Verified by Visa — also known as 3-D Secure — validates that the authorized credit card holder is the one actually attempting the purchase. For merchants, the main draw is liability shift protection on the fraudulent transactions it covers.
How it works
- The consumer completes checkout normally
- The system sends an enrollment check to Visa and the card issuer
- If enrolled, the consumer sees a pop-up from their issuing bank
- They enter a password, PIN, or one-time passcode to authenticate
- The issuing bank validates it and returns the result to the merchant
Depending on the issuer and regional mandates, this can require two-factor authentication or a one-time password rather than a static password.
What's required to implement it
You'll need to verify ECI coding, check AVS and enrollment status, obtain CAVV/AVV codes and an XID transaction number, get a digital certificate from Visa (roughly a two-week process), and confirm your acquiring bank supports it.
What's covered
Verified by Visa covers four specific chargeback reason codes: 83 (Fraudulent Transaction CNP), 75 (Cardholder Does Not Recognize Transaction), 23 (Invalid Travel & Entertainment), and 61 (Fraudulent Transaction MO/TO/EC). Procurement cards, recurring billing, split shipments, back-ordered goods, and one-click transactions are excluded, and coverage may not extend to higher-risk verticals like adult content and gaming.