Security
Your face is not a photo
FacePay keeps a set of numbers made from your face, never a picture. It checks that a real person is at the counter, and pays only when you smile.
What we keep, and what we never keep
We keep
- A face template: 512 numbers from your scan, encrypted
- Your name, phone, email and bank, for your direct debit
- A record of each payment
We never keep
- Photos or videos of your face
- Your BVN photo, used once then deleted
- Your BVN number once you are set up
- Your PIN, only a scrambled check value
Spoofs don't pay
To pay as you, someone would need your real, living face at the counter, smiling on cue.
A printed photo
Flat paper has no depth and no life. The live-face check spots it and the payment is declined.
A video on a phone
A screen shows glare, pixels and edges a real face doesn't. A fresh check runs on every payment, so a recording can't pass.
A mask
Masks don't move like skin, blink naturally or smile on cue. The check and the smile both have to pass.
Someone who looks like you
We only pay when your face matches clearly better than anyone else's. If it's close, there's no payment.
Safe at every step
- 1
You choose to pay
The camera only turns on after you tap "Pay with my face". Nobody gets scanned just walking past.
- 2
We check it's really you
Your face is matched to your FacePay account, and a live-face check makes sure it's a real person, not a photo or screen.
- 3
You smile to confirm
Nothing is paid until you smile. Not you on screen? Just walk away and the payment expires.
- 4
Your PIN for bigger amounts
Above the limit you chose, the counter asks for your 4-digit FacePay PIN after the smile.
Your questions
Can someone pay with a photo of me?
No. Every payment runs a live-face check on the camera picture. Photos, screens and videos are declined, and the payment still needs a real smile.
Can someone pay while I'm asleep?
No. The camera needs your eyes open and facing it, and you have to smile to confirm. Bigger payments also need your PIN.
What if I have a twin or a lookalike?
FacePay only pays when the match is clearly you and nobody else. If two people look too alike to tell apart, the payment doesn't go through, and your PIN protects larger amounts.
What happens if someone guesses my PIN?
They get 3 tries per payment. After 5 wrong PINs in a row, PIN payments lock on your account.
Do you keep a picture of my face?
No. We turn your face into a set of numbers and keep only that, encrypted. We never store your photo, and your BVN photo is used once to check it's you, then deleted.
Can the store see my bank details?
No. At the counter they see only your first name, last initial, your bank and the last digits of your account.
Ready to pay with a smile?
Set up once in minutes. Pay in seconds.