Mastercard Will Let Users Pay with Their Face
PURCHASE, N.Y., July 2 (UPI) — A Mastercard representative said Wednesday that the company will begin taking users’ selfies as validation for mobile credit card purchases starting this fall.
Claiming it is easier than remembering a password, Mastercard’s system aims to reduce credit card fraud.
The blinking will prevent thieves from holding up a picture of a victimized user to gain access.
Data is then sent to Mastercard and stored on their servers. The company says it will not be able to reconstruct a user’s face from the resulting numerical data.
The company is due to launch a pilot version of the program limited to 500 customers. Once it is final, the new capabilities will supplant the company’s current SecureCode system that requires users to enter a password when shopping online with their card. SecureCode was used in 3 billion transactions in 2014.