Tag Archives: Apple Pay

How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

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Many Facebook users are getting hit by the Facebook Ads and Facebook Pay scams! Here is how you can prevent it from happening to you!

 

Facebook Ads + Pay Scam Hits Many Bank Customers!

Many bank customers are complaining that they are being charged for fraudulent Facebook Ads advertisement campaigns!

They discovered that their debit cards were charged for Facebook advertisements that they never approved. Some have also stated that their credit or debit cards were used to purchase goods and services using Facebook Pay.

Stephanie Wong : I found out the money deducted from my bank acc through multiple continuous transactions yesterday, then I called Maybank customer service immediately. They helped me to cancel the card but then the thing happened again this morning.

@ruffleseed : I heard tens of millions of Ringgit were reported misappropriated through @facebook
on multiple bank over the past few weeks.

Delete your phone number from Facebook now and do not let @messenger handle your SMS. @MyMaybank has yet to answer us re: this intrusion.

@ItsNeoah : Banyak kali kena kat credit card ambank. Alhamdulilah call ambank dia mintak isi dispute form then tgok next cycle bil dah takde. Letih ngan scammer ni.

Translation : [My] Ambank credit card got hit many times. Alhamdulillah, after calling Ambank, they asked me to fill out a dispute form, then when I checked the next bill cycle [the charges] was removed. Tired of this scammer.

[/su_note]

Read more : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

 

How To Block Facebook Ads + Pay Scammers!

Here are some ways to prevent getting hit by the Facebook Ads scam, whether you are a bank customer in Malaysia or other countries.

Do NOT Use Debit Cards

First, you should NEVER use a debit card if you can help it. You should certainly not use a debit card online, or register it on any online or mobile payment platform, whether it’s for Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Facebook Pay.

It doesn’t matter if Bill Gates or Elon Musk or BTS endorses debit cards. DO NOT USE DEBIT CARDS!

You should certainly never use your debit card to fund Facebook advertisements. Always use a credit card, which offers you some protection against such fraudulent transactions.

Disable Your ATM Card’s Debit Card Function

Even if you have never requested for a debit card, you likely already own one – your ATM card likely doubles as a debit card! Banks have been forcing customers to take on debit cards, often by making ATM cards double as debit cards.

If possible, ask your bank to disable debit card function in your ATM card. But it is likely that they will refuse to do so – they make money from debit card transactions after all!

If your bank refuses to disable the debit card function in your ATM card, you can ask them to set the limit to ZERO. That will effectively block scammers from accessing your bank account!

Monitor Your Credit Card Transactions

Using a credit card to purchase products and services on online and mobile payment platforms offers you some protection against fraud, but you must always monitor the transactions and report any fraudulent transactions right away.

Depending on the country and card network, you usually have about 60 days to dispute credit card charges. So don’t wait. Report them as soon as you spot them! This will reduce the loss and reports you make, and speeds up the refund process.

Recommended : Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Your Money?!

Remove Your Credit Cards ASAP

If you register your credit cards for use with Facebook Ads or Facebook Pay, try to REMOVE them as soon as you are done.

Do NOT leave them registered to your Facebook Ads or Facebook Pay account, as a scammer or hacker who gains access to your Facebook account can make fraudulent purchases or run fraudulent advertisements using those credit cards without additional verification.

That appears to be the modus operandi of the Facebook Ads scam that has affected so many Maybank customers in recent weeks.

But if you have never registered your credit or debit cards with Facebook, or removed them after using, even if scammers hacked into your Facebook account or gained access through phishing attacks, they won’t be able to use your credit or debit cards!

Enable PIN For Facebook Pay

If you are using Facebook Pay, a scammer who gains access to your Facebook account could potentially use the debit or credit cards you registered earlier to make fraudulent transactions.

To prevent that, you should enable PIN confirmation for Facebook Pay:

  1. Go to Settings in the Facebook website (not app).
  2. Go to Account Settings, and select Orders and payments.
  3. In the Orders and payments page, select Settings.
  4. In the Security section, select Require PIN Confirmation.
  5. You will be asked to enter a 4-digit number as your PIN.
  6. Key in the 4-digit number again to confirm your PIN.

