Q: What is Pay by Account?
A: Pay By Account is the simplest and most secure way for you to make payments online from your bank accounts. You consent to sharing data about your bank accounts with Pay by Account so that you don’t have to enter bank account details every time you want to make a payment. You can also check your bank account balances before making payments.
Q: Is my bank account data safe?
A: Pay by Account securely handles your bank account data in accordance with industry security standards and guidelines.
Q: How can I pay using Pay by Account?
A: Pay by Account is offered by participating merchants. Look for the Pay by Account logo or button at checkout.
Q: Does my bank support data sharing with Pay by Account?
A: All Australian banks support the sharing of bank account data with Pay by Account.
Q: How do I add a new bank account to Pay by Account?
A: You can add a new bank account to Pay by Account when using Pay by Account as a payment method. Select Connect another bank or account at the payment screen and follow the prompts to consent to sharing data from your bank.
Q: How do I remove my bank account from Pay by Account
A: Select Bank accounts from the menu and select the Manage consent button on the right. In the popup, find the bank that you want to stop sharing data from and select Stop sharing all accounts. When you confirm that you want to stop sharing data from that bank, you will no longer be able use the bank accounts with that bank for making payments or receiving refunds through Pay by Account.
Q: How long do I share my bank account data with Pay by Account?
A: You consent to sharing data from your bank for a period of 365 days. You can revoke your consent to data sharing at any time, either through Pay by Account or through your bank.
Q: The data sharing consent for my bank account has expired. What can I do?
A: You can add your bank account to Pay by Account again when using Pay by Account as a payment method. If you have no bank accounts shared with Pay by Account, you will be prompted to add a bank account at the payment screen. Follow the prompts to consent to sharing data from your bank.
Q: I had a problem paying with Pay by Account. What can I do?
A: Please contact our support team.
Q: How do I update my personal details in Pay by Account?
A: Select Update profile under Manage account in the menu and enter your new details.
Q: How do I update my email address in Pay by Account?
A: Select Update email under Manage account in the menu and enter your new email address. A code will be sent to the mobile phone registered to your account to confirm the change.
Q: How do I update my mobile number in Pay by Account?
A: Select Update mobile under Manage account in the menu and enter your new email address. A code will be sent to the mobile phone registered to your account to confirm the change.
Q: How do I change my password?
A: Select Change password under Manage account in the menu. You must enter your current password and choose a new password. The new password must be at least 8 characters and must contain lowercase and uppercase letters, digits and symbols. The new password must not contain more than two repeated characters and must not contain any account details, e.g., your last name.
Q: I forgot my password. What can I do?
A: You can reset your password. On the Pay by Account login page, select the Forgotten Password link. Enter your email address and your new password. A code will be sent to your mobile phone to confirm the change.
Q: Can I deactivate my account?
A: Yes, you can deactivate your account by selecting Deactivate account under Manage account in the menu. If you deactivate your account, you will stop sharing data from all banks. You will not be able to use Pay by Account to make a payment or submit a dispute with any merchant. You will not be able to access your account to see your transactions or disputes. You will not be able to create a new account with the same email address or mobile number.
Q: Can I see who I've paid using Pay by Account?
A: Yes, you can view all merchants that you’ve paid by selecting Merchants from the menu. Select a merchant to view more details.
Q: Can I see all my transactions?
A: Yes, you can view all transactions by selecting Transactions from the menu. You can filter your transactions by bank account, merchant, amount and date. Select a transaction to view more details.
Q: What does it mean if a transaction is Pending?
A: Payments to a merchant can take up to 3 business days, depending on your bank. If the transaction is Pending, then your payment to the merchant hasn’t cleared yet. You cannot dispute a Pending transaction.
Q: What does it mean if a transaction is Approved?
A:Your payment to the merchant was successful. You can dispute an Approved transaction if you need to.
How do I report my Mastercard® as lost or stolen?
If your card is lost or stolen, please contact the Mastercard Assistance Center toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372) or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111 and a Mastercard representative will be able to assist you in filing a lost or stolen card report. You should also contact the financial institution that issued your Mastercard.
See our full list of emergency contact numbers.
We're here to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call to speak with a representative regarding:
What liability do I have for unauthorized purchases made on a lost or stolen Mastercard?
If you have Mastercard Zero Liability Protection, once you report your card to Mastercard as lost or stolen, no unauthorized charges should be posted to your account. However, we recommend you review your next two billing statements just to be sure. If you see unauthorized transactions, please promptly contact the financial institution that issued your card. Look for their customer service number on the back of the card or on your billing statement. You can also contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372) or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111.
How can I get a replacement card?
Mastercard can assist you in getting a replacement by working with the financial institution that issued your card. Replacement cards require that your financial institution authorizes a new account number. To request an emergency card replacement, please contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372) or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111.
What if my question isn't answered here?
