Frequently Asked Questions

  • Payer

    • How can I check if a webshop is trustworthy?

      To verify the reliability of online stores, you can check out the online shopscan on Consuwijzer.nl, an initiative of the Dutch Consumer & Market Authority (Autoriteit Consument & Markt, ACM). The ACM is the body that oversees compliance with consumer law and is part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. Additionally, you can read about other people’s experiences of online stores on comparison websites. You can also use Google to search what other people on the internet have to say about a particular webshop.

      Finally, you can apply the following rule of thumb: if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

    • I have made a payment, how can I be sure that I have actually paid?

      When you pay using iDEAL, confirmation from your bank will appear on your screen after you have given
      your approval. The payment will also appear immediately in your account balance in your online banking environment.

    • I have paid, but how can I be sure that the online retailer has received the payment?

      The online retailer will always receive a message about the status of the payment to enable it to check
      that the payment has been processed successfully. As soon as it has received confirmation, it will issue its own order confirmation.

    • I have found a product on a website such as Marktplaats.nl. Can I use iDEAL to pay other people?

      No, iDEAL can only be used for online payments between a consumer and a webshop/organisation.

    • I bought a ticket for an event using iDEAL, but never received the ticket/the ticket did not allow me admission to the event.

      It is not possible to reverse an iDEAL payment. During the payment process, you are specifically requested to approve a payment. Based on your request/action in online banking, your bank then authorises an iDEAL payment. When you approve this payment request, this action by the bank cannot be reversed at your initiative.

      Regardless of the payment method you use for a “remote purchase”, you have certain rights as a consumer. According to the “remote purchase” regulations, separate rules apply for online ticket sales. On the Dutch ConsuWijzer website, you can read all about these rules.

      If in doubt, check the website weetwaarjekoopt before buying any tickets. This site is an initiative set up by performers and concert organisers and includes an up-to-date list of trustworthy websites, including those of Mojo and Paradiso.

    • I suspect that I am a victim of cyber criminals. What should I do?

      If there appears to be a form of fraud you should contact your bank. So your bank
      can take measures when something appears to be wrong. Furthermore it can be
      reported online to the police via the complaints desk Internet fraud.

    • After making an iDEAL payment, I made a bank transfer to the webshop using the account number listed in the iDEAL payment, but the webshop did not receive the additional payment.

      For iDEAL payments, a webshop/organisation can use an intermediary account at a bank or a Collecting Payment Service Provider. However you cannot simply assume that the account number into which the iDEAL payment was made is also the account number of the webshop/organisation.  Generally, this standard transfer will be refunded within several days. If that does not happen, we advise you to contact your own bank.

      Your bank can then use the 16-figure iDEAL transaction number listed alongside your payment to find out where it has gone.

    • I have an online banking account with ING but can’t yet use iDEAL.

      The payment feature in MijnING.nl has not been activated. You can pay using iDEAL immediately if you
      have access to MijnING.nl and the payment feature has been activated. Contact ING to have the payment feature activated.

    • I want to stop/block iDEAL.

      We advise you to contact your bank.

    • Is iDEAL only intended for use in the Netherlands or can it also be used in other countries?

      If a webshop in another country offers iDEAL as a method of payment on its website, you can pay for
      your online purchases using iDEAL.

    • Is iDEAL really secure?

      iDEAL is based on online banking and uses the same security techniques. This means that iDEAL is just as secure as online banking.

    • Can I pay with iDEAL straight away?

      You can pay with iDEAL as soon as you have access to online banking at one of the participating banks. You do not have to register separately.

    • Where can I find answers to my other questions about iDEAL?

      If you have questions about a specific iDEAL payment, you can contact your own bank.

