Whilst I was on holiday in Azerbaijan I received an email from my bank telling me that they had loaded my new debit card on to my phone. This was news to me as I have never used a debit card on my phone being somewhat old fashioned and slow to catch on and still using the plastic card held against the payment machine. The whole thing was puzzling as to how they did it, how did they get to my phone etc. etc. However, as I was in a particularly foreign land I decided I wouldn't go trying it out until I got home although I had used a debit card for a small supermarket transaction only the night before. Anyway, I looked at my phone in my hotel room and lo and behold the debit card was there in my phone "wallet".
When I got home I tried it out when I went to the dental hygienist. A friendly dental receptionist who I know quite well and if it didn't go well I knew it would only be her and me and not too many blushes on my part if I botched it up. However, no need to have worried, I pointed my phone at her payment machine and lo and behold the payment went through. I have entered another part of the 21st century. I don't need to do anything other than wake my phone up and then point and pay, I don't need to find the "wallet". I have used it a few times since and find it quicker than having to get a physical card out.
Having found the instructions for loading a second card I went a stage further yesterday and loaded another card into the "wallet". I now know how to swipe and use the card I want and how to nominate one card as the default. I am feeling very modern.
Coincidentally I read the other day that plastic cards are to become a thing of the past and all cards will eventually be phone stored.
I can see a lot of people not liking this and I for one know of several who will not be able to comply or move onwards with this. One of my brother's does not have a smart phone, he has a phone only for texts and calls. His wife does not have anything to do with phone banking and does not trust computers with banking. She still drives miles to go to a bank for all help and even when she gets there it is not a real bank merely a "hub" without money. My ex partner does not have a phone at all.
It feels like it is a horrible situation of transition come too quickly for many who won't be ready for it and as if I am living within the pages of a dystopian novel and dehumanisation. Worrying about paying with cash and the possible disappearance of cash almost pales into insignificance.
Edit
I re-read the email after Librarian's comment and see that it tells me that Google did the move to the wallet after I had made a debit card payment via Google Shop. The bank were checking with me that I was happy to authorise it.
Here, it would be unthinkable that your bank does something like that for you without you having to consent, or actively do it by yourself anyway. As you can imagine, in my line of work I deal a lot with such things, and while storing "cards" (which of course are then not cards anymore, but we stick to using the term out of habit) in a virtual wallet on a smartphone is really convenient, data protection must not be neglected. (I am saying this here in my comment not because I would assume that you don't care about your personal data being safe, but simply because it always should be part of the parcel when we start using new technology where our data might be processed in ways that are not made transparent to us.)
ReplyDeleteAlso, I agree with you that people who can't or won't use wallets (or smartphones and computers in the first place) should still have the opportunity to use alternative ways to handle their banking and other things, such as train tickets, doctor's appointments and so on; as I said, it's very convenient to do it all digitally (and I avail myself of those possibilities, too) but it should not be compulsory.
I must admit I was gobsmacked, as they say, that my bank did this. I have used telephone banking for many years and of course they know my phone details and I can only assume that in some up-date of terms and conditions I had probably inadvertently agreed without knowing to this happening. I did not contact the bank as quite frankly all seemed to be well and it is almost impossible to speak to a human so I have just accepted it.
DeleteIt is still quite frightening that this "progress" is taking place and I doubt that even if one wanted to it would probably be impossible to intervene to stop it happening. I have no idea what will happen to people without smart phones as the slide is on to "you must have one".
How about people like me, who have no mobile reception, To cofirm anything ,they have to use our land line.
DeleteI do not think I would like to use a mobile for phone banking. I am rather safety concious. I notice that mobile phone cases,often have an antihacking protection built in,
Very wet here today, but hot weather on the way, hope you enjoy the hotter weather, Rachel.
Are you still recovering ?
Kathy xx
I also have no mobile reception but I put my mobile through wifi connection so that I can use it in the house. (My landline is also the same now since Monday when BT migrated me from the old wiring to digital).
DeleteI find that mobile phone banking is fine for me, I have been using it for many years but admit I was wary at first.
Very hot here today, 27C. We were overdue for it. I am still recovering but it is slow. Pacing is definitely what I have to do, no good trying to do too much. Rachel xx
My daughter is supposed to be putting my card on my phone. K has already done it somehow. He just opens and swipes. Looks like a good idea. I have my phone on a strap cross body so it goes everywhere with me.
ReplyDeleteThis afternoon I added a card and now I can't even remember how I did it! I think the phone just "picked" it up and then I approved it. It all happened rather fast! I like using the phone instead of a card, it's quicker so I guess Google did me a favour.
DeleteMy oldest NEVER uses cash. I use cash and my Debit Card. I'm not good with technology. France is much more cash orientated.
ReplyDeleteI still use some cash but mainly keep it for emergencies and tips. Azerbaijan was a very techi country with old men in villages in the Caucasus sitting looking at their phones and debit cards were used everywhere for payments. I almost wished I hadn't bothered to change any local currency as a debit card would do. Cash is dying out.
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