Card not present
Also called CNP, online payment, MOTO
A card not present transaction is one where the card is not physically used, such as an online checkout, a payment link or a card number taken over the phone. These payments cost more to process and carry higher fraud liability for the merchant.
Without the chip or the device, the issuer has weaker proof the genuine cardholder authorised the payment.
Strong Customer Authentication under the UK’s payment services rules requires most online payments to be verified by the customer’s bank, typically through a banking app prompt.
In a fraud dispute on an unauthenticated card not present payment, the merchant usually carries the loss.
Why it matters to you
Taking card numbers over the phone is the most expensive and most exposed way to get paid. Sending a payment link costs less and shifts the fraud risk.
Work out what you’re actually paying.
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