The Bank of Portugal (Banco de Portugal) advised consumers never to hand payment cards to staff when paying in shops or restaurants. The central bank stated that merchants must configure payment terminals so that customers insert cards and enter security PINs themselves. The guidance aims to prevent fraud and reduce unauthorized transactions during in-person purchases.
Central Bank Advises Consumers to Retain Cards During Payments
Friday, 9 October 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
- Governor of Banco de Portugal (2020–present)
- Former: Minister of Finance (2015–2020), President of the Eurogroup (2018–2020)
- Party: Independent (PS-affiliated)
- Background: Economist (PhD, Harvard)
Mário José Gomes de Freitas Centeno (born 1966) is Portugal's central bank governor and one of the country's most internationally recognized economic figures. As Finance Minister under António Costa's first PS government, he became known as "Cristiano Ronaldo of European finance" for turning Portugal's deficit into a surplus while reversing austerity.
He was elected president of the Eurogroup (the informal body of euro area finance ministers) in 2018 — the first Portuguese to hold the role. Since becoming Governor of Banco de Portugal in 2020, he sits on the ECB's Governing Council and oversees Portuguese banking supervision and financial stability.
