In India, four types of Debit Cards are issued by banks - VISA, VISA Electron, MasterCard and Maestro.</p>
<p>Here is the information which is always written on a Debit Card:</p>
<p>1) Your name.
2) Expiration month and year.
3) 3 Digit CVV code which is again a number.</p>
<p>The above three, alongwith your address are used to authorise your transaction. RBI thought this wasn’t enough. In some European countries and India, you need to register your Visa and MasterCard Debit Card online in your bank’s portal and create a “password” for it.</p>
<p>For Visa, this password is called ‘Verified by Visa.’
For MasterCard, this password is called ‘3D SecureCode.’</p>
<p>(I’ll be using VbV and 3DSC to refer them.)</p>
<p>RBI made it mandatory that all transactions to Indian merchants require to be authorised via VbV/3DSC. This means, to shop online on Indian stores, you need to get your card registered on VbV/3DSC.</p>
<p>So, whenever you shop on an Indian website like Flipkart, eBay.in, PayTM et cetera… after entering your card details (usually address as well), you’re taken to your bank’s authorisation gateway where you enter your VbV/3DSC. After entering the correct VbV/3DSC for your card, your transction is authorised and you are taken back to the merchant’s page.</p>
<p>In simple words, for transactions on Indian stores, there are two steps:</p>
<p>1) Entering your card details on merchant’s website…
then being taken to another page for
2) Authorisation via entering VbV/3DSC on your Bank’s page.
and then
====> Coming back to the merchant’s website.</p>
<p>Now it’s time to talk about International merchants like Steam, Google Play Store, iTunes/Apple, Paypal et cetera. These are International stores, more specifically, American. This VbV/3DSC ■■■■ is only mandatory in India and some European countries. And sites like Steam, Play Store, iTunes, Paypal don’t use VbV/3DSC.</p>
<p>95% Indian Debit Cards WILL NOT work on the above stores. Why?</p>
<p>Because when you enter your details on, let’s say Steam… your bank keeps on requesting for VbV/3DSC behind the scenes. And Steam knows nothing about it. So, the transaction fails - because your bank does not approve it.</p>
<p>But there is always a way out. Infact it’s a very easy way.</p>
<p>Here is what banks should do/Here is how it should be:</p>
<p>1) On an Indian merchant, ask for VbV/3DSC to complete the transaction.
2) On an International merchant, DON’T ask for VbV/3DSC to complete transaction.</p>
<p>This is EXACTLY what happens for every Indian Credit Card. Indian Credit Cards work everywhere. Steam, iTunes, Paypal - everywhere. And also ask for VbV/3DSC on desi merchants.</p>
<p>But Debit Cards don’t work. Because banks don’t have the correct implementation. (aside for few) So, basically - even if your lol Debit Card has “International” stamped on it, it only means it will work on foreign ATMs to withdraw money. Don’t be happy that “it will work everywhere, even websites. IT IS INTERNATIONAL.” It won’t work unless your bank has its implentation sorted. May be they will work on some non-VbV/3DSC merchants but consider those as abberrations.</p>
<p>Next, which all banks work. I can only whitelist Axis Bank. I’ve got Visa Debit Card from Axis Bank. It works everywhere - on Flipkart and Steam. No problems. Axis Bank has the right implementation. (Won’t work on Google Play anymore since INR transactions have been implemented.)</p>
<p>I’ve tried MasterCard Debit Card from Punjab National Bank and Visa Debit Card from SBI. Both refuse to work on non VbV/3DSC merchants - I only tried on Steam.</p>
<hr>
<p>What about Maestro Debit Card?</p>
<p>Maestro is rubbish. It will be supported by very few online merchants. For Maestro Debit Cards, you need to authorise your payment by entering your ATM PIN number or sometimes 3D SecureCode.