14 DAY TRIAL // With Apple Pay becoming popular among its users, UK banks have issued an alert regarding the dangers of saving multiple fingerprints on iPhones where Apple Pay is used to make payments.
This warning has been put forward because Apple Pay provides the ability to validate payments via a user's fingerprint. It does this by comparing the fingerprint it detects when the payment initiates with the fingerprints stored in its memory (Touch ID service).
If a user has allowed family members to record their fingerprints on their iPhone so they could unlock the phone, these persons can also make Apple Pay transactions.
Touch ID currently allows iPhone owners to store up to ten fingerprints.
UK banks are taking precautionary measures
Right now, Britain's Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland and HSBC have issued such warnings to their clients. The four partnered with Apple to support Apple Pay in the UK since early July. The only major bank not supporting Apple Pay right now is Barclays, but officials have said they plan to support the system next year.
The message received by all customers of the four aforementioned banks states the following: "Your agreement will also be amended to make it clear that, consenting to another person using your device by allowing them to register their fingerprint in your device will be treated as you failing to keep your card details and security details safe."
This basically means that banks can opt not to refund fraudulent purchases made from iPhones where multiple fingerprints have granted access to multiple persons over the owner's Apple Pay terminal.
To be fair, the banks have a point. Allowing multiple persons access to your payment information is a bad idea. You might see this provision to a bank's terms of service spread to the US and other countries where Apple Pay is available in the coming months.