The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has today announced details of a plan for the phased implementation of Strong Customer Authentication.

Responding to the announcement, Eric Leenders, Managing Director of Personal Finance, UK Finance, said:

?Fighting fraud must be a priority for everyone and these new rules will be an important tool in protecting customers, helping keep them safe when they shop online. Today's FCA plan, which supports our proposals for a managed rollout, will help the industry ensure a timely migration to SCA and result in the best outcomes for consumers while effectively balancing both convenience and security.

?The banking and finance industry has worked closely with the FCA, retailer groups and other stakeholders to deliver these required changes in a way that minimises any disruption for consumers and businesses. We want to ensure that the convenience of making an online payment is balanced with these increased security standards.

?We expect that providers will have appropriate solutions in place to allow their customers to authenticate themselves. This could mean your bank or provider using text message, phone call, banking app or card reader to check your identity. Other methods are available and more are being developed that will make it even easier to shop more safely online in the future, including biometric technologies that could allow customers to be identified with something as simple as a thumbprint.

?We would encourage anyone concerned about their ability to verify online payments to speak with their bank or provider, to ensure their contact details are up to date and discuss what alternatives may be available.?

Background

• The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) recently announced an 18-month plan to give the payments and e-commerce industry extra time to implement Strong Customer Authentication (SCA). The plan reflects the recent opinion of the European Banking Authority (EBA) which set out that more time was needed to implement SCA given the complexity of the requirements, a lack of preparedness and the potential for a significant impact on consumers.

• UK Finance has been working with its members to prepare for these changes and ensure they are clearly communicated to customers and retailers. UK Finance's consumer Q&A leaflet on strong customer authentication is available here.

Strong Customer Authentication solutions

• We expect that providers will have appropriate solutions in place to allow their customers to authenticate themselves.
• This could mean your bank or provider using text message, phone call, banking app or card reader to check your identity. If you have a smartphone, you may be able to authenticate using your fingerprint or voice recognition technology.
• Some firms are already bringing in these changes, so some consumers may have recently found they have needed to take an extra step or two when shopping online.
• Other methods are being developed or are in place already that make it even easier to shop more safely online in the future. For example, biometric technologies can allow customers to be identified with something as simple as a thumbprint.

Alternative options

• We would encourage anyone concerned about their ability to verify online payments to speak with their bank or provider, to ensure their contact details are up to date and discuss what alternatives may be available.
• Payment providers are aware of the limitations of some forms of verification, for example those customers with poor sight or that don't have access to a mobile phone.
• We therefore expect that providers will have appropriate solutions in place to allow their customers to authenticate themselves.
• This could mean your bank or provider using a number of verification methods including, for example, a phone call, text, banking app and/or card readers to check your identity.
• Other methods are being developed that will make it even easier to shop more safely online in the future. For example, biometric technologies can allow customers to be identified with something as simple as a thumbprint.