Secure payment
"Verified by Visa" and "MasterCard SecureCode" enhance the security of online payments. Entering a code or password helps identify or authenticate the buyer as the actual cardholder.
The 3D Secure system is an online payment security system created by the international issuers Visa and MasterCard and implemented in France in 2008. It is an authentication procedure for the cardholder to ensure that they are the one making the payment online. Only "CB" Visa and MasterCard payment cards benefit from this security. The 3D Secure service is not mandatory for online merchants or banks. The system is activated during the first payment on a French 3D Secure-compliant merchant site.
Online Purchases: Secure Your Payments with 3D Secure Validation
When the "Verified by Visa" and "MasterCard SecureCode" logos are displayed on merchant websites, the payment process involves two steps.
Step 1 of Online Purchase:
As with any transaction on a merchant site, in the payment section, you need to enter:
– Your card number,
– Its expiration date,
– The visual cryptogram (3 digits on the back of the card).
Step 2 of Online Purchase:
A new window will then open with your bank's logo. It will redirect you to your bank's website to confirm your identity using their authentication method. In the most common procedure, your bank will send you a one-time code via SMS. Alternatively, you may be asked to enter additional information (such as your date of birth or answer a personal question). Enter the requested information on the input screen. Once your bank confirms the authentication, the payment is authorized, and the transaction is completed.
Different Authentication Methods Offered by Banks
When 3D Secure was launched in France, personal information like the date of birth or address was requested. This was not secure enough as such information is easily available, especially on social networks or through online CV hosting sites.
Banks have implemented new systems based on a one-time code that cannot be reused, even if intercepted by a fraudster. However, authentication methods vary by bank:
• One-time code sent via SMS,
• Combination of one-time codes from an encrypted grid of "Personal Keys,"
• Code provided by an electronic device supplied to the cardholder.
Ensure that the phone number displayed on the 3D Secure identification screen matches your mobile phone number. If you've changed numbers, make sure to update your bank with your new contact information.
Keep your phone handy before starting an online purchase, as the code will be sent to you via SMS.
After three failed attempts to enter the code received by SMS, the current transaction is canceled, and the payment card is blocked for any future use on a 3D Secure merchant site. However, card payments on non-3D Secure sites, in-store purchases, and cash withdrawals remain possible. Contact your bank to unblock the 3D Secure feature on your card.
Credit Card: Why Use the 3D Secure System?
In 2012, 40% of online merchants implemented 3D Secure. 15% of card payments on the internet were made using 3D Secure, representing 30% of the total amount (data from the CB Card Group – June 2012).
The implementation of 3D Secure should help online merchants reduce the amount of unpaid debts due to fraud. In case of a dispute over a transaction by the cardholder, the liability for unpaid amounts due to fraud is transferred to the cardholder's bank, rather than the online merchant.
However, some merchants choose not to use the 3D Secure system due to the risk of reduced sales. Buyers may abandon their purchase during card payment when redirected to a pop-up window, fearing it might be an attempt to intercept their banking information.
However, for consumers making online purchases with a card, this identification system should be a security feature. In the event of card number theft, it should not be possible to use it to make online purchases.
How to Dispute a Remote Payment Made with the 3D Secure System?
If you dispute a payment transaction where the 3D Secure process was used, your bank must provide evidence of this authentication (Article L133-23 of the Monetary and Financial Code). If so, you are presumed to have initiated the transaction. You should file a claim with your bank. Your liability is limited to €150 for transactions made before the claim. Beyond this amount, and after filing the claim, you are no longer liable.
If your bank cannot prove that the 3D Secure procedure was used, you are not liable, as the transaction is deemed "unauthorized." Your bank is required to refund all improperly debited amounts (Article L133-18 of the Monetary and Financial Code).
You must dispute the transaction as soon as possible, and no later than 13 months from the debit date. The dispute period is 70 days, extended to 120 days by some banks, if the disputed transaction, following the theft or loss of your card, was made outside the European Economic Area (European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway).
Beware of Fraudulent "Verified by Visa" Emails
Fraudulent emails, or phishing, with the mention "Verified by Visa" are circulating. Poorly written text in French can be a red flag. Regardless of the reason stated, no one should ever ask for your confidential code. NEVER share your confidential code.
In case of any difficulties, we can also attempt a remote CB payment to immediately validate your order. We do not store any code or validity period... These details are yours.