The building society has confirmed the change for customers sending cash to new accounts
15:10, 15 Jan 2026
Nationwide Building Society has announced a major change, confirming that customer will have a new option instead of using a card reader.
Typically, customers need to use a card reader when sending money to new accounts, but now they will be able to take a selfie instead.
This selfie would be used to verify the identity of the account holder and ensure the details are correct and not being used by unknown entities.
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In order to do this, customers need to log into their accounts and go to their profile and settings.
From there, they can click 'remove the card reader' and follow the next steps.
The card reader will need to be used one final time in order to verify the change.
Nationwide emphasised that this is a wholly optional verification procedure and if individuals wish to continue to use a card reader, they can.
A Nationwide spokesperson said: “Last year we introduced selfie authentication for app users to provide a secure and seamless banking experience.
“For those who want this and pass the checks, this means app users won’t need to use a card reader if they don’t want to.”
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