Card Security Code
The Card Security Code (CSC), sometimes called Card Verification Value (CVV or CV2), Card Verification Value Code (CVVC), Card Verification Code (CVC), or Verification Code (V-Code or V Code) is a security feature for credit or debit card transactions, giving increased protection against credit card fraud. There are actually several types of security codes: The CVC should not be confused with the standard card account number appearing in embossed or printed digits. (The standard card number undergoes a separate validation algorithm called the Luhn algorithm which serves to determine whether a given card’s number is appropriate.) The CVC should not be confused with PIN codes such as MasterCard SecureCode or Visa Verified by Visa. These codes are not printed or embedded in the card but are entered at the time of transaction using a keypad. The CVV2 is a 3- or 4-digit value printed on the card or signature strip, but not encoded on the magnetic stripe.
