A system for performing a secure transaction, the system comprising: a user system; a communication network in operable communication with the user system; and a service provider system in operable communication with the communication network, wherein: the user system is configured to receive a password input from a user and to transmit the password to the service provider system via the communication network; and the service provider system determines whether the password is valid, and if the password is valid, the user system and the service provider system perform a transaction via the communication network; characterized in that the user system has a connected data port to which a one-time passcode generator is in communication, wherein the user system receives from the connected data port a one-time passcode generated by the one-time passcode generator; the user system is configured to transmit an account identifier and the one-time passcode generated by the one-time passcode generator to the service provider system via the communication network; the service provider system is configured to generate a local one-time passcode independently from the one-time passcode received from the user system, wherein the service provider system is configured to utilize similar protocols for generating the local one-time passcode as utilized by the one-time passcode generator, and to determine whether the received one-time passcode is valid by comparing the received one-time passcode to the local one-time passcode, wherein if the received one-time passcode is valid, the service provider system is configured to use the account identifier to retrieve a personal assurance message stored at the service provider system, having been provided to the service provider system by the user prior to the transaction, and to transmit the personal assurance message to the user system via the communication network, wherein the personal assurance message is in the form of a digital image, a video stream or a sound file; the user system is configured to, upon receipt, present the personal assurance message to the user in the form of a digital image, a video stream or a sound file for allowing the user to input the password upon a determination by the user that the presented personal assurance message corresponds to the personal assurance message provided to the service provider system by the user prior to the transaction. a user system; a communication network in operable communication with the user system; and a service provider system in operable communication with the communication network, wherein: the user system is configured to receive a password input from a user and to transmit the password to the service provider system via the communication network; and the service provider system determines whether the password is valid, and if the password is valid, the user system and the service provider system perform a transaction via the communication network; the user system is configured to receive a password input from a user and to transmit the password to the service provider system via the communication network; and the service provider system determines whether the password is valid, and if the password is valid, the user system and the service provider system perform a transaction via the communication network; characterized in that the user system has a connected data port to which a one-time passcode generator is in communication, wherein the user system receives from the connected data port a one-time passcode generated by the one-time passcode generator; the user system is configured to transmit an account identifier and the one-time passcode generated by the one-time passcode generator to the service provider system via the communication network; the service provider system is configured to generate a local one-time passcode independently from the one-time passcode received from the user system, wherein the service provider system is configured to utilize similar protocols for generating the local one-time passcode as utilized by the one-time passcode generator, and to determine whether the received one-time passcode is valid by comparing the received one-time passcode to the local one-time passcode, wherein if the received one-time passcode is valid, the service provider system is configured to use the account identifier to retrieve a personal assurance message stored at the service provider system, having been provided to the service provider system by the user prior to the transaction, and to transmit the personal assurance message to the user system via the communication network, wherein the personal assurance message is in the form of a digital image, a video stream or a sound file; the user system is configured to, upon receipt, present the personal assurance message to the user in the form of a digital image, a video stream or a sound file for allowing the user to input the password upon a determination by the user that the presented personal assurance message corresponds to the personal assurance message provided to the service provider system by the user prior to the transaction.