Authentication

Authentication is the process of ensuring that both the card and cardholder are genuine, before a payment transaction is completed.

Affiliate Member

Affiliate member is a type of MasterCard or Visa member that participates indirectly through an association member or a principal member in the activities of this corporation (for example, by issuing MasterCard or Visa cards or by accepting transaction records from merchants).

Account Data Compromise Event

Account data compromise event is an event in which account data may have been compromised that could lead to unauthorized use of the cardholder's account. An account data compromise event does not mean that account data was wrongfully disclosed or used, but that account data may have been wrongfully disclosed or used.

Voice Authorization Center

Voice authorization center is an operator-staffed center that handles telephone authorization requests from merchants who do not have electronic point of sale (POS) terminals or whose electronic terminals are temporarily not working, or for transactions where special assistance is required. Voice authorization centers also handle manual authorization requests and Code 10 calls.

Voice Authorization

Voice authorization is an authorization obtained by calling a voice authorization center.

VisaNet Processor

VisaNet processor is a processor directly connected to VisaNet. See also: Processor.

Visa ReaderCleaner

Visa ReaderCleaner is a specially treated card that effectively removes dirt, magnetic oxides, and other contaminants from concealed magnetic heads in Point of Sale (POS) terminals. The heads should be kept clean so that Visa cards can be swiped and their magnetic stripes read quickly and easily, thus avoiding key-entered transactions.

Verified by Visa

Verified by Visa is a Visa payment authentication system that validates a cardholder's ownership of an account in real-time during an online payment transaction. When the cardholder clicks "Buy" at the checkout page of a participating merchant website, a Verified by Visa screen automatically appears in the cardholder's browser. The cardholder enters a password that allows the card issuer to verify his or her identity.

Unsigned Card

Unsigned card is a seemingly valid payment card that has not been signed by the legitimate cardholder. Merchants cannot accept an unsigned card until the cardholder has signed it. As an additional fraud prevention measure in a card-present environment, the signature should be checked against a valid government identification, such as a driver's license or a passport.

Transaction

Transaction is the act between a cardholder and merchant that results in the sale of goods or services.