Tag: mobile payments security concerns

As the industry continues to grow and more people consider the use of the services, concerns increase.

Consumers and mobile payments service providers, alike, are expecting this technology to have a considerable impact on the way that business is conducted and products are purchased, but at the same time, there remain a number of concerns that are keeping people from actually using it, quite yet.

There is still growth in in-store purchase, paid bills, and money transfers through smartphone transactions.

At the same time, many experts who are examining this new technology and what mobile payments are doing in the industry say that there are many questions that remain about its privacy and security. This is holding back its progress to a considerable degree as consumers simply don’t trust it enough to feel safe and confident in its use, so far.

At the same time, mobile payments industry execs are saying that the technology is already good and is improving.

Though consumers are hearing that message, they seem to be willing to wait for those improvements to be implemented before they actually put it into use. At the same time, experts in security are also pointing out that the rapid growth of the use of smartphones for mobile payments is also attracting the attention of those who would use it for fraud.

It is precisely this worry that has consumers stepping back and either using the device less than they otherwise would for mobile payments, or simply choosing not to use it at all until they feel that the risks have dropped.

According to a Dallas based organization called NQ Mobile, a company that offers smartphone security software, it witnessed a growth of over 65,000 new malware threats released around the world, last year. This was a massive increase over the 24,000 new threats that were introduced in 2011. This type of issue can cause unsuspecting device users to head to sites where they reveal their financial data so that it can be stolen and used by unethical third parties.

According to Gavin Kim, the company’s chief commercial officer, “It’s a real problem, and it is growing.” Security will clearly be a key issue to overcome before mobile payments can truly take off.

Security becoming a more serious concern as mobile payments grow in popularity

Mobile payments are becoming increasingly popular, a trend that is attracting more attention to the issue of mobile security. Because mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are being used to traffic financial information, they are becoming more alluring targets for malicious groups that would like to exploit this valuable information. Security concerns have put a damper on the growth of mobile payments, but there may be ways to secure financial information without having to rely on the inherent security software of a mobile device or mobile commerce application. Biometrics may be the answer.

PayTango aims to change the way people pay

PayTango, a relatively new technology startup backed by Y Combinator and several investors based in Silicon Valley, California, has come up with a new way to make mobile payments more secure. The company has begun teaming with local universities in order to offer a new, convenient way for students to pay for goods and services without having to rely on credits cards or other forms of physical currency. The technology developed by PayTango quite literally puts purchasing power at the fingertips of consumers.

Biometric system puts a new twist on commerce

PayTango has developed a biometric system that can scan a person’s fingerprints in order to activate a payment. The system can associate a person’s various credit cards, loyalty cards, and even ID with their fingerprints through a simple scanning process. Once these payments methods have been associated with a person’s fingerprints, they can simply tap a biometric scanner in order to purchase products or services.

PayTango system receives international attention

The system is still in an early stage of development and is not yet ready for business applications. PayTango notes that it has received international interest for its system, especially from companies and organizations that have a strong interest in mobile payments. It will take some time before the biometric system can be scaled up for business applications, but PayTango has high hopes for its use in the field of mobile commerce.