After that, you will be required to key in the 4-digit PIN whenever you make a payment, or change your bank account details, or connect your payment info with other Meta apps.

Recommended : Can Greeting Photos + Videos Hack Your Phone?!

Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

To make it harder for scammers / hackers to gain access to your Facebook account, turn on two-factor authentication:

  1. Go to your Security and Login Settings.
  2. Scroll down to Use two-factor authentication and click Edit.
  3. Choose the security method you want to add and follow the on-screen instructions.
When you set up two-factor authentication on Facebook, you’ll be asked to choose one of three security methods:
Once you’ve turned on two-factor authentication, you can get 10 recovery login codes to use when you’re unable to use your phone.

 

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Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Your Money?!

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If you are one of the many Maybank (MBB) customers who got hit by the Facebook Ads scam, here is how you can recover your money!

 

Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

Many Maybank customers are complaining that they are being charged for fraudulent Facebook Ads advertisement campaigns!

They discovered that their debit cards were charged for Facebook advertisements that they never approved.

Stephanie Wong : I think i am a very cautious person as I did not link my card to any platform or make purchase through any unsafe website at ALL, but it still happens to me.

I found out the money deducted from my bank acc through multiple continuous transactions yesterday, then I called Maybank customer service immediately.

They helped me to cancel the card but then the thing happened again this morning.

@ruffleseed : I heard tens of millions of Ringgit were reported misappropriated through @facebook
on multiple bank over the past few weeks.

Delete your phone number from Facebook now and do not let @messenger handle your SMS.

@MyMaybank has yet to answer us re: this intrusion.

Read more : Facebook Ads Scam Hits Many Maybank Customers!

 

Maybank FB Ads Scam : How To Recover Money?!

Generally, you should NEVER use a debit card because it does not offer the protection a credit card does – money is withdrawn directly from your bank account, and the bank is not legally obliged to refund any money lost through scams.

However, Hafizah Ayko who was once a victim shared her experience on how she managed to recover money, even though the scammers used her debit card to run those fake Facebook advertisements.

To help you recover any money you may have lost to Facebook Ads scammers, I translated and “improved” her instructions for you:

Disable Your Debit / Credit Card

First, you need to quickly disable your debit or credit card. You can call up the bank, or in Maybank’s case:

Step 1 : Log into your Maybank2U account.

Step 2 : Go to Cards, and select Manage My Debit Card.

Step 3 : Select Debit Card – Replace, Renew, Activate & Block.

Step 4 : Select Block Debit Card. You will need to get a replacement card from any Maybank branch later.

If you feel that the above steps are too complicated, an alternative method would be to immediately transfer your money to another bank account, if you have one.

But please DO NOT transfer your money to another person’s account. Only transfer your money to another bank account that you own.

NEVER EVER transfer your money to a third party, especially they claim to be police officers or bank officers trying to help you. That is a scam!

Police departments and banks do NOT have special bank accounts to hold and protect your money during scams. And legitimate police and bank officers are NOT authorised to receive money, and will NEVER ask you to transfer money to their bank accounts.

Recommended : Must You Disable Facebook Auto-Fill To Block Scams?!

Disable Facebook Ads

Next, you need to immediately disable all advertisements that the scammer has set up using your Facebook account. The longer they continue to run, the more you are being charged for them!

Step 1 : Go to your Facebook account, and select See all.

Step 2 : Select Ads Manager.

Step 3 : You should see a bunch of fraudulent advertisements running. Turn all of them off.

Recommended : Beware Of Telegram Screenshot Hack + Scam!

Ask Facebook For Refund

After turning off the fraudulent advertisements, you need to report them, and ask Facebook for a refund.

Step 1 : Go to Ad account settings, and select Report a problem at the lower right corner.

Step 2 : Select Ad Policy or Fraud. Then select Fraudulent Activity.

Step 3 : Explain your situation the best you can, and upload any screenshots you have, and send the report.

After that, Facebook should respond that they would issue a refund for the fraudulent transactions in 3-5 business days!

Alternatively, you can submit report unauthorised or unknown charges to Facebook using this online form.

Recommended : Can SIM Swap empty bank accounts without warning?!

Ask Your Bank For A Refund

You should also report the fraudulent transactions to your bank and request for a refund. This works for credit cards, but you should nevertheless give it a try even if the scammers hit your debit card.

