Glossary: Card Security Code
Card Security Code – usually called CVV (Visa) or CVC (MasterCard); it’s a three or four digit code located on a credit card, but not encoded on the magnetic stripe. If a client can provide such a code, it proves that he actually is in possession of the credit card and didn’t use, for example, a card number generator or a copy (skimmed) of the card.
The most common code is CVV2 (or CVC2) used in card-not-present transactions. For Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Diners Club and Discover credit and debit cards, this is a three digit code printed on the back of the card. American Express differs a bit – they have a four digit code printed above the credit card number.
Also the names of the code differ. Apart from CSC we have:
- CVV2 (Card Verification Value) for Visa,
- CVC2 (Card Verification Code) for MasterCard,
- CID (Card Identification Number) for American Express and Discover.
