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Join Which? MoneyWhat is Apple Pay and Google Wallet?
Apple Pay and Google Wallet let you make speedy payments with a swipe of your mobile, but are they safe to use? Here we explain all
What is Apple Pay and Google Wallet?
Contactless payments aren't limited to cards. Global tech companies have harnessed the same near-field communications (NFC) technology to enable contactless payments through smartphones and other gadgets.
Apple Pay is a digital wallet that lets you pay for goods by moving your iPhone over a contactless reader, removing the need to use a physical card or enter a Pin. Anyone with a compatible Apple device can use it.
Google Wallet (formerly known as 'Google Pay' and 'Android Pay'), is a similar mobile payments system that works on Android devices and some Android-based smartwatches.
Are Apple Pay and Google Wallet safe?
Apple Pay and Google Wallet are at least as secure as contactless payments:
With Apple Pay, when you add a card, its details are encrypted and stored only on your iPhone, not on Apple's servers.
Apple replaces your card's details with something called a device account number (also called a token) which means the real information is never shared during purchases. Google Wallet uses a similar equivalent.
Phone passcodes and fingerprint-recognition (Touch ID) or facial-recognition (Face ID) technology adds another layer of security. On Apple Watch, wrist detection must be enabled.
If you lost your phone or it was stolen, you could stop payments by logging in to Apple's iCloud or by putting your device into 'lost mode' via the 'Find My Phone' app. For Google, use the Find My Device service.
- Find out more: why Apple Pay and Google Pay are safe ways to spend
Digital wallet scams
One danger to be aware of – regardless of whether you use Apple Pay or Google Wallet – is that scammers may attempt to steal your card details and add them to a digital wallet on their own phone.
They use a variety of tactics to get hold of card details, including phishing emails or texts asking you to open a link, fake competitions on social media, rogue adverts on search engines and QR code scams in high-traffic areas such as car parks or restaurants.
Banks should stop attempts to link your card details to an unauthorised device, however, some card providers still use SMS to send security codes in the digital wallet setup process – Which? has warned that banks should phase out of sending sensitive data by text message for many years because it opens the door to digital wallet scams and Sim-swap attacks.
- Find out more: how safe is online banking?
Does Section 75 apply to Apple Pay and Google Wallet?
Yes, provided you use a credit card in your virtual wallet and you paid for goods or services with costing over £100 and up to £30,000, you are covered by Section 75 if something goes wrong.
For example if the goods are faulty, or you don't receive them, you can claim the cost back from the card company.
As with using your credit card directly, you may not be covered if you break the chain between you, the credit card firm, and the supplier. For example, you will lose Section 75 cover if you use your Google Wallet balance instead of paying with one of the linked cards, or when you use an intermediary rather than paying a business directly (though these cases can be complex so do challenge rejections).
If you used a debit card, or Section 75 doesn't apply, ask your bank for a refund using chargeback instead.
This isn't legal protection – Amex, Mastercard and Visa run their own schemes – but chargeback does cover mobile card payments of any value, regardless of whether a credit or a debit card is used.
- Find out more: protection for credit and debit card payments
How to set up Apple Pay and Google Wallet
Open the pre-installed Wallet app and add the payment cards you want to use on your device. You can use your phone's camera to capture the card details quickly.
Cards already linked to your Apple ID can be verified by entering the security code, but new cards will need to be verified by your bank.
Your 'default' card is the one you plan to use most often so make sure your preferred card is moved to the top of the stack if you have several.
Switching to a different default card is very simple:
- on an iPhone, open your Wallet app and drag your preferred card in front of your other cards. Or, double click the side button and tap to choose a different card at the checkout.
- on Apple Watch, open the 'Wallet & Apple Pay' tab in the app and choose your default card under 'Transaction Defaults'. Or, double-click the side button and swipe left or right to choose another card at the checkout.
- on Android Devices, go into the Google Wallet app and swipe left and right between your saved cards. The default card will always appear first.