Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that processes a financial transaction involving a portable device and a transaction server. During operation, the system obtains transaction data associated with the financial transaction that includes a transaction amount, credit card information, and an image of a credit card. The system then sends the transaction data to the transaction server using the portable device. Next, the system verifies a card-present transaction using the transaction data and determines a validity of the transaction data. If the transaction data is valid, the transaction server processes the financial transaction and sends an authorization code confirming the financial transaction to the portable device.