Payment Safety & Security on Amazon.com

You can safely enter your entire card number on Amazon.com via our secure server, which encrypts all submitted information.

Verified by Visa & MasterCard SecureCode

Amazon.com does not currently support the Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode programs. You can still use your Visa or MasterCard card as payment for an order, but you won't be asked to enter your Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode password.

Account Updater

Account Updater is a service in which certain Visa and MasterCard issuers send updated account information to merchants when your card has expired or been reissued. This service is designed to reduce card payment transaction declines, allowing your subscription services to be provided without lapse.

For more information about how to opt-in or out of the Account Updater service, please contact your card's issuing bank.

Troubleshooting Failed Authorizations and Payment Declines

To protect your security and privacy, your bank cannot provide Amazon with information about why your payment was declined. Because of this, you most likely need to contact your bank directly to solve most payment issues.

Amazon Customer Service can help you:

• Verify if you entered your payment information correctly on your order.
• Change the payment method on an open order.

Contact your bank to resolve other payment issues even if:

• You've successfully used the payment method on a previous order.
• Part of your order has already charged and shipped successfully.
• You have funds available in your bank or credit account to cover the order cost.

Here are steps you can take to resolve some known payment issues:

• Contact your bank about payment security policies. Your bank may flag any unexpected activity on your account. This includes first time orders and high value purchases, regardless of the amount of funds available (or credit limit). Your bank may require your verbal authorization to proceed with a transaction.
  
  
• Contact your bank about daily withdrawal or purchase limits. Most banks have limits on how much money can be charged or accessed in a single day. If you exceed this daily amount, your bank may block your account from any further activity regardless of available funds in the account. Your bank may require you to request a higher purchase limit to complete the transaction.
  
  
• Contact your bank about payment authorizations, reserved funds and charges. When you place an order with Amazon, we contact your card's issuing bank to confirm that your credit card has a valid number, and has not been reported as lost or stolen. This is communicated via a full authorization for the amount of the purchase.
  
  If you make changes to your order, cancel items, or a multiple-item order ships in more than one shipment, your card may be authorized for each change and funds may be reserved against your account for each authorization.
  
  Some banks have been known to hold these authorizations for 7-10 business days. If your payment is declining due to lack of available funds, contact your bank to confirm if the reserved funds are authorizations, verify the amount of time they hold authorizations, and request that they remove any extra authorization to free up funds in your account.
  
  
• Verify the payment information entered on your order. Did your billing address change recently or did you get a new card with a new expiration date? If you used a payment method already on Your Account, you may simply need to update some of the information. If you entered a new payment method, make sure you entered the number and other information correctly. Visit the Change Payment Method section of Your Account to update the payment information on an open order.
  
  
• Submit an alternate payment method for your order. If you are unable to resolve the payment issue with your bank in a timely manner, you are always welcome to change the payment method on your order to another card. Visit the Change Payment Method section of Your Account to update the payment information on an open order.
  
• If paying by credit card or a debit card is not an option: Buy Amazon.com Gift Card claim codes with cash from authorized resellers at a store near you.