How to block the magnetic stripe on my card?
There are multiple ways to make a card payment: contactless (“tapping” your card), chip & PIN and Magnetic Stripe, where you swipe your card through a reader. While magnetic stripe transactions are less and less common, some merchants still require you to pay with this method.
Why should I block magnetic stripe transactions?
Magnetic stripe payments make up a relatively high proportion of fraud related card transactions. Some merchants have fraudulent systems to copy the information of your card and subsequently use it to make fraudulent transactions - this process is known as "card skimming". By blocking magnetic stripe transactions you can protect yourself against this risk.
How can I block/unblock Magnetic Stripe transactions?
In order to block magnetic stripe transactions:
- Go to Cards.
- If you have multiple cards, swipe to the right until you see the card you want.
- Tap Card settings.
- Tap magnetic stripe.
- Toggle Enable magnetic stripe.
Here, you can also unblock the magnetic stripe again. The changes you make are applied instantly to the card you’ve chosen.