There are several videos and articles doing the rounds on social media, trying to frighten consumers about the risks of using their cards to make contactless (“tap”) payments, writes Daneel Jordaan, head of consumer products for sub-Saharan Africa. In one example from last year, a viral video showed the assumed vulnerabilities of contactless payment technology. In the video, we see someone approaching a man with a point-of-sale (POS) device and with a simple tap, manages to withdraw funds from the victim’s contactless card.

In response, the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (SABRIC) had reassured...