The e-credit card is a safer way to pay for online purchases. How does it work? Which banks offer it? How to get it? Characteristics, use, cost… here is everything you need to know about this new banking service which protects its users’ banking data.
© Drobot Dean
– A service to secure your online purchases
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What is an e-credit card?
The e-carte bleue is a banking service offered by several banks in France. Combined with a physical credit card, it makes it possible to secure online transactions and avoid attempted fraudulent transactions. This new service offers more protection when making payments on the Internet than a traditional bank card. Extension of the real map, it offers the same management rules, insurance and guarantees.
How does the e-credit card online payment service work?
Regardless of the bank that offers the e-credit card service, its operation is essentially identical. The customer connects to their bank’s website or a dedicated application and receives temporary bank card numbers (card number, expiration date, visual cryptogram). Single-use, they allow you to pay for online purchases. The credit card becomes unusable once the transaction has been completed. To make a new online purchase, you must repeat the procedure for requesting a new temporary number.
How to find your bank card code?
Which banks offer the e-credit card?
In France, several banks such as Caisse d’Épargne, Banque Postale and Société Générale offer the e-carte bleue to their customers.
Savings bank
With its e-Carte bleue service, Caisse d’Épargne is one of the banks committed to securing online transactions. It is accessible to bank customers who request it by subscribing to the appropriate offer.
The Postal Bank
Another bank to offer the e-card, La Banque Postale provides the same service as its competitor to customers holding one of these bank cards: Réalys, Visa Classic, Visa Premier, Visa Platinium, Visa Infinite. They can use it by connecting via the mobile access of the online banking area, then by going to the “cards” tab. The e-credit card service is subject to an annual fee.
Société Générale
Société Générale offers an e-card option, comparable to that of the Caisse d’Épargne and the Banque Postale. Available from a dedicated application, it costs 12 euros per year.
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How to activate the e-credit card option on your bank card to make a payment online?
To use the e-credit card service, simply:
- to have subscribed to the service with their bank;
- to connect to the nomadic version of the e-Carte Bleue service from any medium (computer, tablet, smartphone);
- enter the maximum amount of the card and the desired validity period;
- to copy and paste the generated e-number to pay online.
How much does a single-use virtual card cost?
The cost of the e-card, or single-use digital bank card, varies depending on the banks that offer it, and according to the type of bank card to which the service is attached. At Société Générale, holders of a Visa Infinite bank card can, for example, benefit from the free e-Carte Bleue option, while other customers will have to pay an annual fee of 12 euros.
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What are the insurance and guarantees of the e-credit card?
Except for specific contractual provisions, the insurance and guarantees of the e-credit card are the same as those associated with a physical bank card. In other words, when making purchases with their e-credit card, the customer benefits from the same insurance conditions and guarantees as when making a purchase with their traditional credit card.
What are the advantages of paying with a credit e-card?
More security, more simplicity: this is the promise of payments with a credit e-card. This service proves to be an effective solution to the risk of bank card fraud. Single-use numbers eliminate the need to enter your bank card information when paying online. The e-Carte Bleue service is also often associated with delivery insurance. Purchases made via the e-credit card are thus covered in the event of non-delivery or non-compliant delivery.
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What are the differences between a virtual bank card and an e-credit card?
The virtual equivalent of a classic bank card (CB)
The virtual bank card and the e-credit card are two separate cards. The first designates the digital (virtual) version of a classic bank card. Instead of being physically present in the wallet, the virtual bank card is stored on the phone. It can be used in the same way as a traditional bank card for online payments and for in-store payments (subject to respecting the conditions of contactless payment).
Ephemeral numbers to pay online
The e-credit card is more of a service rather than a real bank card with the provision of a unique number for each transaction.
What should I do if my bank does not offer the e-credit card?
3D Secure protection system
Individuals whose bank does not offer the e-credit card can benefit from other services which guarantee the security of their online transactions. The 3D Secure protection system, which requires identification for each online purchase via a single-use code, is now widely used.
Dynamic cryptogram card system
Even more secure, the dynamic cryptogram card system is spreading among different banking establishments. This payment card is equipped with technology that allows the security code (cryptogram) to be changed regularly.
As a reminder, it is always advisable to favor recognized sites and to ensure the security of the payment interface (presence of “https” in the URL of the Internet page and/or display of the small padlock symbol in the navigation bar) during each online transaction.
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