Mastercard - No password for online transactions

Question

I am from India and recently moved to France. In India while making any online transaction one need the information on the debit card and ATM pin number or need a password given by the bank exclusively for online transactions without which one cannot proceed further in payment.

I moved to France recently, took a bank account and they issued me a mastercard. I wanted to buy a book from Amazon France, found it and ordered it. The final step was to pay using mastercard and all I have to do is to type in the Name, card number, date of expiry and CVV. There was absolutely no secure internet gateway to the bank website asking PIN. This absolutely startled me due to the following concerns.

1. If I lose the card and the person found it can easily make a transaction.
2. The online merchants can fraudulently use my card information.

This was not a concern in India since I need a password which in most cases is not accessible in case of a loss of the card.

1. Is it normal for online transactions?
2. What if I lose the card? Does this mean someone who get it can constantly make purchases until I ask my bank to block the card?

Answer 1

If I lose the card and the person found it can easily make a transaction.

Yes

The online merchants can fraudulently use my card information.

Yes

Is it normal for online transactions?

Yes, in most of the Western world it works as you described for France.

What if I lose the card? Does this mean someone who get it can constantly make purchases until I ask my bank to block the card?

Don't lose your card. Generally, you are not responsible for fraudulent transactions. Check with your French bank on the recovery procedures. However, it is much easier to use credit card and not debit card, since the recovery is much more streamlined. You may even have a credit card in your hand right now, and not a debit card, as in many countries that's what banks give you (credit card or ATM card, no debit cards). Not sure about France specifically.

Some card issuers participate in "Verified By Visa" (and/or similar Mastercard functionality), which works similarly to what you described about India.