A MAN has gone to extreme lengths to avoid being mugged – and some people think he’s gone nuts.
TikTok user known as @paybyhand has forked out around £200 to get a contactless chip implanted in his hand.
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This allows him to pay for goods without a bank card.
In a number of clips posted to the social media site, he has documented is progress with the chip, from undergoing the surgery to paying for petrol.
The chip was implanted by UK-based start-up Walletmor, which will carry out the procedure for about £200 (€249).
It doesn’t require anaesthetic and takes around 15 minutes to “get chipped”.
Users have to install an app on their phone called iCard, where they can deposit money in different currencies from an ordinary bank account.
The app works in a similar way to Apple Pay, but instead of paying with your phone, the chip in your hand is paired with the app.
The chip uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which is used in smartphones for contactless payments.
It means the chip doesn’t use an energy source or emit radio waves but, instead, creates a magnetic field around the chip which stores a small amount of data for card readers to interact with.
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Some thought it could be a sign of the future.
A commentator said: “This came from cyberpunk 2077.”
Another simply thought: “The future.”
Not everyone though was convinced the chip implant would actually make his money safer.
One commentator wrote: “Just hand this guy a card machine with a £1000 charge.”
While another said: “I’m gonna buy a card reader and walk past you and put it under your hand.”
Another added: “All fun and fantastic till the card expires”.
However, PayByHand explained that the card expires in seven years after which point it will need to be replaced.
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