Is your smart phone safer than a credit card?  You can get banking apps and bill paying apps and apps that in some cases will let you make a purchase at selected retailers.  So how does that stack up to using a credit card or debit card?  “The great news about using your smart phone and certainly if you do lose it is that it’s going to ask you for a password of a pin number before any purchases can be made so there is that extra security buffer.”  The Better Business Bureau’s Erin Duffner says unless a store is checking id’s for card purchases a stolen card can be used quickly by the thief.  She says you should make sure it’s a legitimate app from a legitimate company before you start typing in your banking information.