Using your phone camera for card payments

US start-up Flint has unveiled an app that lets merchants accept payments by snapping a picture of the card with their iPhone camera.

Unlike PayPal Here or Square, Flint’s app does not require users to attach a card reader to their mobile. Instead, merchants use their phones' cameras to scan customer card numbers and then manually enter the verification details.

The Flint app (currently only available as an invite only beta) automatically sends an authorization request through its PCI compliant payment gateway partner. No card data or images are stored on the phone.

The firm is also pushing its social marketing tools, which allow merchants to customize receipts with loyalty offers and customers to post reviews and recommendations about businesses to Facebook pages.