Is Paze Safe? To Paze or Not to Paze

By Chris Clark, founder of Senior Tech Cafe

Is Paze safe? Yes. Paze is an online checkout service owned by major U.S. banks, and it keeps your real card number hidden from the stores you shop with.

If you’ve never heard of it, you may have it anyway. Many banks added their customers’ cards to Paze automatically, which is why a lot of people first meet it as a surprise button at checkout or a new menu in their banking app.

Here’s what Paze is, how it protects your money, how it compares with Apple Pay and PayPal, and exactly how to opt out or remove your cards if you’d rather not use it.

What Is Paze?

Paze is an online checkout service from banks and credit unions. When you buy something on a participating website, you click the Paze button and pay with a credit or debit card your bank has already loaded into your Paze wallet, without typing the card number.

What makes it different from PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay is who’s behind it. Paze isn’t the brainchild of some Silicon Valley whiz kid in a hoodie. It’s run by Early Warning Services, the bank-owned company that also runs Zelle. Participating banks include Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi, PNC, Truist, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.

Think of it as the neighborhood banks getting together and deciding they wanted their own lemonade stand on the same street where Apple and Google have been selling for years.

It’s free to use, and you still earn your card’s usual rewards.

How Paze Works at Checkout

When you’re shopping online and it’s time to pay, the whole thing is refreshingly simple:

1. Click the Paze button at checkout.
2. Enter the email address or phone number your bank has on file.
3. Confirm it’s you with a six-digit code Paze texts you, or with a passkey if you’ve set one up.
4. Pick a card, confirm, and you’re done.

No squinting at the tiny numbers on your card, no flipping it over to find that little three-digit code on the back, and no typing it all in wrong twice. Paze already has your card details, so it handles the tedious part for you.

Do You Have a Paze Account?

You might have a Paze account without ever signing up for one. Participating banks add their customers’ eligible cards to Paze automatically and let them know when they do. Plenty of people miss that notice, which is why Paze so often shows up as a surprise.

There’s no username to invent and no password to remember. Paze recognizes you by the email address or phone number your bank already has, and checks it’s you with a one-time code. You activate your wallet the first time you use it, at checkout, in your bank’s app or at mywallet.paze.com, which is also where you can see and manage your cards.

There’s no separate Paze app to download, either. Your Paze wallet lives inside the banking you already do.

Is Paze Safe to Use?

Paze is safe to use for online shopping. The store never sees your real card number, it’s run by a company the big banks own, and your card’s usual fraud protection still applies. For anyone who already banks online, it’s about as safe as paying with the card itself, and a little safer, because there’s no card number sitting in the store’s files.

The Magic Trick: Your Card Number Stays Hidden

When you pay with Paze, the store never sees your real card number. It gets a stand-in number, called a token, that works for payments to that store and is useless anywhere else. The real number stays with your bank and the card network.

It’s like handing a valet a key that starts the car but won’t open the trunk or the glovebox. If that store’s records ever get stolen, the thieves get a pile of stand-ins, not your card.

It’s Backed by Your Bank

Paze doesn’t touch your bank account or change how your card works. It’s still your card, so the same protections apply:

• If a fraudulent charge slips through, you report it to your bank or credit union, the same way you would any mystery charge on your statement.
• You dispute it, they investigate it, and federal law limits how much of an unauthorized card charge you can be stuck with, especially if you report it quickly.
• Paze can’t see your account activity, so your bank, not Paze, is who you call. Use the number on the back of your card.

What Paze Can’t Do for You

Paze protects your card number, but it can’t protect you from a scammer in a persuasive mood:

• It won’t stop a phishing scam if you hand your login to a fake email.
• It won’t catch a counterfeit website dressed up to look like your favorite store.
• It can’t stop someone who talks you into reading them your one-time code.

That last one matters. Paze will never call, text or email you asking for your code, and it doesn’t run a customer service line of its own. If someone claiming to be from Paze calls about a problem with your wallet, hang up and call the number on the back of your card. Here’s more on telling whether a bank fraud alert is real or a scam.

The rest is still your job, and a little healthy suspicion and a few safe online shopping tips for seniors go a long way. And since Paze recognizes you by your email address and phone number, having a secure, private email account you can trust matters more than ever.

So what’s the verdict? For people who already bank online, Paze is as safe as your bank, because it comes from your bank.

How to Opt Out of Paze

To opt out of Paze completely, go to paze.com/optout. It takes a couple of minutes:

1. Go to paze.com/optout in your web browser. It opens Paze’s wallet management site.
2. Paze asks you to confirm who you are with a one-time code, sent by text message or email.
3. Enter the code and confirm that you want to opt out.

Here’s what opting out does, according to Paze and the banks that offer it:

• It deletes your card details from your Paze wallet.
• It stops any bank or credit union from adding your cards to Paze again, now or in the future.
• It covers every participating bank at once, so you don’t have to opt out bank by bank.
• Paze keeps some personal information, including the fact that you opted out, to prevent fraud and to honor your request.

You can only opt out once your bank has added at least one of your cards. You can also opt out from the Paze window that appears at a store’s checkout, or ask your bank to keep your cards out of Paze. Paze says replying STOP to one of its text messages also turns off the service, but the opt-out page is the cleaner route.