      • ABN AMRO: 0900 – 0024
      • ASN Bank: 0800 – 0380 (Monday to Friday 8.30 to 17.00)
      • bunq: Do you have a question for us? Contact us through the support section in the app!
      • ING: 020 22 888 88
      • Knab: 020-303 1600 (Service Desk: Monday to Sunday from 8.00 to 22.00)
      • Rabobank: 0900 – 0905
      • RegioBank: 0800 – 0411
      • SNS Bank: 030 – 633 3000
      • Triodos Bank: 030 693 65 11 (Information & Advice Department: Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 18.00)
      • Van Lanschot Client Services: 0800-1737

    • Which banks offer iDEAL?

      iDEAL is offered by ABN AMRO, ASN Bank, bunq, ING, Knab, Rabobank, RegioBank, SNS bank, Triodos
      Bank and Van Lanschot Bankiers. Consumers who bank online with these banks can pay with iDEAL immediately.

    • Whom can I contact if I have problems with the service or delivery by an online shop after a purchase paid for with iDEAL?

      If you have a complaint about the order itself, for example about the delivery of your order, you can contact the online retailer with which you placed the order and try to solve a problem that way.

      iDEAL is not a quality hallmark: just like any other payment method, it is separate from the actual delivery or service provided by the online retailer. The option to pay with iDEAL or the visibility of the logo provides no guarantee in respect of the reliability and service of the delivery of the online shop.

      If you are not successful in solving this yourself with the online retailer, check whether the webshop is a member of Thuiswinkel.org. You can complete a complaints form on their website.

      You can also consult the ConsuWijzer website operated by the Dutch Consumer Authority for practical advice on your rights when shopping online. You can also use the complaints form there if you wish to submit a complaint about a webshop.

      If it appears to be a case of fraud, you can report it online to the police using the Internet Fraud Complaints Desk.

    • Why does a webshop charge consumers for making an iDEAL payment?

      As a consumer, you do not have to pay bank charges when paying with iDEAL. However, stores, whether online or not, and regardless of the payment method, are free to charge for using it. This is permitted by law, providing that it is announced before the final payment. Most webshops opt not to charge for iDEAL, in order to encourage its use. This has nothing to do with iDEAL itself.

    • Why is there a strange name on my bank statement?

      The iDEAL payment description always includes the name of the organisation you paid. However, some organisations outsource the collection of payments to third parties. These third parties are known as Collecting Payment Service Providers (CPSP). In that case, it will be the name of the CPSP that is listed first on your account statement. This does not affect you. The CPSP will ensure that the right party
      receives your payment. An overview of the names of the escrows organization as shown on the statement of consumers you will find here.

    • Can I reverse an iDEAL payment?

      It is not possible to reverse an iDEAL payment. During the payment process, you are specifically asked to approve a payment within your online banking environment. The amount is immediately deducted from your account. Just like a transfer or a direct debit payment in a shop, the payment is processed within a few seconds of your approval.

      That means that it is not possible to demand that the payment be reversed after it has been approved, just like a direct debit payment.

      If you wish to take advantage of your right to cancel your “remote purchase” you can insist that the online retailer abides by the statutory rules that apply in such cases.

    • The online retailer claims it has not received my payment. What should I do?

      If your bank statement shows that you have paid, but the company/shop says that the payment was not yet received, then the company should contact his iDEAL contract party. The company needs the following information from you:

      • the iDEAL-transaction number (16 digits) from your bank statement (this number starts with either 0020 or 0030 or 0050 or 1120 or 1150 or 0140 or 0170),
      • the amount,
      • the date/time of your payment.

      You can find this information combined in the description of the specific payment. The company can and must solve this issue for you, because you have proof of the payment being succesful.

      If you are not able to solve the issue together with the company, please contact your bank. Your bank must help you to investigate what went wrong. Also in this case, please make sure that you have the iDEAL-transaction number (16 digits) available.

      Sometimes a payment is processed by a CPSP. This is the Institution that processes the payment on behalf of the company. In this case your bank statement shows the CPSP as the beneficiary of the payment. If necessary, you can also contact the relevant CPSP directly with your question:

    • Does iDEAL also work on smartphones or tablets?

      iDEAL works on all mobile devices that have an internet connection and web browser. Some banks have developed a special version of iDEAL that is more convenient to use on smartphones and tablets or that enables payments using the mobile banking app.

      For more information, read the details on mobile iDEAL payments for consumers.

