CONTACTLESS card fraud has doubled in the past year – and The Sun on Sunday can reveal just how easy it is to fall victim while you shop.

Our investigation found that a widely available app allows thieves to clone tap-and-go credit and debit cards in just ONE SECOND by pressing up against shoppers.

The software turns a mobile phone or tablet into a scanner, meaning a crook can spend your money without reaching into your pocket.

Our reporter tried the app on a busy high street and cloned a credit card we gave to our test “victim” with a simple swipe of a hand.

Andre Kay, security expert at tech company VoyagerBlue, said: “If your debit or credit card is compromised in this way the implications can be terrifying.

“A fraudster can go online shopping with your money. They can also go to popular travel websites and book a luxury holiday that you or your bank will have to pay for.
This app, that we are not naming, is available for Androids and is legal

“The fact it is so easy to copy a contactless card is a huge concern.”

The app — which we are not naming — can be downloaded to Android devices such as a Samsung tablet or phone through the Google Play store.

It is not available on Apple devices, as the tech giant requires companies to be certified. Google Play is an open platform where any developer can release an app, meaning it is easier to abuse.

Once installed, you simply place the gadget close to someone carrying a contactless card and their long card number and expiry date appear on the screen.

Our reporter copied a card, which was in our model’s pocket, at a number of locations across London, including an ATM, a supermarket, the Tube and by her car.

The app could not penetrate a handbag as it requires closer proximity to the contactless chip to clone it. It does not copy the CVV — the three-digit security code on the back — but some websites, including Amazon, do not ask for this when you buy online.

The long card number and expiry date can also be sold on the dark web to other thieves for as little as £5 a time.

The findings are frightening at a time when contactless — which allows you to make purchases up to £30 without a PIN or signature — is so popular.

The number of such cards has doubled in the past three years, from 59million in 2015 to 119million by the end of 2017. Shoppers spent £52billion using contactless in the past 12 months.

In the same period around £14million was stolen — up from £6.9million the year before — and experts fear the real figure could be much higher.

Richard Emery, of security company 4Keys, said: “For now, the banks are absorbing most of the cost of contactless fraud and paying people back when money is stolen.

“They want people to switch from cash to contactless, so are accepting a certain loss. But we don’t know how long that will continue.

“How at risk you are depends on your lifestyle. If you spend most of your time going for solitary walks in the countryside you don’t have to worry much about contactless fraud.

"But if you live in busy environments or go clubbing with your credit card stuffed in your back pocket, you might want to consider getting a protected wallet to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.”

Most contactless fraud takes place when the owner has been separated from their card, either through losing it or because it was stolen.

But banks admit that even after a card is cancelled, they cannot immediately stop other people from using it.

This is because a contactless transaction is so fast there is not time for the retailer to check the “stop list” that would normally flag up security issues.

A further concern is the contactless payment terminals that can be bought on online auction sites for as little as £20.

There was speculation these could be used to defraud shoppers, however the people using the card readers to take payments are required to join an online tracking system that shows who received the money.

Experts believe this is stable enough to block any attempt to steal.

John Cannon, of Callcredit Fraud and Identity, added: “Anyone worried about becoming a victim of contactless credit card fraud should ask the bank for a normal credit or debit card instead.”

An Amazon spokesman said its fraud detection and prevention methods “provide comprehensive layers of protection beyond the use of CVV codes to safeguard our customers, which make Amazon a safe place to shop online”.