What is the CVV Code on a Credit Card?
CARD VERIFICATION VALUE CODE (CVV) CVV is a new authentication procedure established by credit card companies to further efforts towards reducing fraud for internet transactions. It consists of requiring a cardholder to enter the CVV number in at transaction time to verify that the card is on hand. The CVV code is a security feature for “card not present” transactions (e.g., Internet transactions), and now appears on most (but not all) major credit and debit cards. This new feature is a three- or four-digit code, which provides a cryptographic check of the information embossed on the card. Therefore, the CVV code is not part of the card number itself. The CVV code helps ascertain that the customer placing the order actually possesses the credit/debit card and that the card account is legitimate. Each credit card company has its own name for the CVV code, but it functions the same for all major card types. (VISA refers to the code as CVV2, MasterCard calls it CVC2, and American Express
Card Verification Value (CVV) is the authentication code procedure used by credit card companies to fight fraudulent internet transactions. The cardholder enters the CVV number at the time of the order to verify the card is on hand, instead of actually presenting the card in person. The CVV code is three or four numbers used to validate the information embossed on the card, but not part of the card number itself. The back of Visa and MasterCards contain the 16 digit account number followed by the CVV/CVC code. Some banks only show the last four digits of the account number followed by the code. For your protection we require the 3 or 4 digit code on the back of your credit card. Your online ordering information is protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology certified by a digital certificate. Please see the SSL discussion in our Privacy Notice, left hand column of our Catalog pages.
