3D Secure (3DS) makes your online card payments more secure by adding an extra layer of authentication to debit and credit card payments. It’s part of the Payment Service Directive (PSD2) which is a European regulation for electronic payment services.. For more information, please read the FCA’s guide to Strong Customer Authentication.
3DS checks are often known by branded names like Visa Secure, Mastercard Identity Check, or American Express SafeKey. All you need to do is complete an additional verification step with your card issuer.
Completing your 3D Secure check
3DS checks are generally quick and easy to complete.
You might be directed to an authentication page on your bank’s website or mobile app and asked to authorise your transaction there. Alternatively, you might get a notification on your mobile phone and be able to authorise there and then.
Reasons for a failed payment and ways to resolve it
You may see a £0.00 or £1.00 (reversible) transaction (known as an ‘active card check’) and get a prompt to approve the payment. If this happens then please approve, it’ll help make sure that all your details are correct ahead of the main car payment.
If your card has been declined or your payment continues to fail, we recommend that you contact your bank / card issuer to verify that the card is able to undergo 3D Secure verification.
When contacting the card issuer, be as specific as possible and use the following information as a guide:
Confirm that you are using your card for an online purchase.
Check if the card or the card issuer is able to undergo the 3DS verification process.
Confirm that online banking is available and activated for your chosen card.
Please be aware, it’s common for people to have pop-up blockers enabled on their device so please check that your pop-up blockers are disabled as they can sometimes hinder the 3DS process. Using incognito mode, a different device, or another browser are other possible alternatives.