Why French bank cards are losing their printed security numbers
The new system aims to reduce fraud and simplify online shopping
The new bank cards will have very few details on them, and no ‘3D’ or relief numbers on the front
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Within a few years, French bank cards will no longer have the long card number, expiry date, or security code printed on them, in a bid to make online shopping easier and prevent fraud.
The move will be a further change from the tweaks of recent years, which have already seen some banks remove the ‘3D’ numbers from the front of cards, and print all details on the reverse.
The change is set to apply to the CB, Visa and Mastercard payment networks, reports FranceInfo.
Read more: Why bank cards are changing in France
What will the new cards show?
The new cards will still have the cardholder's name on them, but no other details. Without any bank account or security information on them, the cards will be much more difficult to copy.
Similarly, no numbers or security codes on cards mean there is less risk of them being hacked, intercepted, or photocopied.
Read also: France scam alert: Warning over credit card PIN code thefts
How will the cards work?
Instead of typing in the numbers, users will be able to complete an online purchase directly via a simple check by smartphone app or email verification.
Rather than relying on card security codes, the buyer will instead identify themselves via a notification sent to their bank's app. Transactions will be validated using biometric methods such as a fingerprint or facial recognition.
This method is already widely used by PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, and many high street banking apps.
Delayed change
However, the new change is not set to come into force until 2030. This is so that all retailers have enough time to prepare and switch to new methods.
This will be particularly necessary for companies that often take bank card details over the phone, such as hotels. Instead of taking card details, it is likely that these businesses will - for example - take a pre-authorisation by using an account-linked email address or telephone number.
