Mastercard Will Let Users Pay with Their Face

By
Gephardt Daily Staff
-
Mastercard Will Let Users Pay with Their Face

 

Mastercard Will Let Users Pay with Their Face

 

A Mastercard logo on a credit card. Photo by Yuri Samsonov/Shutterstock

 

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.

 Users will have to download the MasterCard phone app to use the new feature. A pop-up will give users a choice of using their fingerprint or their face to confirm payment after a purchase. The fingerprint option requires a single touch, while the facial nonrecognition option will require the user to stare at the phone and blink once.

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.


The company also confirmed that it is almost done closing deals with two major unidentified banks. Apple, BlackBerry, Google, Microsoft and Samsung have also agree to make their devices a part of the trial run.

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