E-commerce payments with credit cards have powerfully increased in recent years. This is due in no small part to the enhanced security of the transmission of card data being used today.

To be able to profit as a cardholder when purchasing goods and services on the Internet and when paying with your MasterCard or VISA, you must be registered at your card-issuing bank for the security programs MasterCard SecureCode and/or Verified by VISA.

Personal password and individual security message
After the registration you receive a personal password from your bank, which is known only to you. At the same time, you register a personal, freely stated security message.

When you then pay for a purchase in an online shop, you enter your MasterCard or VISA card number as usual into your computer. If your shop supports MasterCard SecureCode or Verified by VISA, a pop-up window to your bank then appears. With your personal security message you can check whether the window also really is from your bank.

Password matches signature
You then enter your personal password in your bank's pop-up window, which matches the provision of your signature with paying on location. If you do not enter the password, the payment will not be accepted (see also the page “How SEC functions"). Credit card thieves can copy or steal your card data, however, not your password. This effectively protects your credit card from misuse. Even if your credit card is stolen, the criminal is thereby unable to make any purchases over the Internet.