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Bedier's Bungle

When Google unveiled its mobile wallet last May, payments vice president Osama Bedier accidentally exposed his own card account number to the cameras recording the event. (Image: Bloomberg News)
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Too Much Data

Google Wallet's security came under scrutiny in December for storing sensitive customer data that can be accessed under certain circumstances, such as by a virus or from a phone that has been "rooted" to run unauthorized software. Google fixed some of the issues that prompted this criticism. (Image: ThinkStock)
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Verizon's Bad Reception

Verizon Wireless initially refused to offer Google Wallet on one of its phones, citing possible security issues. Many observers suggested that Verizon was instead trying to protect the carrier-backed payment system, Isis. (Image: Bloomberg News)
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Over the Air

Eavesdroppers are a longstanding consumer fear for wireless payment systems like Google Wallet and contactless cards. A recent demo at a hacker conference showed how card data, stolen wirelessly, can be used to clone a magnetic-stripe card. (Image: ThinkStock)
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PIN Stuck

A flaw was disclosed this month that allows a hacker to determine a Google Wallet user's Personal Identification Number by running a separate app on a phone that has been "rooted" to run unauthorized software. (Image: ThinkStock)
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Prepaid Problem

Google reportedly stopped activating new prepaid accounts for Google Wallet after a user discovered that clearing the Wallet app's stored data can allow access to the account's funds without requiring a PIN. (Image: Bloomberg News)
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Walled Garden

Smartphones are sometimes described as a "walled garden" — they are safe only as long as users don't escape the boundaries manufacturers set up. Google's users are protected from many of its security flaws if they keep their phones locked down instead of rooting them to run risky applications. (Image: ThinkStock)
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