Visa and MasterCard have developed authenticated payment capabilities to improve online transaction security. By creating a virtual signature in the form of a password chosen by you when you sign up, Visa and MasterCard hopes to provide a safer online commerce experience for Cardholders.

Verified By Visa and MasterCard SecureCode enable two parties (card holder and card issuer) to authenticate each other by exchanging digital certificates (electronic identifications) before proceeding with an online transaction, assuring the Cardholder that he is dealing with a legitimate merchant and providing the merchant with proof of participation of the real Cardholder. This gives both parties the confidence to proceed and creates a digitally signed record of the transaction that can be verified afterwards.

Get more detailed information about the Verified by Visa program. You can also directly activate your credit card for Verified by Visa online. For Master Card SecureCode, find out more about this verification process on the Master Card SecureCode page.