If your question isn't listed here, we recommend you contact the financial institution that issued your card. Look for a customer service number on the back of the card. You can also contact the Mastercard Assistance Center toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372) or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111. If you believe your question can only be answered by Mastercard, please submit your question here.
Q: What does it mean if a transaction is Declined?
A: Your payment to the merchant failed. For example, you may not have had sufficient funds in the bank account you used for payment. You cannot dispute a Declined transaction.
Q: I haven't received goods or services from a merchant. What can I do?
A: You can only dispute a transaction with a merchant if the transaction was conducted through Pay by Account.
You can dispute a transaction by selecting the transaction and clicking the Dispute Transaction button. Alternatively, you can select Disputes from the menu and click the Dispute a Transaction button.
You cannot dispute a transaction unless it is Approved.
Please allow 2 calendar days from expected delivery date before submitting a dispute in case there was an unexpected problem with delivery.
Please provide relevant information and documents when submitting a dispute so that the merchant can investigate the problem.
Please do not include any personal data that isn’t relevant to your dispute and please do not include your bank account details.
Please contact our support team with any further queries.
Q: There is a transaction that I did not authorise. What can I do?
A: Please contact our support team.
Q: I have duplicate transactions. What can I do?
A: Please contact our support team.
Q: A transaction was for the incorrect amount. What can I do?
A: Please contact our support team.
Q: How long do I have to dispute a transaction?
A: You can dispute a transaction up to 30 calendar days after the transaction date.
Q: How long does it take for a dispute to be resolved?
A: The merchant will review your dispute and must respond within 7 calendar days. The merchant can either accept the dispute and issue a refund or reject the dispute.
If the merchant doesn’t respond at all within 7 calendar days, Pay by Account will automatically issue a refund.
Q: What is happening with my dispute?
A: You will receive email notifications whenever there is a change to your dispute. You can check the dispute by selecting Disputes from the menu to view all disputes and selecting the relevant dispute.
Q: A refund has been initiated. How soon can I expect my money?
A: It can take 3 to 5 business days for the refund to clear in your bank account.
Q: I haven't received my refund. What can I do?
A: Please allow 5 business days for the refund to clear in your bank account. If you still haven’t received your refund, please contact our support team.
Q: The merchant has rejected my dispute. What can I do?
A: You have 7 calendar days to escalate the dispute to Pay by Account. Pay by Account will review all the evidence that you and the merchant have provided and will resolve the dispute accordingly. The decision of Pay by Account is final.
To escalate a dispute, select Disputes from the menu to view all disputes, select the relevant dispute to view its details and click the Escalate Dispute button.
A merchant wanted to charge a surcharge or fee to use my Mastercard. What should I do?
Merchants can charge an extra fee to customers who pay with Mastercard branded credit cards, where permissible by law. These fees are not allowed on Debit Mastercard or Mastercard prepaid cards. Additional details on these surcharges can be found in our merchant surcharge rules.
Merchants must clearly disclose their surcharge policies at the register and clearly indicate the amount of the surcharge on the receipt.
If you are not certain whether you have been charged appropriately, or would like to report a questionable charge, please send us an email.
What should I do if the merchant surcharge was not clearly disclosed before I paid or indicated on my receipt?
Merchants can charge a surcharge to customers who pay with Mastercard®-branded credit cards. These fees are not allowed on Debit Mastercard or Mastercard prepaid cards. Merchants must clearly disclose their surcharges at the register and clearly indicate the amount of the surcharge on the receipt. Click here to read the requirements.
If you believe you've been charged incorrectly, send us an email with the merchant details and other necessary information.
What should I do if the merchant surcharge was higher than I expected?
The surcharge that the merchant assesses may not exceed the merchant discount rate that the merchant pays for the credit card that is surcharged. In the United States, this charge for Mastercard typically ranges from 1.5% to 3%. In no event may the merchant surcharge an amount greater than 4%. Merchants much clearly disclose their surcharges at the register and clearly indicate the amount of the surcharge on the receipt.
If you are not certain whether you have been charged appropriately, or you would like to report a questionable charge, email us here and provide the information requested.
I was charged a surcharge without my knowledge. What should I do?
Merchants can charge an extra fee to all customers who pay with Mastercard® branded credit cards. These fees are not allowed on Debit Mastercard or Mastercard prepaid cards. These requirements can be found by visiting our merchant surcharge rules.
Merchants must clearly disclose their surcharge policies at the register and clearly indicate the amount of the surcharge on the receipt.
If you're not certain whether you have been charged appropriately, or you'd like to report a questionable charge, please send us an email.
If I have a problem making a tax payment, whom can I contact?
For specific questions relating to state or local income taxes, contact your local tax authority.
How can I be sure that my card payment has been processed?
Upon card authorization, the service provider will provide you with a confirmation number.
How will I know what fees I'll be charged if I pay taxes with a card?