    • While making my iDEAL payment, I received an error message and made another iDEAL payment. The amount has now been deducted from my account twice. What should I do?

      You can contact the online retailer to find out if it has received a double payment and ask it to refund one of the payments.

      If the online retailer has not received the amount, you can contact your bank. Your bank can provide you with further assistance and find out the status of the payment. Make sure that you have the 16-figure iDEAL transaction number listed in your account balance to hand.

    • While making my iDEAL payment, I received an error message. However, the amount payable has been deducted from my account and the online retailer has not received the money. What should I do?

      Contact your bank. Your bank can provide you with further assistance and find out the status of the payment. Make sure that you have the 16-figure iDEAL transaction number listed in your account balance to hand.

    • Is iDEAL supported by all internet browsers?

      iDEAL is supported by all browsers that are also supported by online banking. That includes the most
      frequently-used browsers such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Firefox. If you encounter problems using iDEAL in combination with your browser, we recommend you contact the online banking helpdesk at your bank.

  • iDEAL QR code

    • What is iDEAL QR?

      It is an innovation from iDEAL that makes it possible to initiate a mobile iDEAL payment from a screen, printed matter, cash register receipt or other source. With this innovation, iDEAL can be used as a payment method in new situations, including making doorstep donations, paying invoices, paying for films on TV (video on demand), paying bills at restaurants or cafés, or transferring iDEAL payments from a PC or laptop to a mobile phone, etc.

      Various QR codes that are currently present in the market are used for payments. The iDEAL QR code can be recognised by the iDEAL logo in the middle of the QR code.

    • Paying with an iDEAL QR code

      After scanning an iDEAL QR code, which can be recognised by the iDEAL logo, all information about the payment (amount, beneficiary and description) will appear in the app. You verify the information and confirm that you wish to pay. To complete the transaction, you approve the iDEAL payment in the mobile banking app in the usual way, by using your mobile PIN code. After the payment, you will be automatically routed to the entrepreneur’s mobile environment. If you have not installed an active mobile banking app, the payment can also be completed through the bank’s mobile web pages. In that case, you might not be able to use your mobile PIN code, but you will need the token from your bank to confirm the payment.

      At this time, iDEAL QR codes can be scanned with the secure, free iDEAL app. You can easily install the app on your telephone or tablet through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. In the coming period, the banks will be making their mobile banking apps suitable for scanning the iDEAL QR code as well. You will then be able to complete the entire transaction – from scanning through payment – in this app.

      To make a payment with an iDEAL QR code, you go through the following steps:

      • Start the iDEAL app.
      • Scan the iDEAL QR code.
      • Verify the payment information: amount, description and beneficiary. If allowed by the entrepreneur, you will still be able to change the amount.
      • Press ‘Pay’. You will then be transferred to your bank’s mobile banking app, where you will pay with iDEAL as you are accustomed to.

      You will then return to the entrepreneur’s confirmation page.

    • Where can I find the free iDEAL app?

      The iDEAL app can be downloaded at no charge by anyone using an iOS (Apple) or Android smartphone or tablet. The free iDEAL app is available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. To scan iDEAL QR codes, you will have to grant permission for the iDEAL app to access your camera.

    • Can I scan an iDEAL QR code with any QR scanner?

      No. At this time, iDEAL QR codes can be scanned only with the free iDEAL app. If you scan an iDEAL QR code with a generic QR code scanner, you will receive a message containing a link to the iDEAL app.

      In the coming period, the banks will be making their mobile banking apps suitable for scanning the iDEAL QR code as well. It will then be possible to complete the entire transaction – from scanning through payment – in this app. Your bank can tell you when you will be able to use its mobile banking app to scan iDEAL QR codes.

    • Is there a limit to how many times an iDEAL QR code can be scanned?

      Some iDEAL QR codes can be scanned only once. Other iDEAL QR codes can be scanned indefinitely, until the expiration date of the QR code, as set by the entrepreneur. For example, a QR code for a donation to a charity can be scanned multiple times. For paying a bill at a restaurant, the QR code can be scanned only once. This is determined by the organisation using the iDEAL QR code.