Step 1 : Download the Maybank Dispute Form.

Step 2 : Print or directly fill in the information into the PDF form.

Step 3 : Email the form to disputemgmt@maybank.com.my, together with any relevant screenshots, within 20 days from the closing date of the billing period.

Again, banks are not obliged to refund fraudulent charges to debit cards, as the money is withdrawn directly from your bank account. But there is no harm trying.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Apple Pay Setup Guide : How To Register Your Cards!

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Now that Apple Pay is available in Malaysia, here is my guide on how to set it up with your debit / credit card!

 

Apple Pay Is Now Available In Malaysia!

Apple Pay was first launched way back in September 2014, together with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. However, its global availability was slow and some would say, tortuous.

For years, Apple fans in Malaysia have requested for Apple Pay to be introduced in Malaysia, and could only look at Singapore in envy, when Apple Pay was introduced there more than six years ago in April 2016!

But the wait is over! The steady drip of leaks has finally culminated in actual confirmation that yes, Apple Pay is now available in Malaysia!

While this guide is based on credit cards in Malaysia, it will work in other countries too, as long as Apple Pay is supported.

 

Not All Banks Support Apple Pay

First of all, you must understand that not all banks support Apple Pay. Here in Malaysia, only three banks support Apple Pay at the moment.

Banks In Malaysia That Support Apple Pay

You will be able to register debit and credit cards issued by these banks :

  • AmBank
  • Maybank
  • Standard Chartered Bank

Banks In Malaysia That Do Not Support Apple Pay

You won’t be able to add debit or credit cards from these banks :

  • CIMB
  • Citibank
  • UOB
  • OCBC

I will update this article as and when I find out what other banks in Malaysia support, or don’t support, Apple Pay.

Read more : How To Add MySJ Vaccine Certificate To Apple Wallet + Health

 

How To Register Your Card In Apple Pay

To help you register your debit / credit card with Apple Pay, here is my step-by-step guide :

Step 1 : Open the Wallet app in your iPhone.

Step 2 : Tap on the Add button to “Add a credit or debit card to get started using Apple Pay”.

Step 3 : In the next screen, tap on the Continue button.

Step 4 : You will now be asked to “scan” your debit / credit card using your iPhone camera, positioning it within the frame.

Step 5 : The Wallet app will try to pick up important details of your credit card like :

  • Name
  • Credit card number
  • Expiry date

If nothing happens, that means it cannot read the details off the card. Then you will need to tap on the Enter Card Details Manually option at the bottom.

Step 6 : Whether your card details are detected or not, verify the key card details required by Apple Pay :

  • Name
  • Card Number
  • Expiry Date
  • Security Code

If the detected details are wrong, edit them to make sure they match your debit / credit card.

Step 7 : You will need to key in the Security Code, which is a 3-digit or 4-digit CSC (Card Security Code) / CVV (Card Verification Value) / CVC (Card Verification Code) usually printed on the back of your debit / credit card.

Step 8 : If your credit card is not supported, you will get a pop-up message saying :

Your Issuer Does Not Yet Offer Support for This Card

Ask your issuer if they offer cards that support Apple Pay.

If your card is supported, you will see a list of Terms and Conditions. You will need to tap on Agree to continue.

Step 9 : The screen show details of your credit card while the Wallet app sets it up for Apple Pay. Just wait for a few seconds.

Step 10 : You will now be asked to verify your card for Apple Pay, usually through Text Message. Tap Next to continue with the verification process.

Step 11 : You will receive an SMS with a 6-digit One Time Password (OTP). You need to key that in within 2 minutes :

Card enrolment OTP for your digital wallet is XXXXXX. It will expire after 2 mins. If you have not performed this, please contact the bank.

Step 12 : Tap Next after keying in the OTP, and you should see the Card Activated notice.

That’s it! Your credit card is now ready for Apple Pay. When you open your Wallet, you should see that debit / credit card listed.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Apple Pay Is Now Available In Malaysia!

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Apple did not announce anything official, but Apple Pay is now available in Malaysia!

Here is what you need to know, and how you can start using Apple Pay in Malaysia!

