Mobile Pay & Digital Wallets

Mobile Pay & Digital Wallets
April 24, 2023

I started using my phone to pay at the register during the pandemic to avoid touching keypads. My teammate flashes her Apple Watch wherever she can – gas pumps, Subway, the vending machine… But, a lot of people don’t know about mobile pay or understand how it works.

The Mobile ‘Pays’
Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay (the ‘Pays’) are all very safe methods of payment using your mobile device. They use the security features of your phone to help protect your transactions. Face ID, touch ID or your passcode are required and your card numbers aren't stored on your device.

Digital Wallets
Your digital wallet is the place on your phone where you store your credit or debit cards so you can use them with mobile pay. They are also a great place to keep other important documents for safe and easy access, such as:
• boarding passes
• reservations
• event and attraction tickets
• gift cards
• coupons
• rewards cards

I bought tickets to StoryLand online last summer and had the option to save them to my digital wallet. I just pulled them up when we arrived and they scanned the tickets on my phone. Super easy!

How Do You Pay?
Instead of having to insert or swipe a debit or credit card, you unlock your phone and hold it over the card reader at the register or gas pump. If the card reader has your mobile pay logo or an icon that looks like a Wi-Fi symbol turned sideways it can accept mobile payments.

Most businesses that use Square for transactions also accept mobile payments. A few weeks ago, I went to Sam’s in Dixfield for lunch and realized I'd left my wallet in the office. But thankfully I had my phone!

When I’m shopping online, I love to see the Apple Pay symbol because I don’t have to dig out my card, squint to see the numbers, enter them incorrectly at least once... Using Apply Pay will auto-fill my shipping address, email and phone number, too.

Getting Started
Not all debit and credit cards are mobile pay-compatible – but your OFCU cards are. Getting started is a little different depending on the ‘Pay’ and device you are using. Here are links to get you started with Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Try it! Once everything is set up, you'll be able to make purchases in person, online or in an app with just your phone - easily and safely.