. If your wallet or card is stolen, it’s much easier for criminals to use it than to break through the security layers on your smartphone or digital device, which require facial recognition, passcodes, or fingerprint scans. Tokenization matched with encryption makes your information useless and unreadable to fraudsters – which gives you peace of mind when making purchases.

Digital Wallets Offer:

• Added Convenience – You can store multiple cards in your digital wallet, all accessible from your device. While not all merchants accept digital transactions, most do and the number of merchants is growing. By using your digital wallet, you are able to complete transactions in an easier, faster and more secure way.

 

• A Backup Plan – We’ve all felt the rush of panic when stepping up to the register and realizing you’ve left your wallet at home. Digital Wallets offer you a backup plan!

 

• Added Security – Digital payments have the added protection of data encryption and tokenization, making them safer than traditional credit card transactions.

Enjoy Contactless Payment with Your Credit Union!

Your APCO Visa® Rewards Credit Card is compatible with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay. All three platforms use contactless payment without the need to present your credit card. By not having your card account number shared with merchants, you can worry less!

Apple Pay® transactions using Apple devices are authorized with TouchID™ security or your passcode, and transactions never use your card number. Click here to learn about finding merchants accepting Apple Pay.

HOW TO SET UP APPLE PAY

Credit cardholders with an eligible Samsung device with the Samsung Wallet app can make transactions with their device using Samsung Pay®. Samsung Pay is accepted by most merchants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAMSUNG PAY

Credit cardholders with Android and iOS devices can make transactions with their device using Google Pay™. Google Pay is accepted by most merchants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT Google pay