MasterCard Is Using “Selfie Pay” To Protect Online Shoppers

MasterCard pronounced its plans to create an identity check called "Selfie Pay", and will soon be introduced to dozen other countries.

The credit card company tried testing the technology, claiming that it uses biometric methods like facial recognition to identify a user's authenticity, and a fingerprint scan sensory to strengthen the security of online shopping. Testers gave the go signal assuring the feature will soon roll out to its users.

The feature is applied where a MasterCard app is downloaded into an iphone or tablet for customers to use.

Making an online payment, a user normally enters their credit card information, then would hold their device up in a selfie position and snaps a quick picture.

In addition to the use of face recognition, the system is used in certain situation when making an authenticity check. Especially for a user to know if transaction was made normal or not.

MasterCard's president of enterprise security solution, Ajay Bhalla says, "We will have a lot of information about your transaction, where are you, where are the goods getting shipped, what is your location."

Last year, the feature was also tested with nearly 1,000 consumers in the US and the Netherlands. And has been making plans to broaden its availability by partnering with banks in the US, UK, Canada and other potential markets by summer.

The system also works in a variety of other smart wallet such as Apple Pay, and already has a fingerprint sensor implemented to prove a customer's identity and the purchases that has been made.

The method of biometrics was risen when trying to manage a multitude of passcodes leaving user's overwhelmed and lead them to worst digital sanitation practices, including the reuse of the passwords.

Vice president for communications at MasterCard, Jane Khodos says, "We are currently prototyping facial recognition to be converted and stored as encrypted code on the device as part of the MasterCard Identity Check rollout,"

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