SCA | Security | Mastercard

The need for better security when buying online is greater than ever. That’s why banks and retailers are introducing some changes to make your authentication options smarter, and paying online even safer.

You may have noticed that sometimes you’re being asked for more information at checkout, such as a fingerprint or selfie. This is two-factor authentication at work.

What do I need to do to be ready?

You don’t need to do anything – your bank is working with Mastercard to get everything in place.

What will I need to do differently?

When buying online, your bank will require two-factor authentication to confirm who you are at checkout.

What is two-factor authentication?

Also known as Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), two-factor authentication means you have to give two pieces of information to confirm who you are when buying online. This information may fall under the following categories:

To make it even easier, some payments are exempt and you won’t be asked to provide extra information when you check out. For example, you won’t be asked for two-factor authentication for transactions under €30, recurring payments, and payments to the retailers you use most often.

Why am I being asked for two pieces of information?

It’s due to new regulations that come into effect on 31st December 2020. Introduced by the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2), these new regulations are designed to keep your information safe, reduce fraud and make shopping online even more secure.

How is Mastercard helping me with SCA?

We’re using the latest technology to make these changes happen as smoothly as possible, giving you a reliable experience and peace of mind when you shop online. We’re making it easier for you to provide better authentication information at checkout, letting you pay faster while keeping you safe.

Mastercard SecureCode^® gives you an extra layer of security to use when paying with your Mastercard debit or credit card.

This may be something like a single-use code sent to your mobile, or something else decided by your bank.

Already over a million retailers in 122 locations accept SecureCode, as shown by the logo on their website.

Mastercard^® Identity Check^™ streamlines payments without sacrificing security using the latest authentication standard – EMV 3DS 2.0.

EMV 3DS 2.0 lets you pay with a fingerprint or selfie on your phone, meaning you don’t need to remember multiple passwords.

It works across digital devices for one-off or recurring payments, and with digital wallets and tokenisation (replacing your confidential information with a ‘token’).