How to Remove One Card From Paze

If you like Paze but don’t want a particular card in it, you can remove just that one:

• In your bank’s app or website. Look for a section called something like Digital Wallets or Paze. In the Chase Mobile app, for example, it’s under Digital Wallets, then Paze. Wells Fargo keeps it in the digital wallet section of its app.
• At mywallet.paze.com. Sign in with your email address or phone number and a one-time code, then remove the card from your wallet.
• By phone. Call the number on the back of the card and ask the bank to take it out of Paze.

Keeping a credit card in Paze and leaving your debit card out is a sensible middle ground. If a credit card is misused, it’s the bank’s money on the line while it investigates; with a debit card, it’s yours. Our guide to debit vs. credit card safety explains why.

How to Set up and Use Paze, Step by Step

The good news about setting up Paze is that there’s barely any setting up to do. Your bank has usually done the heavy lifting already. It’s a bit like discovering the fancy coffee maker you already own has a built-in milk frother: the feature was there all along, waiting for you to press the button.

Getting Started

If your bank has added your cards, you just need to activate your wallet once:

1. Open your bank’s app and look for the digital wallet or Paze section, or go to mywallet.paze.com.
2. Choose Paze and review its terms.
3. Confirm it’s you with the one-time code Paze sends to your phone.
4. Check that the cards listed are the ones you want to use, and remove any you don’t.

That’s the whole shebang. No application, no waiting by the mailbox. If a card you expected isn’t there, only eligible cards from participating banks and credit unions can be added, so ask your bank.

Using Paze When You Shop

1. Shop online like you always do and head to checkout.
2. Click the Paze button.
3. Enter your email address or phone number, then the one-time code Paze texts you, or use your passkey.
4. Pick a card, confirm, and you’re done.

No digging your wallet out of your purse. No reciting card numbers out loud while your dog stares at you. If the Paze window doesn’t appear after you click, your browser may be blocking pop-ups for that site.

A Quick Tip

Practice on one small purchase first, something low-stakes you were going to buy anyway. Getting comfortable with the rhythm on a tiny order means you’ll feel like a pro by the time you’re ordering that anniversary gift. A little dry run never hurt anybody.

Paze vs. Apple Pay vs. PayPal: Which Is Better for Seniors?

So how does Paze stack up against the big names it’s competing with? Choosing between them is a little like picking a pair of shoes. They’ll all get you where you’re going, but some fit your particular feet better than others.

• Paze is the newcomer with the shortest sign-up. If your bank offers it, it’s probably ready to go, with no new password. The catch is that it only works on participating websites and apps, not in stores, and plenty of stores don’t take it yet.
• Apple Pay shines if you carry an iPhone. You can tap to pay at the register, and many websites and apps take it too. It’s an Apple-only club, though; Android phones have Google Wallet for the same job.
• PayPal is the seasoned veteran. It works nearly everywhere online and can pay from your bank account as well as a card, but it means creating and remembering yet another account and password.

Who Should Use Paze (and Who Should Skip It)

Paze isn’t a one-size-fits-all hat. It’s worth a try if you already bank online and want a faster checkout with nothing new to sign up for, especially if you do most of your shopping on websites rather than in stores.

But if you already love Apple Pay or PayPal, there’s no sense fixing what isn’t broken. If you’d rather tap your phone at the register, Paze can’t do that. And if you simply don’t want it, opting out takes a couple of minutes. Either way, the choice is yours, not your bank’s. It’s your money and your call, a bit like ordering dessert. Get it only if you actually want it.

Once checkout is handled, the best coupon apps for seniors can help you save a little on whatever you’re buying. For the rest of the safety checklist, start with our online safety guide for seniors.

Questions About Paze

Is Paze Safe to Use?

Paze is safe to use for online shopping. It’s run by a company owned by major U.S. banks, stores never see your real card number, and your card’s normal fraud protection still applies. The bigger risk is impersonation: Paze will never call, text or email you asking for your one-time code, so never share it.

How Do I Opt Out of Paze?

To opt out of Paze, go to paze.com/optout and confirm it’s you with the one-time code Paze sends by text or email. Opting out deletes the cards in your Paze wallet and stops any participating bank from adding them again. You can also ask your bank to keep your cards out of Paze.

Do I Have a Paze Account?

You may have a Paze account without ever signing up, because participating banks add eligible cards automatically and notify you. There’s no separate username or password. Paze recognizes you by the email address or phone number your bank has on file, and you manage your cards at mywallet.paze.com or in your bank’s app.

Can I Use Paze in Stores?

No, Paze doesn’t work in stores. It’s only for checking out on participating websites and apps. For paying at a register, a tap-to-pay card, Apple Pay or Google Wallet does the job. Paze also can’t send money to friends or family; it’s a checkout button, not a payment app like Zelle or Venmo.

What Should I Do About a Charge I Didn’t Make With Paze?

Report a charge you didn’t make with Paze to your bank or credit union right away, using the number on the back of your card. Paze can’t see your account activity, so it doesn’t handle disputes. Your bank treats it like any other unauthorized card charge, with the same fraud protections you already have.