 

Apple Pay Is Now Available In Malaysia!

Apple Pay was first launched way back in September 2014, together with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. However, its global availability was slow and some would say, tortuous.

For years, Apple fans in Malaysia have requested for Apple Pay to be introduced in Malaysia, and could only look at Singapore in envy, when Apple Pay was introduced there more than six years ago in April 2016!

But the wait is over! The steady drip of leaks has finally culminated in actual confirmation that yes, Apple Pay is now available in Malaysia!

Apple did not announce anything, but you can now add your debit / credit cards to Apple Pay and start using it in Malaysia!

This makes Malaysia only the second country in Southeast Asia to support Apple Pay. The first was Singapore in April 2016.

Malaysia is also only the 10th territory in Asia to support Apple Pay, after Australia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand and Singapore.

 

What Banks Currently Support Apple Pay In Malaysia?

Right off the bat, I have to warn you that support for Apple Pay is still pretty limited in Malaysia, to just three banks as far as I can tell.

Banks In Malaysia That Support Apple Pay

You will be able to register debit and credit cards issued by these banks :

  • AmBank
  • Maybank
  • Standard Chartered Bank

Banks In Malaysia That Do Not Support Apple Pay

You won’t be able to add debit or credit cards from these banks :

  • CIMB
  • Citibank
  • UOB
  • OCBC

I will update this article as and when I find out what other banks in Malaysia support, or don’t support, Apple Pay.

Read more : How To Add MySJ Vaccine Certificate To Apple Wallet + Health

 

How To Register Apple Pay In Malaysia?

To help you register your debit / credit card with Apple Pay, here is my step-by-step guide :

Step 1 : Open the Wallet app in your iPhone.

Step 2 : Tap on the Add button to “Add a credit or debit card to get started using Apple Pay”.

Step 3 : In the next screen, tap on the Continue button.

Step 4 : You will now be asked to “scan” your debit / credit card using your iPhone camera, positioning it within the frame.

Step 5 : The Wallet app will try to pick up important details of your credit card like :

  • Name
  • Credit card number
  • Expiry date

If nothing happens, that means it cannot read the details off the card. Then you will need to tap on the Enter Card Details Manually option at the bottom.

Step 6 : Whether your card details are detected or not, verify the key card details required by Apple Pay :

  • Name
  • Card Number
  • Expiry Date
  • Security Code

If the detected details are wrong, edit them to make sure they match your debit / credit card.

Step 7 : You will need to key in the Security Code, which is a 3-digit or 4-digit CSC (Card Security Code) / CVV (Card Verification Value) / CVC (Card Verification Code) usually printed on the back of your debit / credit card.

Step 8 : If your credit card is not supported, you will get a pop-up message saying :

Your Issuer Does Not Yet Offer Support for This Card

Ask your issuer if they offer cards that support Apple Pay.

If your card is supported, you will see a list of Terms and Conditions. You will need to tap on Agree to continue.

Step 9 : The screen show details of your credit card while the Wallet app sets it up for Apple Pay. Just wait for a few seconds.

Step 10 : You will now be asked to verify your card for Apple Pay, usually through Text Message. Tap Next to continue with the verification process.

Step 11 : You will receive an SMS with a 6-digit One Time Password (OTP). You need to key that in within 2 minutes :

Card enrolment OTP for your digital wallet is XXXXXX. It will expire after 2 mins. If you have not performed this, please contact the bank.

Step 12 : Tap Next after keying in the OTP, and you should see the Card Activated notice.

That’s it! Your credit card is now ready for Apple Pay. When you open your Wallet, you should see that debit / credit card listed.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Confirmed : Apple Pay Is Launching Soon In Malaysia!

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Multiple leaks confirm that Apple Pay is launching soon in Malaysia! Here is what you need to know…

 

Leaks Confirm Apple Pay Is Launching Soon In Malaysia!

Multiple leaks have more or less let the cat out of the bag – that Apple Pay is launching soon in Malaysia!

This would make Malaysia the second country in Southeast Asia to support Apple Pay, and the 10th territory in Asia, after Australia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand and Singapore.

AmBank Sent Apple Pay SMS

The first to leak was AmBank, when they sent out an SMS to their customers in July 2022, prematurely telling them that they can now use Apple Pay.

