How the one-time SMS code works for online payments
Have you ever paid online with your bank card and suddenly received a text message with a row of numbers? This message is not a mistake and not a coincidence. It is a normal part of a secure online payment. In this guide we explain exactly what this code is, how long it lasts, and how to enter it correctly. Don't worry: it is much simpler than it sounds at first.
What is this one-time code?
When you pay online with your card, your bank wants to be sure that it is really you making the purchase, and not someone else using your card number. That is why the bank sends you a short text message, called an SMS, with a row of numbers. This row of numbers is called an SMS code or TAN. TAN simply means: a number that is valid only once, for this one single purchase. You then enter this code on the payment page to confirm the purchase.
Where does the SMS come from and what does it look like?
The SMS comes directly from your bank to your phone, to the phone number you gave your bank. The sender is often shown as your bank's name, for example "Sparkasse" or "Volksbank", and sometimes just a number instead of a name. The message usually contains a sentence such as "Your confirmation code is 483920" or something similar. Sometimes the payment amount is shown too, so you can check that the sum is correct.
Step by step: how to enter the code correctly
- Pay as usual with your card in an online shop, for example by entering your card number.
- Wait a moment. The website automatically redirects you to a page belonging to your bank.
- Check on this page whether the amount shown matches your purchase.
- Switch briefly to your text messages on your phone. There you will find the new SMS from your bank.
- Read the row of numbers from the SMS calmly.
- Switch back to your bank's payment page.
- Tap the empty field on the screen, where it says "Enter code" or "Confirmation code".
- Enter the row of numbers from the SMS exactly, digit by digit.
- Tap the button labelled "Confirm" or "Complete payment".
- Wait until a green confirmation or a tick appears. Then your payment has been successful.
How long is the code valid?
This code is only valid for a short time, usually just a few minutes, often between three and ten minutes. After that it automatically becomes invalid. So enter the code promptly, as soon as the SMS arrives. If the time has run out, there is no need to worry: you can simply start again, and the bank will send you a new code.
Why no one but you must ever learn this code
This code is like a one-time key meant only for you. It belongs only in the input field on your bank's genuine payment page. No one else must ever learn this code — not over the phone, not by replying to the text, not by email.
Scammers know this, and that is why they sometimes call. They pretend to be an "employee of your bank" and might say: "Good day, this is your bank. We have noticed a suspicious purchase on your card. To stop the payment, please tell me the code you just received by text." This sounds urgent and frightening. That is exactly the scammers' intention.
A real bank will never ask you for this code over the phone. If anyone asks for it, no matter how friendly or urgent they sound, hang up immediately. Then call your bank back yourself, using only the phone number printed on the back of your bank card.
What to do if something goes wrong
Has no SMS arrived? First wait two to three minutes, as the message sometimes takes a little time. Check that your phone has signal. If nothing has arrived after that, cancel the purchase and start again from the beginning.
Did you make a typing mistake while entering the code? That is not a problem. Simply enter the code again calmly. As long as you have not tapped "Confirm", nothing happens.
Did someone on the phone ask for your code? Hang up. Do not share the code with anyone. Then call your bank using the number on your card and report what happened.
Summary — the key points at a glance
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