Want to see something disgusting? Try buying a Droid online.

Verizon Wireless has thrown their lot in with Mastercard Securecode, a feature that requires you to input all your credit card information a second time–after the checkout process is all but completed. You can hit “Cancel” at the end of the process, but then Verizon’s checkout goes into an endless “Processing your request” loop. Other business such as Tiger Direct and Toys R Us have followed suit, making it all but impossible to purchase items without unnecessary hassle.

What’s worse is Securecode’s claim to “increasing peace of mind.” The entire Securecode process reeks of phishing–seriously, you want me to “secure” my transaction by giving you my credit card info a second time? Even if it isn’t, surprising users with an extra layer of complication that is badly and suspiciously coded–for zero end-user benefit–is commercial stupidity at its worst, as Dale Phurrough notes after lengthy talks with customer service.

Interestingly, even USAA–the bank that introduced me to this delightful feature by way of Mastercard–seems unsure as to what this constitutes. They have SecureCode listed as a scam on their site, but also hail it as a feature.

I’m usually head over heels for USAA, but this shift was a bad move. Unfortunately, it will fall to merchants–and Mastercard–to realize the error and revert the change, and history indicates that only a decline in business will force them to mend their ways.

Invade the interwebs!