It appeared to have been a test run that ran awry, as their Apple Pay website was not yet ready. But it alerted everyone to the fact that Apple Pay is coming to Malaysia.

Shopee Added Apple Pay As Payment Option

The second to leak was Shopee, which released an Apple Pay option in version 2.91.28 of their app on 2 August 2022.

If you tap on it, you will simply be asked to “ensure there’s an active card in your Apple Pay wallet to proceed“.

Of course, you can’t actually add any credit / debit card to your Apple Pay wallet yet, but you can see that it is listed as a payment option.

Maxis Accidentally Promotes Apple Pay As Payment Option

On 5 August 2022, a Maxis Centre accidentally put out a cardboard sign announcing “Apple Pay accepted here“.

The tweet was deleted by its poster, but the cardboard sign was traced to the Sri Muda Maxis Centre in Shah Alam.

sorry guys had to delete the tweets atas permintaan pihak tertentu. but don’t worry cuz apple pay is coming soon to Malaysia!

AmBank Released Their Apple Pay Portal!

On 8 August 2022, AmBank (accidentally?) released their Apple Pay portal, confirming that the contactless payment system is ready to launch in Malaysia!

The AmBank Apple Pay portal has now been removed, but here are some of the details it revealed :

  • There is no transaction limit for Apple Pay, as opposed to a transaction limit of RM250 per purchase, with a RM750 daily limit, for other contactless payment platforms.
  • There is also no transaction limit for online purchases using Apple Pay through your iPhone, iPad or Mac computer.
  • AmBank also offered some promotions, including cash back for the first purchase using Apple Pay.
  • There were two unlisted YouTube videos (now removed) showing how to pay for your purchases using Apple Pay. Basically:
    a) Look for the Apple Pay and EMV contactless payment logos at the retailer
    b) Simply tap your iPhone or Apple Watch on the credit card terminal to pay
    c) Use either Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode to verify the payment

 

Apple Pay Is Now Available In Malaysia!

You would have thought that AmBank would have learned from their July 2022 SMS mistake, but no… they didn’t.

Then again, they may have “accidentally” leaked the Apple Pay website to drum up some hype ahead of the official launch.

These “accidents” have a habit of happening…

In any case, Apple Pay is now available in Malaysia, even though there was no official launch!

Read more : Apple Pay Is Now Available In Malaysia!

Most likely, Apple will roll it out in Malaysia with the next iOS update – probably iOS 15.6.1.

Currently iOS 15.6 does not support Apple Pay in Malaysia. When you try to add a debit / credit card to the Wallet app, you get this pop-up :

To add cards, keys, tickets and passes to Wallet, look for the Add to Wallet button in apps, emails and websites.

Until Apple adds this functionality through an iOS update for Malaysia, there is simply no way to add any card to the Wallet app.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Why Was Touch ‘n Go eWallet Removed From App Store?!

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The Touch ‘n Go eWallet app was just removed from the Apple App Store!

Here is what we know so far…

 

Touch ‘n Go eWallet Removed From Apple App Store!

Apple quietly removed the Touch ‘n Go eWallet (TNG eWallet) from the App Store a few days ago.

The TNG eWallet download page now states “App Not Available – The app is currently not available in your country or region“.

It was also removed from the App Store search listing. The Boost eWallet now appears, instead of the TNG eWallet.

Interestingly, the download page in the official Touch ‘n Go eWallet website is also not functioning, with a 404 error – Page not found.

It is however still available in the Google Play Store, so Android users can still download it just fine.

Even though the Touch ‘n Go eWallet app is no longer available in the Apple App Store, you can continue to use it if you had already installed it earlier.

The TNG Digital team stated that they are working to resolve the issue with Apple, and confirmed that the app that is installed in your iPhone will continue to work with all features fully-functioning.

This does not mean the removal is to be taken lightly. Until the app is restored to the App Store, you will no longer be able to update the app.

Over time, you may lose out on new features. But more importantly, you will no longer receive security and fixes.

 

Why Was Touch ‘n Go eWallet Removed From App Store?!

Neither Apple nor Touch ‘n Go eWallet stated why the TNG eWallet app was removed from the App Store.