      In some cases, iDEAL QR codes will expire after a particular date. If you have questions about an iDEAL QR code, you are advised to contact the merchant you wish to pay.

    • What happens after an iDEAL QR payment has been completed?

      After a payment using the iDEAL app, you will be returned to the organisations mobile (or other) website, just like with regular iDEAL payments. In your bank statement, you can always see whether a payment has been successful.

    • What is the difference between paying with an iDEAL QR code and paying with iDEAL?

      For regular iDEAL payments, you select iDEAL and then your bank when making the payment. When paying with an iDEAL QR code, you scan the QR code with the free iDEAL app. The iDEAL payment starts immediately after the code has been scanned, and everything proceeds in the same manner as an iDEAL payment through your bank’s app.

    • How does iDEAL QR differ from other QR functions that some banks offer?

      Some banks (e.g. ING, SNS, ASN Bank, RegioBank and bunq) also use QR codes for other applications. One of the applications offered by these banks involves transferring an iDEAL payment from a laptop or desktop to a smartphone or tablet. The bank’s iDEAL payment environment will then display a QR code that can be scanned with the same bank’s app. The payment can then be approved and completed within the bank’s mobile banking app.

      Furthermore, some banks use QR codes for other payment purposes, without being linked to iDEAL payments. These bank-specific QR codes cannot be scanned with the iDEAL app.

      The iDEAL QR code, with the iDEAL logo in the middle of the QR code, can be used for an iDEAL payment only. For example, the iDEAL QR code can be printed on an invoice or cash register receipt, on a poster, on a collecting-box or on a screen.

      In the coming period, the banks will be making their mobile banking apps suitable for scanning the iDEAL QR code as well. It will then be possible to complete the entire transaction – from scanning through payment – in this app. Your bank can tell you when you will be able to use its mobile banking app to scan iDEAL QR codes.

    • Does every iDEAL QR code payment work the same way?

      After you have scanned an iDEAL QR code, this is always followed by an iDEAL payment as you are accustomed to, through your bank’s app. The only difference that could occur is that you might be able to adjust the amount in the iDEAL app. For example, if you use iDEAL QR to make a donation, after scanning the code, the iDEAL app will allow you to decide for yourself how much money you will transfer to the charity in question. Or it is also possible to add a tip in a restaurant or café, as long as it is allowed by the merchant.

    • Is paying with an iDEAL QR code secure?

      Yes. The iDEAL app can only scan authentic iDEAL QR codes, which are protected against forgery. Authentic iDEAL QR codes can only be made by organisations that have concluded an iDEAL contract with a bank or payment service provider. The iDEAL app was developed in order to guarantee the security of the iDEAL payment. It is the only way that you can scan iDEAL QR codes. This special iDEAL app makes paying by a QR code just as secure as a regular iDEAL payment.

      In the coming period, the banks will be making their mobile banking apps suitable for scanning the iDEAL QR code as well. The entire transaction – from scanning through payment – will then be completed in these apps, which obviously meet all security requirements.

    • Does iDEAL QR work for all banks that also offer iDEAL?

      Yes, iDEAL QR works for all banks participating in iDEAL. If a bank does not have a mobile banking app, the payment can be completed through the bank’s mobile payment pages. In that case, you might not be able to use your mobile PIN code, but you will need  the token from your bank to  confirm the payment.

    • I am trying to scan a QR code with the iDEAL app, but it is not working.

      The iDEAL app can only be used to scan QR codes issued by iDEAL. These QR codes can be recognised by the iDEAL logo in the middle of the QR code. If an iDEAL QR code should happen not to work, try to scan another iDEAL QR code or contact the organisation that you wish to pay.

    • What should I do if something goes wrong in the payment process?

      If you are not sure whether the payment has been successful through iDEAL QR, we advise you to check your bank statement in your internet or mobile banking program. If the payment has not been debited, the payment was unsuccessful. If this is the case, scan the QR code again.

    • Where can I find answers to my other questions about iDEAL?

      If the organisation you wish to pay is not able to provide any further assistance, you can contact your own bank.