# NFC payment fraud surge expands in US and Europe

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nfc-payment-fraud-surge-in-us-and-spain
> Updated: 2026-08-03T06:00:41.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

In late July 2026 Inter launched its Ring and Wristband NFC wearables in the United States, offering screen‑less, battery‑free contactless payments linked to existing Inter credit cards. The devices are water‑resistant, available in several colors, and were initially offered to a limited group of customers with a broader rollout planned later in the year.

A Kaspersky report covering the first four months of 2026 recorded a 188 % increase in NFC‑based cyberattacks on Android devices, with roughly 35,600 incidents blocked, up from 12,300 a year earlier. The report identified direct NFC attacks that install malicious apps and reverse‑NFC scams that trick users into authorising fraudulent transfers, citing malware families such as SuperCard X, PhantomCard and NFCGate as key drivers.

U.S. regulators warned of “ghost tapping” fraud exploiting the same technology, while Spanish authorities issued an alert on the “Wangiri” premium‑rate call scam. In early August, Kaspersky noted that the rise in NFC scams was also affecting Europe, and a separate issue emerged when Google Wallet’s NFC payment layer was disabled on Android phones imported from China after a Play Services update. The change impacted devices from Vivo, Oppo, Xiaomi and OnePlus, leaving users uncertain whether the move was intentional or a software error.

These developments illustrate a rapid escalation of NFC‑related fraud and technical disruptions across the United States and Europe, prompting heightened vigilance from consumers, merchants and regulators.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-03: NFC payment scams surge in Europe as Google Wallet disabled on Chinese‑import phones

NFC attacks on Android rose 188 % in early 2026, with “reverse NFC” scams targeting users, while a Google Play Services update blocks Google Wallet on Chinese‑import phones, affecting major brands and leaving a

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nfc-payment-scams-surge-in-europe-as-google-wallet-disabled-on-chineseimport-phones

### 2026-07-27: Phone hang‑up and NFC contactless scams surge in Spain and US

Spain's Incibe warns of Wangiri phone scams using premium‑rate callbacks, while US officials alert to NFC “ghost tapping” fraud that pulls large unauthorized payments via tap‑to‑pay.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/phone-hangup-and-nfc-contactless-scams-surge-in-spain-and-us

### 2026-07-25: NFC Payment Wearables Launched in US Amid Surge in NFC Cyberattacks

Inter launched NFC payment wearables in the US while Kaspersky reported a 188 % rise in NFC cyberattacks on Android devices, highlighting new fraud methods and growing security concerns.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nfc-payment-wearables-launched-in-us-amid-surge-in-nfc-cyberattacks

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Cite as: NFC payment fraud surge expands in US and Europe. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/nfc-payment-fraud-surge-in-us-and-spain