However, I believe Apple removed it because of the recently-added NFC top-up feature for physical Touch ‘n Go cards.

That’s because Apple Pay is the only mobile wallet / eWallet allowed to use the iPhone and iPad’s NFC capabilities  for contactless payments.

That limitation has resulted in an antitrust charge by the European Union :

The European Commission has informed Apple of its preliminary view that it abused its dominant position in markets for mobile wallets on iOS devices. By limiting access to a standard technology used for contactless payments with mobile devices in stores (‘Near-Field Communication (NFC)’ or ‘tap and go’), Apple restricts competition in the mobile wallets market on iOS.

The Commission takes issue with the decision by Apple to prevent mobile wallets app developers, from accessing the necessary hardware and software (‘NFC input’) on its devices, to the benefit of its own solution, Apple Pay.

If this was the reason for the TNG eWallet app’s removal, it will be yet another example of Apple’s egregious anti-competitive nature, and yet another strike against their walled garden.

If they continue to lock down the NFC feature on the iPhone / iPad to force the use of Apple Pay, they will invite more anti-trust actions, and possibly turn people to the Android platform.

Unfortunately, there’s really nothing much Apple users can do.

 

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer /  PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

 

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Killer Features In 2016 MacBook Pro Models Confirmed

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Apple is gearing up for a refresh of their 13″ and 15″ MacBook Pro models in Q4 of 2016, probably around September. In addition to the usual processor and graphics upgrades, Apple is looking to inject a little pizazz in the 2016 MacBook Pro models.

We have just confirmed with an internal Apple source, who has direct or working contact with the upcoming 2016 MacBook Pro models, that they will definitely come with two killer features – an OLED display touch bar, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

 

OLED Display Touch Bar

The OLED display touch bar will run along the top of the keyboard, replacing the physical function keys. It will have full colour capability, and will be fully customisable by the user. Amongst other things, users can add a “Do Not Disturb” button, or switch it to a dark “Night Mode” colour scheme.

Our source will not (currently) send us pictures of the actual OLED display touch bar, but designer Martin Hajek came up with concept renderings of what he thinks the OLED display touch bar could look like. Check them out :

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Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor

The 2016 MacBook Pro models will also come with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. This will be used not just for user authentication, it will also be used to authorise payments via Apple Pay.

Our source is currently unwilling to share any additional details, or pictures, of the Touch ID fingerprint sensors. However, TheAlienPebble proposed that the entire glass trackpad may serve as a giant Touch ID sensor.

This would cost a lot more than a small sensor, but it would allow for multi-finger authentication, and active user authentication.

Multi-finger authentication would allow for much better security. You can use a combination of multiple fingers, to add an additional layer of complexity. Yet it is a simple concept to grasp and use all the time.

The same goes for active user authentication. With the entire touchpad functioning as a giant biometric sensor, the 2016 MacBook Pro can lock itself down if it detects someone other than the authorised (and logged-in) user using the touchpad.

 

What Else Is New In The 2016 MacBook Pro?

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The “less sexy” upgrades that we are looking forward to in the 2016 MacBook Pro models include :

  • faster 7th Generation Intel Core (Kaby Lake) processor options
  • faster Intel Iris Graphics or NVIDIA GeForce GPU options
  • new metal injection-moulded hinges
  • USB 3.1 Type C and Thunderbolt 3 ports
  • slimmer and lighter chassis

 

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Trend Micro : Next Gen Payment Technologies

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18 March 2016 – Since the boom of e-commerce, credit cards have been the target of many cybercriminals who have designed many malware and phishing schemes to steal banking credentials. The numerous threats that have preyed on the traditional credit card payment system, coupled with new technology, has led to the development of different payment processing technologies that not only allow for more convenient transactions, but also ones that are more secured.

Trend Micro Incorporated released its annual security roundup report, “Setting the Stage: Landscape Shifts Dictate Future Threat Response Strategies,” which dissects the most significant security incidents from 2015. Mobile devices continued being hotbeds for cybercriminals looking to exploit security flaws.

Mobile payments may be convenient for people armed with smartphones that support it, especially right now with the arrival of Visa Checkout in Malaysia that allows you to pay easily on across all your devices but the problem with using popular technology is that threats are always sure to follow, the same way they did with cloud computing and the Android platform.

