Credit cards are nearly indispensable for your modern financial transactions. However, understanding their intricacies, such as the number of digits and their significance, can help you.
Follow this comprehensive guide to learn how many numbers are on a credit card and what they mean.
If you’re asking how many numbers are on a credit card, then the standard answer will be 16.
A typical credit card number from the major global credit card issuers like Visa and Mastercard has 16 digits. On the other hand, American Express credit cards have 15 digits.
However, these digits in a credit card are not a random number sequence issued for individual customers. These digits are categorized based on different sections, and each has a specific purpose.
In fact, they adhere to international standards signifying the location, history, and other details regarding your credit cards.
Some credit cards might have 19 digits as well, but 16 is the most common format.
Before you get the answer to - “how to find my credit card number,” you must understand why these numbers are important. These credit card numbers impact the transaction accuracy and your financial security to a great extent.
Here are the reasons for you:
Authentication Purposes: When you make a purchase, the 15 or 16 digits on your credit card play an important role in authenticating the transaction. They do so by identifying the payment network, cardholder, and other relevant details.
Validation Check: This sequence of digits on a credit card also incorporates a validation check. It proves that these facets along with other security features create a powerful form of identification. Understanding this allows you to verify the authenticity of the card using the Luhn algorithm. It minimizes the risk of errors and fraudulent transactions.
Security Features: You can also identify potential fraud just by knowing the structure of your credit card number. You can take prompt action and secure your account upon recognizing the expected patterns and spotting discrepancies.
Fraud Prevention: Being aware of how your credit card number is structured also helps you detect unauthorized use. For instance, upon receiving a notification for a transaction you didn’t make, you will quickly conclude that your card details have been compromised if you know the identification number.
Transaction Accuracy: Accurately entering your credit card number is essential for successful transactions. Understanding the importance of each section of the number ensures you input the correct digits. This negates any possibility of transaction failure.
Improved Financial Management: Understanding your credit card details can assist in bettering your financial management. Being aware of your credit card issuer and your account details lets you track your spending, and payments management, and utilize your rewards or benefits more effectively.
Reporting Convenience: In case of disputes or issues with your transactions, a clear understanding of your credit card number will facilitate quicker resolution when you’re communicating with customer service representatives.
If you are wondering how many digits in a credit card are important, the answer is all of them! Here's a breakdown of your credit card number:
The first six digits of the credit card number.
Identifies the card issuer, such as a bank or financial institution.
The first digit is known as the Major Industry Identifier or MII.
For example, Visa cards typically start with a 4, while MasterCard starts with a 5, whereas American Express starts with a 3.
Usually, it’s the next twelve digits in total.
The first five digits within this refer to the specific issuing banks that process the necessary exchange of information for every transaction.
For example, Mastercard: 2, 3, 2 to 4, 5, or 6; Visa: 2 to 6; American Express: 3 and 4 (indicating whether the card is Platinum, Delta, etc.).
The next six numbers indicate the account number.
Uniquely identifies the cardholder’s account with the issuer.
| Card Issuer | First 6 Digits | Next 5 Digits | Last 6 Digits |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mastercard |
5 - | 2, 3, 2 - 4, 5, 6 | Customer Account Number |
|
Visa |
4 - | 2, - 6 | Customer Account Number |
|
American Express |
3 - | 3, 4 | Customer Account Number |
The last digit of the card number.
Used for verifying the validity of the credit card number using the Luhn algorithm.
The Luhn algorithm is a check for accidental errors and financial institutions use it to differentiate between mistyped credit card numbers and legitimate ones.
Now that we know the meaning of credit card numbers, let’s decode their structures.
Identifies the category of the institution. If it’s between 2 to 6, it has been issued by a banking or financial institution. This digit also reveals the credit card payment network. Let’s find out the most popular MII’s in existence:
1: Airlines
2: Airlines and Financial
3: Travel and Entertainment (Including American Express)
4: Banking and Financial (Including Visa)
5: Banking and Financial (Including Mastercard)
6: Merchandising and Banking (Including Discover)
7: Petroleum
8: Healthcare and Communications
9: Government.
Specifies the issuer and the card network.
Unique to the cardholder within the issuing bank.
Ensures the number’s validity and prevents errors.
Let’s consider a hypothetical credit card with the number: 4359 1488 0343 6467
4: Indicates the card is a Visa.
5391 48: Part of the Issuer Identification Number.
88 0343 646: Unique account identifier.
7: Check digit for verification.
Your credit card number is printed on the front of the card.
If you have a virtual or digital card, you can find the number in your bank’s mobile app or online banking portal. For security reasons, you should never share your credit card number publicly or store it in an unsecured place.
Now that you know how many numbers are on a credit card and how to tell their significance, let’s find out the meaning of the other digits on your credit card.
CVV: Card Verification Value or CVV is also known as Card Verification Code (CVC), Card Validation Code 2 (CVC2), Card Security Code (CSC), or Card Identification Number/Digit (CID). This is a unique 3-digit (for Visa and Mastercard) or 4-digit (for American Express) code that appears on the back of your credit card and provides an extra layer of security for online and phone-based transactions. CVV prevents unauthorized transactions if your card has been misplaced or handled by suspicious entities.
Expiration Date: It is a second layer of security measure added by card issuers on either side of your credit card. It is printed in the MM/YY format, signifying the month of that particular year on which your credit card will expire or become invalid. Your credit card issuer will probably send a physical card to you at least 60 days before your current card expires.
Now that you know what the meaning of your credit card number is, you must take the following preventive measures to protect your credit card number.
Use a VPN: Use a VPN during online credit card transactions to protect your sensitive information like credit card number. If a hacker intercepts that transaction session, they will only find a random stream of numbers which is useless for them.
Use a Virtual Credit Card: Using a virtual credit card helps you generate a temporary and disposable string of digits during online transactions. These give you extra security and anonymity.
Browse Securely: Since hackers usually target unsafe and malicious sites, secure browsing on platforms with HTTPS will help your cause.
Avoid Clicking on Suspicious Links: Hackers use phishing, vishing, and smishing techniques to steal your credit card information. And this is only possible when you click on such suspicious links. Refrain from doing so.
Hide Your Credit Card Number in Public: If you are using your credit card in public like a PoS machine, hide it properly while entering the PIN.
Understanding how many numbers are on a credit card and knowing about the significance of each digit will help you manage your credit card better. A comprehensive know-how of these details also ensure your credit card security.
Always handle your credit card information with care to prevent frauds and unauthorized transactions. Knowing the structure and purpose of your credit card number offers additional layers of security and an improved clarity in understanding your financial dealings.
Most standard credit cards have 16 digits. Credit cards issued by Visa, Mastercard, and Discover payment networks feature 16 digits.
No, not all credit cards have 15 digits. Credit cards issued by American Express only have 15 digits.
Yes, a credit card can have 12 numbers. Usually Maestro Cards have 12 to 19 digits on the credit card.
Usually, standard credit cards have 15 or 16 digits. However, you will find credit cards having 12 to 19 digits. But a credit card having 20 digits is rare, and next to impossible.
Usually a CVV is a 3-digit (for Mastercard, Visa, and Discover networks) or a 4-digit (for American Express network) code printed on the reverse side of the credit card.
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