After you've entered the payment amount, the website will disclose the convenience fee. The fees may vary depending upon the amount of taxes due.
What information will I need to have available to pay taxes with my Mastercard?
A: When prompted, you'll be asked for the following:
How will a federal tax payment appear on my statement?
There will be two separate entries related to the tax payment transaction: the first will display the amount of tax paid and identify the payee as “US Treasury Tax Payment,”and the second entry will display the convenience fee and be listed as “Tax Payment Convenience Fee.”
Where can I get information about IRS e-file?
You can reach the IRS by calling 1-800-829-1040 or by visiting www.irs.gov.
Someone called to offer a lower rate on my Mastercard but it seems like a scam. What should I do?
Please be advised that Mastercard does not attempt to contact individuals to request personal information including credit or debit card account information. If you receive an unsolicited phone call, email, text message or social media request from an individual claiming to be a Mastercard representative: DO NOT RESPOND.
Mastercard cardholders should always safeguard their personal information and not respond to any suspicious emails or other inquiries.
If you are a victim of a phishing attack and believe your account information may have been compromised, please contact the bank or financial institution that issued your credit or debit card to report the incident.
Additionally, you can report scams and suspicious calls, emails, texts and websites to the Federal Trade Commission whether you fell victim to it or not.
What is tokenization?
Tokenization is the process of replacing a card’s primary account number (PAN)—the 16-digit number on the plastic card—with a unique alternate card number, or “token.” Tokens can be used for mobile point-of-sale transactions, in-app purchases or online purchases.
What are the benefits of tokenization?
Tokenization reduces fraud related to digital payments by making transactions more secure by including a dynamic component with each transaction. It takes the security of a physical EMV chip and applies it to non-card environments including proximity, mobile and internet payments.
Merchants benefit from more secure transactions as well as faster checkout experiences, new payment acceptance options and more ways to sell.
How do I ensure that I can accept transactions from eligible devices?
Existing contactless terminals are compatible with tokenized transactions and no action is required. Mastercard® offers merchants a free, optional service for a more secure in-app payment acceptance called Digital Secure Remote Payment (DSRP). To use DSRP merchants must:
What is Mastercard’s role in the launch of digital wallets?
The new digital wallets connect into Mastercard Digital Enablement Service (MDES), so participating issuers can enable secure mobile payments on millions of devices.
What do these new digital payments mean for me?
For consumers and merchants alike, every purchase made with a tokenized Mastercard debit, credit, prepaid or small business card using Apple PayTM, Google PayTM or Samsung Pay in the United States offers the enhanced security and benefits of a digital Mastercard transaction including secure tokenization technology.
Will this affect the way I identify new or returning consumers?
Merchants that use card numbers to identify customers will not be able to recognize returning customers if it's the first time they're using their token, since it appears as a new card number. However, when used again, merchants will be able to recognize the token associated with that consumer’s device.
What should I do if I have a transaction dispute related to COVID-19?
For questions on dispute resolution during COVID-19, please review frequently asked questions and best practices here.
How can I dispute a charge?
Please contact the financial institution that issued your card to dispute a charge. Only your issuer holds your specific and unique information including what rights you have to file disputes. The dispute process agreed to by financial institutions that issue Mastercard or process Mastercard transactions is set up to allow the financial institutions to manage disputes with cardholders and merchants in a formal manner.
Who do I contact if I never received an item that I purchased online or by phone?
If you did not receive an item that you purchased or if you received an incorrect item, you should first contact the merchant to try to resolve the situation. If you can't come to an agreement and you want to dispute the transaction, this must be done directly with the financial institution that issued your Mastercard. Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of the card.
I made a purchase but received the wrong item. What should I do?
If you purchased an item but received the wrong one, please contact the merchant to try to resolve the situation. If you and the merchant cannot resolve the issue, and you want to file a disputed transaction, this must be done directly with the financial institution that issued your Mastercard.
Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of the card that you can call. You can always contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372), or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111.
How do I get a refund from a business that has filed bankruptcy?
If you used a Mastercard for a purchase from a business that has filed for bankruptcy, you can file a disputed transaction with the financial institution that issued the card.
Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of your card card that you can call. You can always contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372), or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111.
What should I do if the financial institution that issued my Mastercard says that Mastercard denied my dispute?
If your dispute case was denied, the financial institution that issued your Mastercard will be able to explain the reason.
Typically, there is a customer service number for your financial institution on the back of your card that you can call. You can always contact the Mastercard Assistance Center either toll-free at 1-800-Mastercard (1-800-627-8372), or collect from outside the U.S. at 1-636-722-7111.
What if my question isn't answered here?
If your question isn't listed here, we recommend you contact the financial institution that issued your card. Look for a customer service number on the back of the card. You can also contact the Mastercard Assistance Center toll free at 1-800-627-8372 or 'Collect' by dialing 1-636-722-7111. If you believe your question can only be answered by Mastercard, please submit your question here.