“What both MasterCard and Visa are trying to do here is consolidate the payment activity that they’re doing online so they have a chance to inject a bit of extra security,” says Eric Skinner, Vice President of Solutions Marketing, Trend Micro Inc. “It’s a great opportunity for them to do more fraud protection and reinforce a more controlled checkout process.”

The attack on mobile devices can range from:

  • Forcing a device’s system to go on endless reboot, draining its battery.
  • Rendering Android devices silent and unable to make calls due to unresponsive screens.
  • Exposing a device’s memory content.
  • Giving hackers the ability to replace legitimate apps with malicious versions in order to steal information from the user.

 

Next Gen Payment Technologies

  • EMV Credit Cards – Also called Chip-and-PIN cards, these cards feature a chip that stores a cryptogram that detects modified transactions. It also requires a PIN for extra authentication.
  • Contactless RFID Credit Cards – This payment technology uses passive Radio Frequency Identification that allows cardholders to wave the cards in front of RF terminals to complete transactions.
  • [adrotate group=”2″]Mobile Wallets – First launched in Japan in 2004, this technology works on NFC enabled smartphones, and has since been implemented by Google and Apple through their mobile platforms.
    • Apple Pay
    • Android Pay
  • New Payment Processing Architectures – three next gen payment architectures designed to improve secure mobile payments.
    • Encryption and tokenization
    • Cloud-based PoS systems
    •  Secure Element systems.

Since personal mobile devices are heavily used in the enterprise setting, it is important for corporate data to never reside in them. But this would be impractical given the need for employee mobility. Enterprises hoping to keep confidential data within their own servers can invest in virtual mobile infrastructure.

A solution like this allows employees to access company files and records without ever having to save the data on their physical gadget. In case an employee device ever gets rendered useless by mobile exploits or compromised by malware, the data remains separate and intact.

Enable your users to safely leverage mobile technology for their work. Mobile Security Solutions from Trend Micro will help you find the balance between empowering mobile employees to be more productive, and protecting their sensitive information. Accomplish both without incurring the expense and time of deploying multiple new applications.

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Why Samsung Pay Outperforms Apple Pay & Android Pay

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Bloomberg recently reported that Samsung Pay has less than half the users of Apple Pay. 5 million versus 12 million. That puts it on the same level with Android Pay, which is frankly impressive in its own right. However, the chart below does not tell the whole story.

Apple Pay vs Android Pay and Samsung Pay | Credit : Bloomberg

Apple Pay has so many more users because they had a year-long head start over its two rivals. If we consider how long they were in the market, Samsung Pay and Android Pay signed up an average of a million users per month. Apple Pay, on the other hand, averaged 706,000 new users per month.

That means, both Android Pay and Samsung Pay are growing 42% faster than Apple Pay.

 

Why Samsung Pay Did So Well

Samsung Pay only worked with the 5 Samsung Galaxy devices during the survey (the newly announced Galaxy S7 and S7 edge do not count). Yet, they managed to sign up as many users as Android Pay, and sign new users 42% faster than Apple Pay.

That is likely due to the fact that Samsung Pay is easier to implement than both Apple Pay and Android Pay. Samsung Pay works with the old magnetic stripe terminals as well as the newer NFC payment terminals. Apple Pay and Android Pay, on the other hand, only works with NFC payment terminals.

In other words, Samsung Pay works with any credit card terminal anywhere, while Apple Pay and Android Pay will only work at retailers that have upgraded to the new NFC terminals.

 

Samsung Pay Demonstration

At the recently-held Samsung Forum 2016, we were given an exclusive briefing and demonstration of Samsung Pay. Check out just how easy it is to pay using Samsung Pay. This is why Samsung will have an easier time driving its adoption over their two rivals.

The only downside with Samsung Pay is that it is limited to Samsung’s top-of-the-line Galaxy smartphones. If Samsung adds support for their other smartphones with NFC chips, their adoption would probably be much higher. Here are the 7 Samsung Galaxy smartphones that support Samsung Pay :

In H2 of this year, consumers in Australia, Brazil, Spain, Singapore and the United Kingdom will be able to try out Samsung Pay on their Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

 

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