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Payment · Security and 3-D Secure

Payment security and 3-D Secure

ISIgor SedovUpdated 12 May 20266 min read11 480 read

Card payment on Sales.Travel is designed so that your card data never stays with us, even for a moment. Your card number, expiry and CVC go straight to a secure payment gateway, while the transaction itself is confirmed by your bank — with an SMS code or a push notification. Below we explain how it works and what to do if the code doesn't arrive.

In short

The payment runs through a certified gateway under the PCI DSS standard — Sales.Travel does not store your card data. 3-D Secure is a one-time confirmation via a bank code or push notification. If the code doesn't arrive, check your mobile banking and online-transaction limits, or choose payment via SBP, which needs no 3DS.

01 / ProtectionHow your payment is protected

When you enter your card details, they travel over an encrypted channel directly to the acquiring bank's payment gateway. Sales.Travel only initiates the payment: we see the amount, the transaction status and the last digits of the card for the receipt, but we never receive or store the full card number, expiry date or CVC. That is exactly what the PCI DSS standard the gateway works under is for.

  • Channel encryption. Card data is transmitted over a secure connection only, with no intermediate storage on our servers.
  • Tokenization. Only the last digits of the card appear in your account — the full number is replaced by an anonymized token on the gateway side.
  • Bank confirmation. The final go-ahead for the transaction comes from your bank via 3-D Secure, not from Sales.Travel.
How to tell a payment form is safeThe card fields always open on the payment gateway page over a secure connection (a lock icon in the address bar). Sales.Travel will never ask you to send your card details or an SMS code in chat, by email, or via @sales_travel_bot.

02 / 3DSWhat 3-D Secure is

3-D Secure (you may also see it as 3DS, SecureCode, Mastercard Identity Check, Visa Secure, or MirAccept) is an extra confirmation step handled by the bank. After you enter your card details, the bank asks you to confirm that it's really you making the payment — usually with an SMS code or a push notification in the bank app. Only after a successful confirmation are the funds charged and the booking marked as paid.

1

Enter your card details

On the gateway page you enter the number, expiry and CVC. The data is encrypted right away.

2

The bank requests confirmation

Your bank's 3-D Secure window opens and asks for a code or a push confirmation.

3

Confirm the transaction

Enter the SMS code or tap 'Confirm' in your bank app.

4

Back to Sales.Travel

Once confirmed, you're automatically returned to your booking with the status 'Paid'.

03 / No codeIf the confirmation code doesn't arrive

The 3-D Secure code is sent by your bank, not by Sales.Travel, so almost every cause of a delay is something to fix on the bank's side. Work through the list below in order — more often than not it's one of the first three points.

Possible causeWhat to do
Mobile banking or SMS alerts not enabledTurn on push or SMS in the bank app, or ask your bank's support
The online-transaction limit is lowered or set to zeroRaise the online-payment limit in your card settings
Weak signal or no free space on the phoneCheck your network, free up space, restart the phone
The bank's push notifications are turned offAllow notifications for the bank app in your settings
The bank has an outdated phone number on fileUpdate the number in the bank app or at a branch
The bank declined the transaction under its own rulesCall the bank using the number on the back of the card
Don't re-request the code too oftenSeveral confirmation attempts in a row may look suspicious to the bank and temporarily restrict your card. If the code hasn't arrived within a couple of minutes, it's better to close the payment window, wait for the attempt to cancel, and start over — or contact your bank right away.

04 / Without 3DSAn alternative — paying via SBP

If the 3-D Secure code just won't come through but you need to finish paying, select the SBP (Faster Payments System) on the payment page. Confirmation works differently here: you scan a QR code or open your own bank app and approve the transfer there — no separate SMS code is needed. This is often the fastest way around an undelivered code.

The money was charged but the status didn't updateSometimes the confirmation goes through but the page doesn't refresh in time. Open 'My bookings' — the status usually catches up within a few minutes. If it stays the same while the money was charged, message us and we'll reconcile the transaction against the gateway.

05 / FAQFrequently asked questions

Does Sales.Travel store my card data?

No. Your card data goes straight to the payment gateway under the PCI DSS standard. We keep only the amount, transaction status and the last digits for the receipt — we never receive or store the full number or the CVC.

Why does the bank ask me to confirm the payment with a code?

That's 3-D Secure — protection against your card being used without your knowledge. The bank makes sure it's really you paying. For most cards, this step is required for online payments.

The code still hasn't arrived. What should I do right now?

Check whether mobile banking is enabled and your online-transaction limit isn't set to zero, then try paying via SBP, which needs no code. If none of that helps, call your bank using the number on the back of your card.

Is it safe to confirm a payment in the bank app?

Yes — confirming in the bank app or via the bank's own SMS is exactly how 3-D Secure is meant to work. The real danger is different: if someone claiming to be Sales.Travel asks you to send them the code or your card details, those are scammers — we never do that. For payment questions, call 8 800 1000-646.

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