Emirates ID to be must for mobile phone payments

Soon you will be able to use your Emirates ID card in the UAE to authenticate online transactions.

According to the UAE’s Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA), the service will be effective within the next six months.

Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Deputy Director-General for Information and eGovernment Sector and Head of mgovernment Committee, said all mobile payments will be linked to Emirates ID, which will add an additional layer of security to all mobile transactions.

“The service will be incorporated not just for government-related payments but also with regards to mobile transactions involving private companies,” said Al Mansoori.

The extent of the threat to mobile payments is still being debated with some claiming that it is more of a perception that mobile payments are unsafe that is adding to the problem.

Yet, as scamsters continue to innovate and device new innovative phishing mechanisms, providing a double security mechanism through the use of Emirates ID will not only help assure the user of a much safer transaction but will prevent any possible misuse of the system said TRA officials.

“Our ultimate goal is to make users feel secure,” said Al Mansoori.

Emirates ID has taken over and replaced the responsibilities of many other identification cards, ever since it was launched. The E-Gate, Labour Card and even driving license can be replaced with the EmiratesID.

Ali Mohamed Al Khouri, Director-General of the Emirates Identity Authority (Eida) in a recent interview to Arabic Daily Emarat Al Youm had said that the Emirates ID will launch 20 of its services through Smartphones before the year-end.

The authority is all set to activate the digital signature through smart phones starting next year.

According to Emirates Identity Authority it will soon start coordination with banking organisations in the country in order to replace a number of the widely used banking cards with the Emirates ID card. The Eida is also working with the UAE Central Bank to adopt the ID card for identity verification instead of all other identity documents required for certain transactions at banking institutions.

According to Al Khouri, Emirates ID is in the final stages of e-linking with five government entities in the UAE responsible for civil incidents before the year-end. E-linking with other 9 entities will be completed during the first half of the coming year.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.