3D Secure: protecting your online payments

What is 3D Secure?

3D Secure is a technology that provides additional protection and confirmation for online payments made with a bank card. It allows you to identify the cardholder by their card number and an additional code that the bank sends to the customer's mobile phone. Today, this technology is used by major payment systems such as Visa. Their logos can be seen on websites that use this security option.

How does it work?

When paying for a service or making a purchase online, the card number and expiry date, the cardholder's name and the CVV/CVC2 code are requested. Ideally, only the cardholder should know this information, but if you don't follow the security rules, it can be shared with others who can use it for personal gain and spend your money.

3D Secure is designed to prevent this from happening - it adds an extra step to the payment process and sends an SMS message with a secret code to the cardholder's mobile phone. The code must be entered into a special form on the website after the payment details, and only then will the bank authorise the withdrawal of funds from the account.

How do I activate 3D Secure?

The service is free and most banks activate it automatically. You can check its availability and activate it if necessary by calling your bank or using an ATM. You cannot refuse to activate the option - this would be against the rules of payment systems.

Additional recommendations:

• Inform your bank of any change in your telephone number so that it can redirect SMS with payment confirmation codes to your new number;
  
  
• Do not make purchases or pay for other services on websites that do not use 3D Secure technology. You will definitely see the label or logo on sites that support this option;
  
  
• Do not share your verification codes with anyone. Fraudsters who decide to use your card details will usually call to get the code from a text message. They usually introduce themselves as bank employees. Don't fall for their tricks - only you can use this code on the official payment confirmation page.
  
  
• Do not save your card details in your browser.