From cardholders

• How does SECURE E-COMMERCE function?
• How does SECURE E-COMMERCE protect me as a cardholder?
• Is SECURE E-COMMERCE easy to use?
• How do I recognize whether an online shop supports MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by VISA?
• How do I use my SECURE E-COMMERCE password?
• How does SECURE E-COMMERCE protect my online purchase?
• How does an online shop recognize whether my card is registered for SECURE E-COMMERCE?
• Is it still possible to shop at online shops that do not support SECURE E-COMMERCE?
• Can SECURE E-COMMERCE transaction be made at online shops worldwide?
• What does SECURE E-COMMERCE require of systems?
• Do I need a new credit or debit card to use this service?
• Can I also pay on the Internet with my Maestro card?
• When paying on my PC, a pop-window appears in which my bank prompts me to register. Is this a phishing attack?

• How does SECURE E-COMMERCE function?
  You receive a personal password from your card-issuing bank. Moreover, you register an individually stated security message. When shopping in an online shop that supports MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by VISA, you will be unambiguously identified as the cardholder through your password.

• How does SECURE E-COMMERCE protect me as a cardholder?
  The personal password corresponds to your signature when paying on location. As soon as you have registered as a cardholder, an Internet shop which supports SECURE E-COMMERCE will no longer accept your payment with MasterCard or VISA without a password. This effectively protects your credit card from misuse should it be stolen.

• Is SECURE E-COMMERCE easy to use?
  Yes. If you wish to pay with your credit card in an online ship that supports MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by VISA, a pop-up window automatically appears in which you must confirm your purchase with your personal password. You do not need separate software to do this.

• How do I recognize whether an online shop supports MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by VISA?
  The MasterCard SecureCode and Verified by VISA logos can be clearly seen on the payment page (check-out) of the online shops that support SECURE E-COMMERCE.
  

• How do I use my SECURE E-COMMERCE password?
  If you make an online purchase, a pop-up window from your card-issuing bank will automatically open requesting your card number and password. Only if you enter both correctly will the payment process be completed successfully. Please also check your bank’s security message.

• How does SECURE E-COMMERCE protect my online purchase?
  During the online verification of your card number and your personal password a one-time digital signature is generated. This enables the unambiguous identification of all participants in the transaction: the cardholder, online shop and card-issuing bank. In addition, every transaction can be traced back to its point of origin based on the signature.

• How does an online shop recognize whether my card is registered for SECURE E-COMMERCE?
  Every online shop that supports MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by VISA is directly connected with a central registry. All card numbers are registered there. When you then identify yourself when paying with your personal password, your information is compared with this registry. For reasons of data protection, your personal password is transmitted over a secure SSL connection directly to your bank, so that is never seen by the operator of the online shop.

• Is it still possible to shop at online shops that do not support SECURE E-COMMERCE?
  Yes. However, you do not profit from the stated advantages of a secure online transaction because you are unable to enter a password to protect your card.

• Can SECURE E-COMMERCE transaction be made at online shops worldwide?
  Yes. MasterCard SecureCode and Verified by VISA are international standardized processes that make online transactions safe around the world.

• What does SECURE E-COMMERCE require of systems?
  MasterCard SecureCode and Verified by VISA function with most known Internet browsers. Make sure that you have configured your software so that it enables pop-up windows.

• Do I need a new credit or debit card to use this service?
  No. You can continue using your present credit or debit card as accustomed. You need only register one time with your card-issuing bank for this new service in order to get personal password.

• Can I also pay on the Internet with my Maestro card?
  Certain online shops offer the acceptance of payments with the Maestro card. Whether or not you can use your Maestro card on the Internet is decided by the bank that has issued your card. For the time being, Swiss banks are not offering this service. Therefore, only certain foreign Maestro cardholder can shop on the Internet with their Maestro card.

• When paying on my PC, a pop-window appears in which my bank prompts me to register. Is this a phishing attack?
  After the cardholder has filled in the merchant’s payment page, the merchant’s payment software attempts to contact the issuer for the purpose of authenticating the cardholder electronically. If you are not yet registered for MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by Visa, then under these circumstances, certain issuers will take this opportunity to open one or two windows to convince the cardholder to register during the payment process (activation during shopping).
  
  Click for a demonstration of the Verified by Visa registration process.