How it works

Enter the world of Internet Authentication

Internet Authentication - is an industry-wide initiative to fight fraud and protect businesses trading over the Internet. It allows Visa card and MasterCard issuers to request their cardholders buying from your website to enter a password online. This will automatically verify their identity and authenticate the card, so you can accept their payment with confidence.

Visa and MasterCard are so confident about the security of the new scheme that, once you're registered and are operating Internet Authentication, you should not suffer losses for fraudulent Visa or MasterCard transactions and occasions when a cardholder denies authorising a payment^**. So Internet Authentication could save you a substantial amount in online chargebacks - as well as the time it may take to carry out long-winded back office manual checks before accepting a Visa or MasterCard payment.

1. A customer browsing on the internet decides to buy from you with a Visa card or MasterCard.
2. Your payment pages, e.g. ePDQ CPI, communicate with the Visa/ MasterCard Directory which then contacts the card issuer.
3. The card issuer confirms whether the customer has registered for Internet Authentication.
4. If the card issuer supports Internet Authentication, 'pop-up' or 'in-line' web window appears on the customer's screen. If not, the transaction proceeds to authorisation at step 7.
5. The card issuer asks for the customer's Internet Authentication password and accepts or rejects it.
6. If the password is correct, the payment process continues (if incorrect, the transaction may be stopped).
7. Your payment software, e.g. ePDQ authorises the payment details and passes them to the acquirers, e.g. Barclaycard Business for settlement.

^** subject to Terms and Conditions