Card security code: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:09, 8 September 2005

Revision as of 04:14, 8 September 2005

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The Card Security Code ('''CSC''' (Card Security Code)- akaa.k.a. CVV (Card Verification Value (CVV) - is an importanta security feature for [[credit card]] transactions on the Internet and over the phone. It is a 3 or 4 digit value printed nowhere except on the card, and can thereforetheoretically be used to verify that the buyer has the card in their physical possession, giving some protection against [[credit card fraud]].

Unfortunately, the primary way that criminals get credit card information for use in online (or phone) fraud is via [[phishing]] scams, which also will result in the capture of the CSC codes for the compromised credit card. This fact of life has reduced the real-world effectiveness of the CSC codes as an anti-fraud device.

The code is be found in different places on the various families of cards, and is referred to by several different names:

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* [[American Express]] cards have a 4 digit code printed on the front side of the card above the number, referred to as the "CID", or Card Identification Number. It is printed flat, not embossed like the card number.

[[de:Card ValidationSecurity Code]]

[[de:Card Verification Code]]

[[de:Card Verification Value]]

Unfortunately, the primary way that criminals get credit card information for use in online (or phone) fraud is via [[phishing]] scams, which also will result in the capture of the CSC codes for the compromised credit card. This fact of life has reduced the real-world effectiveness of the CSC codes as an anti-fraud device.

Another potential value of CSC codes is for subscription-based services. TheoreticallyAgain theoretically, a merchant who needs to rebill a credit card would not store the CSC code after the initial transaction. That way, if the merchant's credit card database were to be compromised the thieves wouldn't get access to the valuable CSC codes.

Unfortunately, the only way this works is if the use of CSC codes is actually optional (otherwise the merchant would need it to rebill the credit card as well),... and inif that is the case CSC codes aren't actually needed by the thief anyway.