What is SCA?
Strong Customer Authentication - most often referred to as SCA - is the name of the process where you verify an online payment using your banking app or with a OTP (One-Time-Password) sent by SMS message. The purpose of SCA is to protect the end-user when making a payment.
SCA is part of the Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) passed by the European Banking Authority (EBA) back in 2018. The role of SCA in the PSD2 is to protect end-users when making payments.
Who does it impact?
It predominantly impacts European consumers because it is an industry-wide requirement in all European countries. The UK was the last country to fully implement SCA on 14 March 2022. In some other non-European countries, such as Australia and India, it is widely used, but not a requirement.
Who decides if a payment is approved?
We consider there to be 4 stages of approval:
- The approval rules set by Maxer as a company
- The approval rules set by our payment processor Stripe
- The approval rules set by your card issuer
- The approval by a client - when you approve or decline a payment in your banking app
What role does Maxer play?
As a business, we want to accept payments with as little hassle as possible. It's important to us that our clients can make payments securely and quickly. Our billing team strive to make this a reality.
Between June and August 2022, we carried out extensive testing using two payment processors. We found there was a much higher acceptance rate with one payment processor. For this reason, we switched our payment processor to Stripe. Since the switch, there have been far less general issues, but we acknowledge there were some teething problems. We process card payments in 5 different currencies and switching provider was a complex task.
If you encounter any issue with a card payment, please contact our team by support ticket or live chat. We'll be more than happy to help you.
I received an email that my card failed and I don't know why.
If you have received an email notifying you that the card on file has failed, the best solution is normally to remove and re-add the card. In your Maxer client area, please go to Billing -> Payment Methods. Please delete the card from the list and then add it again. If your card issuer requests authorisation, you should see an SCA pop-up window and you can complete the process with your card issuer.
Lastly, go to Billing -> My Invoices and make sure any unpaid invoices are paid.
I've used a card with you before. Why is it being declined now?
There can be several reasons for this:
- Our previous authorisation has expired
- Your card issuer has requested re-authorisation
- Your Maxer client account has switched country or currency
The best solution is normally to remove and re-add the card. In your Maxer client area, please go to Billing -> Payment Methods. Please delete the card from the list and then add it again. If your card issuer requests authorisation, you should see an SCA pop-up window and you can complete the process with your card issuer.
I want to pay by phone
As an online company, we do not have a credit card terminal in our office. All payments are submitted via our secure website. Regretfully, it is not possible to complete SCA over the phone. If you encounter an issue making payment, please contact our billing team by support ticket or live chat. We accept all major cards (VISA, MasterCard, American Express) and don't forget that we also accept payment by PayPal, direct debit and bank transfer.
My card issuer says the problem is with Maxer
Banks will often pass the buck because it's easy to do so. As a company, we strive to make sure our checkout and payment experiences are as smooth as possible. After all, we want your business. Our billing team will work with you to troubleshoot and solve any payment issues. This may involve frustrating, but necessary steps, such as re-authorising your card. We apologise for the inconvenience caused and we hope you'll continue to be a Maxer client for many years to come.
Is the problem with my card issuer?
Your card issuer is 1 of the 4 stages of payment approval (as listed above). It's important to make sure they have up-to-date contact details of you - especially your mobile number - so payment approval is a smooth process.
Is my card issuer too strict?
Every card issuer must follow the same PSD2 regulations when implementing SCA, but the reality is that some card issuers are more strict than others. Each card issuer will have its own set of approval rules, that may depend upon your account status, transaction amount and payment history. Card issuers will argue that all security is for your safety - which is hard to argue with!
