Identify Merchants Receiving Automatic Card Updates
Cardholder activates a replacement card and uses a mobile banking app to find out which merchants received automatic card updates over time.
Cardholders are increasingly storing their cards on file with merchants for recurring payments and card-on-file arrangements. When their card is reissued, cardholders have to remember all the places where they have set up card-on-file arrangements to avoid disruption in service, declined transactions, and potentially late fees.
Available for use by
Regional Availability
Global
Find out which merchants received automatic card updates
The Visa Account Updater Issuer Reporting API enables issuers to obtain a list of merchants that inquired and received updated card information for a specific account. Issuers can then inform cardholders which merchants have received updates. This cardholder time-saving benefit means cardholders only need to provide updated payment information to those merchants that did not receive an update.
Refer to Visa Account Updater for more details.
Automatic update scenario
Jim signed up for a promotional offer from his bank to upgrade his credit card to a Signature Rewards card. He receives his new card in the mail and activates it using his bank’s mobile app. He is excited to start earning rewards.
Jim soon realizes he needs to update all the merchants he previously set up for automatic bill pay or other card-on-file arrangements with his old card. Understanding this, the bank notifies Jim via its app that it participates in an account updater service that will update merchants that also participate in the service with his payment information. The notification advises him to check the app periodically to see which merchants have received his updated card info.
A few days later, Jim checks the app and sees several merchants received updates, including his cell phone provider and ride sharing service, but he does not see his gym listed. He knows his monthly gym membership fees are coming up, so he calls and provides the gym his updated card information and avoids a late fee. Jim is glad he does not have to call all of the merchants he has setup for automatic bill pay or other card-on-file arrangements and appreciates the time his bank saved him. He plans to check again later in the week to see if any other merchants received updates.
Activate Card
Jim receives a replacement card and activates on his bank’s mobile banking app.
Check List of Merchants
He receives a message from his bank that tells him to check back periodically to see a list of merchants that have obtained automatic card updates.
Provide Updated Payment Details
He checks back and sees some of his merchants have received updates, but some have not. He is able to just contact the ones that are not on the list to provide his updated payment information
Auto Card Info Update
Issuer sends an A(PAN) or E(Expiration) update to VAU. When merchant requests updated card information, VAU shares the updated card information with the merchants. The following screenshots show the example of VAU Issuer Reporting API in a bank's mobile interface once the cardholders activate their new card.
Example of VAU Issuer Reporting API in a bank’s mobile banking interface
Day 1
Day 2 +
Key Benefits
Increased transparency
Cardholders are informed on which merchants received automatic updates and they can determine which merchants they need to contact to provide their card update.
Time saving
Cardholders do not have to reach out to all the merchants where they have automatic bill pay and card-on-file arrangements.
Control
Cardholders have better control to manage bill pay and card-on-file payments.
APIs Used
VAU Issuer Reporting API
The VAU API enables Issuers to access Visa's data to support their card holder communications with information from the Visa Account Updater database to help issuers enable an improved customer experience for card reissuance events.