Several years ago, when using my credit card to order stuff for customers, it was commonplace for my credit card provider to occasionally reject a transaction and get in contact with me to ask, "was this really you who ordered from this company that you've ordered from umpteen times before and this transaction wasn't remarkable in any other way?".
Then along came Internet authentication systems that would connect through to your bank and allow you to do various things like confirm with an app interaction or an OTP SMS etc that the transaction is in fact authorised, which AFAIK was the end of the earlier scenario I described.
Today I decided to order 10 or so MP3s from Amazon to do what I call a mix cd (despite the fact that it will only be on my phone). Several MP3s in and Amazon said that the transaction wasn't authorised. I tried going into my order history and go through the 'verify and pay now' option, which was also rejected.
I then got a text from my cc provider saying:
"<cc provider> will text about a payment on your card ending XXXX. Only fraudsters call in person to tell you to reply 'yes' to our text or give them a passcode".
I read that message more than once because the wording is a little odd.
Another text arrived a couple of minutes later:
"Please be aware that you need to respond or we'll decline future card payments. <cc provider> has noticed your <cc provider> card ending in XXXX was used <today's date and time> at Amazon Music for £.99. This payment was declined. If this was you reply YES, otherwise reply NO."
Then along came Internet authentication systems that would connect through to your bank and allow you to do various things like confirm with an app interaction or an OTP SMS etc that the transaction is in fact authorised, which AFAIK was the end of the earlier scenario I described.
Today I decided to order 10 or so MP3s from Amazon to do what I call a mix cd (despite the fact that it will only be on my phone). Several MP3s in and Amazon said that the transaction wasn't authorised. I tried going into my order history and go through the 'verify and pay now' option, which was also rejected.
I then got a text from my cc provider saying:
"<cc provider> will text about a payment on your card ending XXXX. Only fraudsters call in person to tell you to reply 'yes' to our text or give them a passcode".
I read that message more than once because the wording is a little odd.
Another text arrived a couple of minutes later:
"Please be aware that you need to respond or we'll decline future card payments. <cc provider> has noticed your <cc provider> card ending in XXXX was used <today's date and time> at Amazon Music for £.99. This payment was declined. If this was you reply YES, otherwise reply NO."