Cash and checks are not the easiest ways to pay for things.
Mobile payment services promise to make your life easier: no more dealing with exact change, coins, and paper checks (which have to be deposited, and which display sensitive information). Many are free, and they may be faster than using credit or debit cards.
What happens when something goes wrong -- if there's an error or if somebody uses your account fraudulently? It depends. You're probably already familiar with debit and credit card errors; in most cases you can just call the bank and everything gets taken care of. Mobile payment services may not offer the same consumer protections.
Consumer reports notes that your best bet is to use a new-school payment service tied to a credit card. The credit card's consumer protections will still be in place if your payment service won't help you out. [via Payments News]