Shop with confidence and avoid a problematic purchase. You want to know your payments are secure and that you’re protected if a purchase goes wrong, so spend confidently with Visa and follow our simple guidance wherever you pay.
Top tips for paying securely on the high street
Cover your PIN number
Make sure nobody is watching as you type in your PIN number when using a chip and PIN machine. Get into the habit of using your hand to hide the keypad as you type.
Get a receipt
If you need to take an item back to the shop, it will be easier to get a refund if you have a receipt. Ask if the retailer offers email receipts as paper receipts are easier to lose.
Know your rights
It’s disappointing when a purchase doesn’t turn out as planned. Make sure you know what you're entitled to as a consumer and what to do if a purchase goes wrong.
Different ways to pay conveniently and securely in-store with Visa
When you’re out and about, you can choose from lots of ways to pay with Visa.
• Contactless card – up to £100
• Mobile contactless – up to £100 and above
• Chip and PIN
No matter what you’re buying in-store, security comes with every purchase, making shopping fast, simple and safe.
Get answers to frequently asked
questions about paying in-store
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Your Visa contactless card is already secure. The information on your card is protected with secure chip and PIN technology. The data that’s transmitted during transactions is encrypted and protected with a digital signature that’s much harder to copy than a handwritten one. If your card is lost or stolen, you’re protected against unauthorised payments provided you tell your bank as soon as you realise it’s gone. Your card will be blocked immediately.
If your card does fall into the wrong hands, the maximum amount per transaction is £100, and after repeated payments, the person will be asked for a PIN. For payments over £100, authorisation is required, so nobody can make purchases without your PIN. Each time your contactless device interacts with a payments terminal, it generates a one-time-only electronic signature and cryptogram, making it just as secure as a normal chip transaction.
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Both contactless and chip and PIN are secure payment methods that are protected by Visa’s technology, so you can use either with confidence.
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Yes. Using your Visa card for mobile payments is secure. Whether you're using Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, Visa's technology is protecting each payment made with your mobile. Each time your contactless device interacts with a payments terminal, it generates a one-time-only electronic signature and cryptogram, making it just as secure as a normal chip transaction.
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No matter how you pay in-store, with mobile pay on your phone or with a credit card, you're protected by Visa’s technology. When you make mobile contactless payments that use a digital wallet, we use encryption and tokenisation to mask your payment card account numbers, keeping you safe from fraud.
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Whether you choose to pay with your Visa debit or credit card, your payment is always protected by Visa technology. Card encryption and tokenisation designed to prevent fraud mean that your 16-digit card number and personal details are not shared directly with sellers.
If your card is used fraudulently, you are covered by Zero Liability Policy.
If you have a purchase dispute and you’ve paid by Visa debit or credit card, you could use chargeback to get your money back. But you are only covered by section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act if you’ve paid with a credit card.
How does Visa technology keep your
cards safe while you spend?
You have a choice of ways to pay with Visa, so whether you’re using your debit card, credit card or phone, you can rest assured your payment is protected.
Chip and PIN
Chip cards and payment terminals work together. A unique one-time code is generated behind-the-scenes, which is needed for the transaction to be approved, reducing counterfeit fraud.
Contactless
Contactless payments are fast, simple and just as secure as a normal chip transaction. When you tap your card on the terminal, it creates a one-time-only electronic signature and cryptogram. This technology keeps your details secure and stops you from accidentally being charged twice.
Mobile payments
Visa's multilayered security protects every payment you make with your mobile. Each time your contactless device interacts with a payments terminal, it generates a one-time-only electronic signature and cryptogram, making it just as safe as a normal chip transaction.
Pay with your favourite digital wallet
Are you an Apple Pay person? Or perhaps you’ve picked Google Pay? No matter which digital wallets and wearable technologies you prefer, Visa makes payments instant, secure and worry-free.
Apple Pay
You can use your Visa card to make purchases in-store using your Apple Watch, iPad or iPhone (6 or later) at more than 1 million shops, including select store apps.
Google Pay™
Google Pay lets you use popular mobile devices with Android 4.4 or above and NFC, to pay with your Visa card at hundreds of thousands of stores or to make in-app purchases.
Samsung Pay
Samsung Pay is a simple and secure way to make mobile payments in-store and it’s accepted almost everywhere† you can tap a contactless bankcard.