You will soon be able to use your FINGERPRINT to buy your shopping | World | News | Express.co.uk

You will soon be able to use your FINGERPRINT to buy your shoppingSHOPPERS could soon pay for goods with their FINGERPRINT after a major credit card group unveiled new technology. By Rebecca

Flood 14:04, Fri, Apr 21, 2017 | UPDATED: 14:20, Fri, Apr 21, 2017 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Comments GETTY

new feature introduced by mobile phone companies was using your face to unlock handsets

First signing your name was replaced by chip and pin, which was in turn replaced by contactless payment and now a fingerprint scanner could be the next mainstream method of payment. 

MasterCard has revealed a biometric scanner and following successful trials is planning to roll out the new technology. 

New cards will feature a fingerprint sensor area which will replace owners needing to enter their four-digit pin. 

The company introduced the scheme in South Africa in partnership with a local bank and retailer. 

To use the new feature, card-holders must hold the card by the sensor and enter it into a card reader. 

The new technology - which is compatible with existing payment terminals - then verifies the fingerprint and a pin number is not required. 

Inventors are hoping it will make payments quicker and safer. 

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Following initial trials in the African country MasterCard has plans to roll it out through Europe and Asia, while introducing a contactless version as well. 

Currently contactless payments can be made up to £30, but the feature has been criticised as being open to exploitation. 

Cards can be stolen and used, and four-digit pins can also be guessed or forgotten. 

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Kid steals mum's credit card to spend $500 on a PS4 The fingerprint is helping to deliver additional convenience and security

Ajay Bhalla

While there are 100,000 four-digit combinations, there is only a one in 50,000 chance of matching someone’s fingerprint. 

Fingerprints are widely used in smartphone technology as a method for people to unlock their phones, and are used to verify Apple Pay and Android Pay. 

Ajay Bhalla, Mastercard's head of security, said: “Consumers are increasingly experiencing the convenience and security of biometrics.

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"Whether unlocking a smartphone or shopping online, the fingerprint is helping to deliver additional convenience and security. 

“It’s not something that can be taken or replicated and will help our cardholders get on with their lives knowing their payments are protected."

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Another new feature introduced by mobile phone companies was using your face to unlock handsets, but it quickly became clear the technology can be fooled by photos. 

And fingerprints may not be immune to security breaches or hacking, with New York-based researchers unveiling a set of ‘master fingerprints’ capable of fooling and unlocking various

scanners.