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Does approving an online card payment with a code or MitID protect you from fraud?

Read the code before you use it

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Short answer

Partly. If a card payment was not approved with two elements, for example a password and an SMS one-time code, you are not liable for the misuse. The approval does not stop a payment that you approve yourself, and since two-factor approval was introduced, most fraud-related transfers have been approved in this way. So always read the SMS code or approval text, and check the amount and who gets the money, before you approve.

Practical info

Why

  1. Two elements make it harder to use stolen card numbers.
  2. Scammers try to make you approve the payment yourself.
  3. The approval text shows the real amount and shop.

Details

In fake webshops the amount and the shop name often change at the moment you are asked to approve the purchase.

Tip

Stop if the shop name or amount in the approval differs from the checkout page.

What may differ

How you approve a payment, by SMS code, app or MitID, depends on your bank and card.

Common misconception

If a payment asks for a code, the shop must be safe.

What actually happens

A code request only shows that your bank checks you, not that the shop is real.

People also ask

  • Who pays if my card is misused online?
  • How can I tell if a webshop is fake?
  • What is the safest way to pay online?

Sources

This answer is for reference only. Payment rules, limits and fees change, so check the official sources or your bank before you pay.

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