We work hard to make your child’s online payments as secure as possible. So we’re making some updates to give you and your child some extra protection. This means we can be certain that it’s your child making a payment, and not someone else. For this reason, your child may be asked to verify their online card payments more often, using a one-time passcode (OTP) that’s sent to their registered phone number.
What is 3D Secure?
3D Secure is an extra security feature of your child’s GoHenry card, which helps to keep their money safe when shopping online.
If you shop online, you’re probably already familiar with 3D Secure (also known as Strong Customer Authentication, or SCA). This is the VISA Secure screen which sometimes pops up during the checkout process, asking you to verify your transaction by entering a one-time code that has been sent to your phone by text.
You’ll know it’s a genuine message from GoHenry if it arrives just after you or your child have entered their card details to make a payment online, and it contains the last four digits of your child’s card number.
How does 3D Secure work?
When your child makes an online transaction that requires 3D Secure, they’ll be brought to the Visa Secure screen, where they’ll be asked to enter a one-time code sent to their phone. If they don’t have a phone of their own, we can send this passcode to your phone or the number we have listed on the child GoHenry account. The passcode will only be valid for 10 minutes. Once it has been entered correctly, the payment will be processed as usual.
What do I need to do now?
The good news is that we’ve done all the hard work for you, and 3D Secure verification will happen automatically! All you need to do is talk to your child about 3DS, so they know what to expect and they're not confused when they see the Visa Secure screen. It’s also important to check that we have an up-to-date mobile number for you or your child so we’re able to send the passcode you need to verify your child’s transactions.
Will my child have to verify every transaction with 3D Secure?
By March 2022, online transactions will need to be verified by 3D Secure in order to comply with Payment Services Regulations. As we get closer to this date, you’ll notice that an increasing number of your child’s transactions will require VISA Secure verification. There may be exceptions where a transaction is considered to be low value or very low risk.
Why has my child’s transaction been declined?
If your child doesn’t receive a passcode, fails to enter it, or enters it incorrectly, the transaction may be declined. For this reason, we suggest keeping their phone - or yours - close by and showing them what they need to do for the first couple of times.
As a starting point, please check the following:
- Do we have the correct mobile number for you / your child?
- Did your child enter the passcode within 10 minutes?
- Did your child enter the passcode correctly?
All banks and retailers are busy getting ready to ensure that customers can benefit from this extra layer of security. But if a particular retailer isn’t quite ready for this new process, there may be times when payment could be declined. We’re sure it won’t take long for everyone to catch up but if you have any difficulties, we recommend that you contact the retailer directly to ask if there’s an alternative way that you can pay them.
Don’t forget if you’re not comfortable with your child making payments online, you can turn off online payments in your account settings.
