Why do they blank out my cc number?

bigfreddiel

On my 123 cc statement they blank out all but the last four digits of my cc number - why?

Cheers

fj

grumbler

For the same reason as shops blank digits on the card receipts.

bigfreddiel

But it's printed in full on the paying in slip that comes with the statement - it makes no sense to me!

Cheers

fj

timbo58

Then let them know about it.
The first six and last 4 digits are commonly recorded on merchant accounts to allow them to trace payments back to orders etc, however the 'middle 6' should never be revealed for security anymore than you cards PIN number should be.

InsideInsurance

bigfreddiel wrote: »

But it's printed in full on the paying in slip that comes with the statement - it makes no sense to me!

It does seem a little odd to protect your security by not printing the whole number only to have it in full slightly lower down on the same document.

Arguably there is still slight benefit of the security should you detach the paying in slip and subsequently use the statement as proof of address for some other purpose however arguably the greatest risk is whilst it is passing through the mail system at which point the slip is still there and so the full card number

PeacefulWaters

If there's a possibility of the number being revealed through a window envelope, it makes sense.

PeacefulWaters

If there's a possibility of the number being revealed through a window envelope, it makes sense.

agrinnall

You can't not have it on the paying in slip, if it wasn't there then the payment would never get to the right card account.

The statements for three of my four credit cards print the number in full, with 123 being the exception, so I guess the three banks don't consider it to be a security issue and Santander simply haven't thought it through properly.

GingerBob_3

It's all down to institutional paranoia and stupidity. Even when I log on to the bank, parts of the account number, and parts of my phone number (it's a bogus number anyway) are blocked out.

There is absolutely no need to block out parts of an account number on a document such as statement. However, what really p***s me off is the likes of MBNA and one or two others, who send out junk mail with the full number quoted!

InsideInsurance

agrinnall wrote: »

You can't not have it on the paying in slip, if it wasn't there then the payment would never get to the right card account.

The statements for three of my four credit cards print the number in full, with 123 being the exception, so I guess the three banks don't consider it to be a security issue and Santander simply haven't thought it through properly.

Double negative there

You could avoid the need for having the card number if there was the use of account numbers instead. I dont know if anyone uses them anymore but donkey's years ago I remember one of my cards used to have a separate account number/ customer ID thing and you were able to use either it OR the card number for telephone banking or when sending cheque payments etc

GingerBob_3

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Double negative there

You could avoid the need for having the card number if there was the use of account numbers instead. I dont know if anyone uses them anymore but donkey's years ago I remember one of my cards used to have a separate account number/ customer ID thing and you were able to use either it OR the card number for telephone banking or when sending cheque payments etc

I seem to think M&S CC is still like that.