If you have an Apple device and have questions about using Apple Pay, you may wonder – is Apple Pay safe?
Well, I have been looking into this question and will tell you all you need to know about Apple Pay, so keep reading to learn what I’ve discovered about this topic!
Is Apple Pay Safe in [currentyear]?
Apple Pay is safe, and compared to a physical debit or credit card, it’s much safer in [currentyear]. Also, to use Apple Pay, you will need a passcode or will need to use Touch ID or Face ID to verify your purchase, regardless of whether you’re using an iPad, iPhone, or Apple Watch.
Do you want to know even more about Apple Pay, like whether you can get scammed through Apple Pay? If so, continue reading to learn even more!
What Are the Risks of Using Apple Pay?
There are several risks when it comes to Apple Pay, even though it’s thought of as being safer than a traditional physical debit or credit card, and we’ll get into those risks below:
Apple Collects a Lot of Personal Data
One risk of using Apple Pay is that you have to give a lot of your personal information to Apple to use it, which is risky if you’re concerned about privacy.
For example, while Apple claims it doesn’t sell user information, it will use that information to target advertising to you and other marketing purposes.
Also, Apple will have details on your transaction history, so the company has a lot of information about you beyond your address and name.
Cyberattack Vulnerabilities
While Apple Pay might be thought of as a secure and safe payment system, if you have jailbroken your iOS device, then it could cause a lot of problems with Apple Pay.
To illustrate, jailbroken Apple devices don’t have the same security protection, since the restrictions that are normally in place within the software aren’t enabled.
Therefore, with jailbroken devices, there is an enhanced risk of cyberattacks, since hackers can duplicate your payments and also get through your restrictions on transactions.
Confusion on How to Use Apple Pay
Apple Pay can be confusing to customers, especially those that are new Apple customers and might not know how to use the digital wallet or set up a contactless payment.
Furthermore, the goal of Apple Pay is for a fast contactless transaction. However, a lot of people may not know how to use it, especially if they are new to the digital wallet world.
This means that people may be taking longer checking out and may not know how to confirm the payment.
As well, they may have difficulties figuring out which card they want to use for Apple Pay.
Using Public Wi-Fi for Transactions Is a Security Risk
We all know public Wi-Fi is a security risk, since hackers can easily break into the network and steal data.
Also, a lot of people don’t think about it, but using Apple Pay in a store where the iOS device has automatically connected to a Wi-Fi network is a security risk, even though it has an NFC chip.
Therefore, if you don’t ensure you’re on data before you make a payment, it could be vulnerable to being hacked and your information could be stolen.
Hackers Can Bypass Contactless Limits for Small Payments
There is a risk when it comes to small payments because hackers can bypass those limits and then duplicate those payments, and you’ll never know about it.
However, you can avoid hackers doing this by viewing your transactions regularly to ensure that your small payments haven’t become a part of payment fraud.
Can You Get Scammed Through Apple Pay?
You can get scammed through Apple Pay just as you can other electronic payment methods, such as debit or credit cards.
Therefore, you’ll want to know how to protect yourself while using Apple Pay, which includes taking the following precautions:
- Always review your transactions regularly
- Enable more security settings for additional protection, such as multifactor authentication
- Only send or receive money from people you know and ensure it’s the person beforehand
- Report all suspicious payment requests to Apple
- Try to link Apple Pay to a credit card instead of your bank account
- Be mindful of accidental transactions
- Change the settings to only accept payments manually
Which Is Safer – PayPal or Apple Pay?
Both Apple Pay and PayPal have their positives and negatives, with both being great digital wallets and easy ways to pay digitally. However, PayPal wins in the category of being safer.
For example, PayPal has a lot of security layers built into it, which means the information is stored on its servers but your sensitive information remains private.
PayPal also offers additional security measures, such as two-factor authentication, and will flag transactions that are outside the norm for your account.
In contrast, Apple Pay stores your card information in the Secure Element Chip, which isn’t shared or stored so it’s secure and your information will stay private.
However, Apple Pay authentication only happens if you have it set up with a Touch ID or a passcode, so someone can initiate a payment without your knowledge.
Is Apple Pay Safer Than Using a Debit Card?
Apple Pay is thought of as being safer than a debit card, since you’re not using a physical card and your card numbers aren’t being stored on Apple servers or your device.
Furthermore, as long as you have authentication set up properly, you will have to use Touch ID, Face ID, or your passcode to confirm any transaction on your iOS device.
Is Apple Pay Safe From Skimmers?
One area where Apple Pay stands out as safer than traditional credit or debit cards is that it’s safe from skimmers, since your card isn’t being swiped during a transaction.
Therefore, since Apple Pay is digital and not a physical card, it can’t be skimmed in like a regular physical card.
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Apple owns Beats, is AppleCare worth it, and is Apple Music free.
Conclusion
Apple Pay is thought of as being safer than a traditional physical debit or credit card, since it’s digital and requires you to confirm the transaction via Touch ID, Face ID, or a passcode.
However, because it’s digital, hackers can intercept your data if you pay over public Wi-Fi or could scam you with various cyberattacks.
