By Juliana O’Rork, BBB of Southern Piedmont and Western NC
Contactless payments make checkout quick and convenient — but scammers are finding new ways to take advantage of tap-to-pay technology. One of the latest schemes is called ghost tapping, where criminals use wireless devices to charge your card without your knowledge.
Tap-to-pay cards and mobile wallets use Near Field Communication (NFC), a short-range wireless technology that allows devices to exchange payment information. While NFC is generally secure, scammers can exploit it in crowded or distracting environments.
Ghost tapping is different from older debit and credit card scams because it doesn’t require physical contact with your card. Instead, scammers get close enough to trigger a tap payment without you noticing.
Common tactics include:
• Bumping into you in public.
A scammer may “accidentally” brush past you while secretly charging your tap-enabled card or mobile wallet.
• Posing as a vendor.
At festivals, flea markets, or events, fraudsters may set up fake booths and ask for tap payments.
• Fake charity appeals.
Scammers may ask for a small donation but charge your card for a much larger amount.
• Rushing you.
They may pressure you to tap quickly, hoping you won’t notice the business name or transaction amount.
Often, scammers start with small test charges to avoid triggering fraud alerts, meaning many victims don’t realize they’ve been targeted until later.
BBB has already received several reports. One Scam Tracker submission described a person going door to door selling chocolate “for special needs students.” He claimed he could only accept tap-to-pay, then charged victims hundreds of dollars without showing the amount. One person lost $537, another $1,100, and the scammer keeps moving to new neighborhoods to avoid being caught.
