Tapping your card or phone to pay has become second nature. It’s quick, easy, and convenient. But according to the Better Business Bureau, scammers have found a creepy new way to steal your money without ever touching your card. It’s called ghost tapping, and it’s popping up across New York.

What Is “Ghost Tapping”?

Ghost tapping is a tap-to-pay scam that targets credit cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets with NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which is the same tech that makes Apple Pay and contactless cards work.

Here’s how it happens:

A scammer gets close to you in a crowded space (like a festival, store, or train station).

They use a wireless payment reader to charge your tap-enabled card or phone without you realizing it.

Sometimes, they’ll disguise it as a fake vendo

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