Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and 3D Secure version 2 (3DS2)

In this article we will explain what Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and 3D Secure version 2 (3DS2) are, and what it means for your online transactions.

What is SCA and 3DS2?

Strong Customer Authentication / 3D Secure v2 is a regulation for authenticating online payments in order to reduce fraud. It is now in full effect across the UK and Republic of Ireland under the second Payment Services Directive (PSD2), and has been seen since 2021 and 2022 respectively. SCA requires that businesses use two independent authentication elements to verify online payments. This must be two of the following three elements:

1. Something only the customer knows. For example, a unique passphrase or identification number that is known only by them.
2. Something that only the customer has or possesses. For example, their mobile device that has been registered with issuing bank or a hardware token that has been issued to them.
3. Something that the customer is. For example, a fingerprint, iris scan or other form of biometric that can uniquely identify them.

The Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) regulation applies to online payments within the European Economic Area (EEA) where the cardholder’s bank and the business’s payment provider are both in the EEA. Card details collected over the phone fall outside the scope of SCA and do not require authentication. This type of payment is sometimes referred to as “Mail Order and Telephone Orders” (MOTO).

What is the link between Ticketsolve, Global Payments and my bank?

The process for online (ECOM/Internet) and phone (MOTO) payments is slightly different. Online payments require an extra layer of authentication, which is where 3DS2 comes in. Phone (MOTO) payments however, do not require 3DS2 authentication.

Online (ECOM/Internet) payments process:

 Notes

A MID, or Merchant ID number, is a 15 digit number that identifies your merchant account and facilitates you to take credit and debit card payments. Your MID is normally provided by your bank, or the company that your bank uses for their merchant / acquiring services.

Box Office phone (MOTO) payments process:

What do I need to do to make sure I am compliant with 3DS2?

If you have been processing online payments successfully since October 2022, you will already be set up for 3DS2 - if you aren't, you would have experienced issues with online payments since 3DS1 was switched off. 

If you have been processing Box Office phone order transactions via the Ticketsolve Box Office (credit card option > Global Payments pop-up window) since October 2022, you will already be set up for MOTO transactions. If you aren't, you would have experienced issues with phone payments since 3DS1 was switched off. 

The following is what you require to successfully process online transactions through Ticketsolve and phone payments at the Ticketsolve Box Office under 3DS2:

1. An ECOM-only Merchant ID number (MID), for online transactions, set up on your internet subaccount with Global Payments, and fully configured for 3DS2.
2. A MOTO-only Merchant ID number (MID), for phone transactions processed through the Ticketsolve Box Office (credit card payment option), set up on your moto subaccount with Global Payments, and not configured for 3DS2.

Please note the above is separate to any external chip & pin devices you may have set up. If you have a chip & pin device, you may be solely using this for Box Office and phone transactions, and therefore do not need to have a MOTO only MID set up.

You can learn more about SCA on the Global Payments SCA help centre.