What is the CVV2 Credit Card Security Code?
CVV2 (also known as CVC2 or CID) is a three or four digit value that is uniquely derived for each credit card account. On Visa and MasterCard cards, it is a three digit value printed in reverse italic characters on the signature panel following the last 4 digits of the account number. On American Express cards, it is a four digit value printed on the front of the card, usually on the right side. In a “card-not-present” environment such as the Internet, CVV2 lets a merchant verify that the cardholder does in fact have the card in his or her possession. An incorrect or missing code will cause the transaction to be declined.
