Payment by credit or debit card is a standard among Spaniards. According to data from Minsait Payments, is the preferred payment method of 74% of the population, and not only use it to make purchases on online sites, such as Amazon. They also use it to pay in physical stores where, in addition, and partly thanks to health concerns due to COVID-19, they allow transactions of small amounts. It is, without a doubt, the most comfortable way, since it frees us from carrying cash. The Bank of Spain, however, alert that those who use this payment method make a very common mistake which, luckily, has an easy solution.
The problem is that we almost never look at the amount that the clerk enters in the dataphone. In most cases, and thanks to the payment system through contactless, we just bring the card (or the mobile in the event that it is attached to a service, such as Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay) to the terminal and wait a few seconds for the transaction to take place. Although the workers always ask if we want a copy, which certifies the transaction and shows the total amount of the purchase, we usually have a habit of denying it.
On some occasions, however, it is likely that the amount that the merchant has charged us is not the one that corresponds to the product. It can happen, for example, in small quantities, or in those that have several figures. Above all, if we take into account that in many shops the amount is entered manually at the POS. The rejection of the copy, therefore, may lead to our not knowing that we have been overcharged.
How to avoid scares when paying with your credit or debit card
Now, how can we avoid scares when paying by card and, at the same time, avoid asking for a copy? The Bank of Spain emphasizes that the best thing is check the transaction when making the payment. In most cases, the bank shows the amount in its respective application moments after it is carried out or it is also possible to request that they inform us via SMS each time we make a movement with the card.
If you use services like Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, you can also easily check the transaction. You just have to access the Wallet app on your device, select the card with which you have paid, and review the history.