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CVV number and CVV code are two terms that you should be very familiar with If you are an online shopper. Shopping online is fun and can be very interesting, plus it saves you the stress of having to go to the stores physically to buy what you want.

But, despite its advantages, it also has some risks. However, most banks and financial institutions have put several security measures like the use of card security code or CVC number to ensure the safety of online shoppers.

What Is CVV Number (Credit Card Security Code)

CVV Number or card security code is a 3-4 digit number that is used as an additional layer of security to verify your credit/debit card not present transactions.

According to Wikipedia, A card security code (CSC; also known by several other names) is a series of numbers that, in addition to the bank card number, is embossed or printed on a card. The CSC is used as a security feature for card not present transactions, where a personal identification number (PIN) cannot be manually entered by the cardholder (as they would during point-of-sale or card-present transactions). It was instituted to reduce the incidence of credit card fraud.

In essence, Your CVV code is required when buying stuff online or through your mobile devices in cases where you can’t physically input your pin, and the seller cannot verify your signature.

The card security code can be found on any debit or credit card, and it can either be on the front or back of the card, depending on the card issuer.

How To Find Card Security Code On Debit Card

The placement of the CVV number or CVV code depends on the card issuer, most times the card security code on a debit card is located on the back or rear side of the card, at the right side of the white signature strip.

 To help you find the location of the CVV number for all the popular credit and debit card issuers, we will list them below;

Amex Security Code:

For AMERICAN Express card users, the American express CVV code can be found printed on the front side of the card, above the number. The AMEX CVV is a four-digit code.

Mastercard CVV Code

For MasterCard users, MasterCard CVV number is 3 digits long and can be found at the back of your card, close to the right of your white striped signature panel.

Visa CVV Number

For visa card users, finding the visa CVV code location is easy. It’s located at the back of the card, on the right side of the white striped panel. Similar to Mastercard CVV code, visa CVV number is also 3 digits long.

Discover CVV Number

Discover card users can easily find the discover CVV code location at the back of the card, just like MasterCard and visa users, and the discover CVV number is also 3 digits long.

JCB CVV Number

For JCB card users, the JCB CVV code is located at the back of the card, at the right side of the white striped panel. Similar to Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, the JCB CVV number is also 3 digits long.

What Is The Difference Between CVV Number Meaning & CVV Code Meaning?

CVC number and CVV code are essentially the same, the only difference is their names. CVV stands for card verification value, while CVC stands for card verification code. Card issues have different names for them, but they both serve the same purpose which is to verify or confirm your online transactions.

In some cases, you might even come across other variations like CVV2, CID(card identification number), CSC(card security code), OR CVC2.

Is The Credit Card Security Code On Debit Card Secure?

The essence of the credit card security code on a debit card is to provide an extra layer of security when making online purchases. The CVV number or CVV on card helps protect you from losing your hard-earned money if there is a data breach or if your card was skimmed.

For data breaches, merchants are restricted by industry regulations from saving your CVV number. However, you can choose to save your credit card details for purchases in the future, but it is illegal for any merchant or online shop to store your details without notifying you first.

While for card skimming, the card security code isn’t stored in the magnetic stripe like other card details. This simply means that, even if your credit card details are stolen with a card skimmer, the thief won’t be able to buy anything because they don’t have access to your CVV number which makes it impossible to complete the verification and process any purchase.

How Can I Secure My Credit Card Security Code?

Your credit card security code for credit card users and the security code for debit card users should be kept secret and away from the prying eyes of the public because you don’t know who is watching you. Keeping your CVV number safe will protect your card from being used by unauthorized persons.

To ensure your credit card CVV details are safe and secure, follow these rules and you will be fine:

1. Only shop on secure and trusted sites with an SSL certificate. When shopping online always be on the lookout. If a merchant or online store does not have the SSL seal or padlock symbol, that is a red flag. It’s a sign of insecurity. If it does, it means that the site is HTTPS protected and your traffic or data is encrypted, a sign of legitimacy.
2. Never disclose your CVV number to anyone you don’t trust. This is very important, your CVV number or CVC code should be known to you and you alone, guard it jealously
3. Ensure your credit /debit cards are safely stored after use. If you easily lose things, you can request for a virtual card from your card issuer, this way you won’t have to worry about misplacing your credit cards when you move about.

CONCLUSION On How To Find CVV Number & CVC Code

So we've discussed CVV number meaning, and also CVV code meaning. They both mean the same thing, and the location of the security code on debit card or credit card security code depends on the card issuer. Most oftentimes, you can find your CVC on card at the back of the card. You can also verify your credit card number with Freetoolshub credit card number free online validator tool. Just like all our other tools, the credit card number validator tool is free to use. 

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