12.11.16

Going Cashless

Digital transactions via e-wallet's on a PC or a smartphone promise quite a few benefits.
You can pay your utilities and mobile phone bills, insurance premiums, book bus, movie and flight tickets, taxi rides and more without stepping out of your home or standing in a queue. In case you are short of funds, you can send an in-app request to friends and family . On the other hand, you can send money instantly to folk who are using the service.
e-wallets work like prepaid cards, so you can use them for transactions without sharing your bank details every time. They are secure, easy to operate, and are widely accepted by most service providers and e-commerce websites.
Offline merchants who support e-wallets also let you pay your bill by scanning a unique QR code with the phone's camera. The app detects the recipient's details and all you have to do is enter the amount to be paid. No exchange of plastic cards or hard cash.
You may also get discounts and cashbacks in return for usage of e-wallets. You can use e-wallets from multiple e-payment services; you do not have to maintain a minimum balance and don't have to pay any maintenance fees. And finally , transactions are less cumbersome, your dependence on paper money is reduced, and you can also keep tabs on your spending.

To create an e-wallet, you have to register with its website or via the app with your email ID and provide your mobile number for verification.
To add some money to your wallet, you are required to enter your debit/credit card or netbanking account details to transfer funds.You can even choose to save your card details (except the CVV number) to make the process of refills faster.
All e-wallets include the option to send and request money . Here, just select a contact from your phonebook and key in the amount you want to transfer.If the recipient has not registered with the service, he/she will receive a notification of the pending transfer and be requested to sign up and receive the amount.
For paying bills, you will need to first register the biller ­ like MTNL, Tata Sky , BEST ­ and proceed to make payments.
In case you are eligible for cash backs on offers you opted for, the service will automatically credit your account with the money. Some e-wallets include a facility to reverse this amount to your bank account. However, a service charge will be levied for this transaction. At any point, you can instantly view your balance and transaction history. Besides, all transaction receipts will be emailed to you and sent via text message. Currently, you can have up to Rs.10,000 per month in your virtual wallet. If you need to make a higher value transaction or want to extend the monthly limit, you will need to provide your ID and address proof for an upgrade.

Before you sign up for e-wallets, check their websites for details on which service providers and businesses they support.  Some of the tried and tested service providers include Airtel Money, Citrus Wallet, FreeCharge, iReff, JioMoney Wallet, Mobikwik, m-pesa, Ola Money, Oxigen Wallet, PayTM and PayUMoney. You will find apps for these services on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

Alternatively, you can consider using an e-wallet service provided by banks like SBI Buddy, HDFC's PayzApp and ICICI's Pockets. They provide facilities similar to the third-party e-wallets and can be used even if you do not have an account with the said institution.
PayzApp and Pockets differ from the third-party payment platforms in that they are virtual debit cards. These also let you save your physical debit and credit card details (except CVV codes).
While making a payment via these apps, you can choose to use the virtual debit card ­ instead of your physical plastic card.
Here, Pockets supports Unified Payment Interface (UPI), a fund transfer platform that uses a concept similar to that of an email address. When you sign up for UPI, you get a unique ID like `kabirjha@axis' or `mangalapai @icici' or that's linked to your bank details, after authentication. When you initiate a fund transfer, you only need to enter this UPI ID; you don't need to enter bank account number, branch and IFSC code.
In case you have an account with a bank that doesn't have a mobile wallet of its own, then consider Chillr. This service has partnered with a number of banks, including Bank of Baroda, Federal Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and Saraswat Bank. Here, transaction charges (plus tax) may be levied wherever applicable.

Do not make a payment or transfer in a hurry.Once the money is sent to the wrong person, the transaction cannot be reversed.
Unlike bank apps, third-party e-wallets remain signed in for some time. It is recommended you lock your device with a passcode or your fingerprint to prevent misuse.Also, if children have access to your device then ensure that you switch to child or guest mode before handing it over.

Digital wallets offer an additional layer of security while making payments since you are not sharing your bank details with online or offline store. Purchase and payment information is transmitted via an encrypted SSL connection, and may also require an “mPIN“ or fingerprint for additional authentication (if supported).

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