Online+security+system


 * Online security system **


 * Are Online security systems causing you confusion?**

Visa and Mastercard have both developed security systems to help stop fraud when using their cards to shop online, allowing consumers and suppliers to check the other is legitimate before completing an online transaction by using a ‘virtual signature’.

The system was introduced to make buying goods on the web safer, and when it is more established this will hopefully be the case, but at the moment as most people have not heard of the scheme, some people have been worried that it’s a scam.

The problem is that when you shop with one of the participating retailers a new window pops up asking you to enter a password and setup an account for your credit card. As pop ups can be annoying, or even worse potentially fraudulent, this makes it hard to tell the good pop ups from the bad, and in this case to tell if it is authentic or not.


 * What should happen, if it is authentic.**

You will usually get a pop up box asking you to sign up to the scheme after you have entered your credit card details to pay. You will also get an option to skip the process to sign up at a later date (although maybe only for 2 or 3 times before it forces you to sign up straight away) and if you are at all unsure if the pop up screen is legitimate you should do this and sign up via your banks website.


 * How do I sign up?**

You can sign up (it free) for either service when you get the initial pop up or directly with the bank or provider of your card. All the big banks and most of the building societies are now part of both schemes.

To register all you need to do is select a password and personal message for each of your visa cards.

Each time you buy from a participating retailer you will then need to confirm this information during your online purchase.

The retailer’s website will display your personal message to tell you that your card issuer is asking for your password, which you then enter to complete the purchase.

To register you need to create your own private SecureCode for each of your Mastercard cards.

You will then be asked to confirm this code during a purchase at a participating online retailer to confirm that you are the authorized cardholder.


 * Will shopping online be any different?**

All it means is that, once you have registered, whenever you buy something from a participation retailer you will be asked to verify your credit or debit card before you pay for the goods.

Over the past few months more and more retailers, such as Tesco and BA, are starting to use the system so if you shop online it is more likely you will be asked to sign up, and the list of retailers is growing all the time.

Once signed up, your card will work in exactly the same way but there are extra levels of security. Once you have selected your item and entered in your card details the retailer will look to see if you are using Visa or Mastercard and you will be asked to confirm the payment. Simple.


 * What else do I need to know?**

Software which prevents pop-up windows may interfere with both systems so you may need to turn these off when buying from participating retailers.

There is no limit on how many cards you can register with each system and you only need to sign up each card once.