| The Credit Card Security Code (commonly named the "card validation code," "card verification value," and "card identification number") is a 3 or 4-digit value printed on your card or on the right side of your card's signature strip, but not encoded on the magnetic stripe.
Supplying this code in a transaction is intended to verify that the customer has the card in their physical possession. To date, no cracks for this system are known.
MasterCard, Visa, and Discover credit and debit cards have a 3-digit code. This number isn't embossed like the card number, and is always the final group of numbers printed on the back signature panel of the card.
New North American MasterCard and Visa cards feature this 3-digit code in a separate panel to the right of the signature strip. This has been done to prevent overwriting of the numbers by signing the card.
American Express cards have a 4-digit code printed on the front side of the card above the card number. It is printed flat - not embossed like the card number.
| Here are examples of the location of the security codes on popular cards: | |
