SVV2 on back of debit (and credit) cards. Why???

john_s_2

I've just received my new debit card. So like my previous one I've made a separate note of the SVV2 code (three digit code on the back) and then scratched it off the card.

Why? Because as far as I'm concerned printing this number on the card is almost equivalent to writing your PIN on it. Which banks have always rightly advised against.

I had a quick search through some threads and no one seems to have mentioned this so I wondered what people thought? Apologies if this has been discussed before...

All it takes is a dodgy shop assistant to note the number (not so easy now of course with Chip+PIN as the assistant has no business touching the card), and if they can access the paper receipt with your 16 digit number on it they don't need to remember the details on the front.

My wife had her card details used twice a few years ago. The second one (obviously the first one was cancelled) she'd only had a few weeks. She'd only used it in shops (not online or other 'card not present' purchases). So this is the only likely explanation we could think of. Both times the fraudster used her details for 'card not present' purchases online. (I have warned her not to leave her card (bag) unattended at work as you can't trust anyone. She assures me she doesn't but if she's like a lot of the women I work with I wouldn't be surprised if she'd left it unattended occasionally. Don't get me wrong, men can be guilty of this too by leaving wallets in jacket pockets.)

Thankfully the bank (Barclays) replaced the money with no fuss. The second time it was Barclays who intervened by refusing a transaction in a shop and when the assistant rang them they asked to speak to my wife. They read out a list of transactions, none of which we recognised, and that was that. The transactions never even appeared on our statement!

Since then I've scratched these codes off all our cards, and we keep a separate note of them should we ever use them for card not present purchases.

I'm aware that defacing the card probably technically makes it invalid but like I say, nobody but me touches my card these days so no one's to know.

Any thoughts?

(Funny story related to my 'not trusting anyone at work' story. We did have a spate of office thefts at my office a few years ago. Yet people were STILL leaving their bags and coats unattended. I said to my immediate colleagues, "Don't do it! It happens! Every office I've ever worked in has had office thefts." Then I realised what I sounded like... I think they believed me ;-)

jonesMUFCforever

John do you have any friends?

skyrider007

I think you are worrying a bit too much. In this Chip and Pin age your card is rarely taken away from your sight, this makes it virtually impossible for any sneaky shop assistant to take down your card details.

You shouldn't be tampering with the card anyway (it is against the Terms and Conditions), should you require to sign for the transaction (i.e. when abroad) and the merchant sees that your signature stripe has been scraped off they may refuse to accept your card.

[Deleted User]

It's not the equivilent of writing your PIN on the card because the CVV is used to form the basis of the address verification process, hence the reason why usually you will have to alert your card company to a secondary address should you wish goods to be delivered to somewhere that is not your home address.

john_s_2

John do you have any friends?

?!?

Meaning what?

Do you mean worrying about things unnecessarily? I'm often accused of that. Which is why I thought I'd post this as I figured like minded souls would read it and comment. Or people who're better informed than me would point out the error of my ways.

Paul_Herring

john_s wrote: »

Any thoughts?

Invest in a black felt tip/marker.

It stops casual looking at the number, yet still makes it possible to see the number if you really need it (the numbers tend to be embossed.)

That said, why are you allowing shop staff to handle your card out of your sight?

john_s_2

I think it's the equivalent of a PIN as on top of the details on the front, it's all someone needs to use it for a card not present purchase (eg online, over the phone). I have to admit, I've not used my card to buy things that are sent to a different address, but given the amount of such fraud you read about, I can only assume it's not that difficult to do once you've got all the details from the card.

I agree with the point about now we use Chip+PIN then the card never leaves my hands. But I suppose it's a precaution I like to take.

I noticed the numbers were embossed this time. I can make the numbers out from the front of the card - just.

Point taken about breaking the T&Cs of the card. I admitted as much in my original post. If I get pulled up on it then I'll put my hands up and apologise and whatever else I'd need to do. As for a shop not accepting it - similarly a risk I'm prepared to take, obviously.

Well... maybe I am worrying too much. But I still don't see why the number can't be printed separately on the accompanying letter so that it doesn't all have to be in the same place. Card not present fraud has increased since Chip+PIN came in - unless I'm very much mistaken the fraudsters are merely using the details on the front of the card, and the SVV2 code. So why have them all in one place?

YorkshireBoy

Black marker pen will hide the CVV.

A whiteboard dry wipe pen will dissolve the permanent marker ink and reveal the CVV, should you ever need to read it yourself.

(not trying to compete with john s...honestly!)

System

I think the bulk of card fraud involving the CVV2 number is via the internet and telephone sales when you have supplied all your information - including your address - and this information has been either intercepted in some way or used by a dodgy member of staff.

It would be pretty hard for, say, a cashier in Tesco to guess the numbers in your address to then be able to use your card details for a 'customer not present' transaction.

I hope I make sense!!

Regards
UNDERGROUND

john_s_2

UNDERGROUND wrote: »

I think the bulk of card fraud involving the CVV2 number is via the internet and telephone sales when you have supplied all your information - including your address - and this information has been either intercepted in some way or used by a dodgy member of staff.

It would be pretty hard for, say, a cashier in Tesco to guess the numbers in your address to then be able to use your card details for a 'customer not present' transaction.

I hope I make sense!!

Ah, am I correct in saying that for all card not present transactions, which require the CVV2, you need to enter a correct address as well? be_alright alluded to this as well. So if I entered the wrong address when buying something online I would be told the address isn't recognised? That makes sense. I rarely buy stuff online; I wasn't aware that check was made. (But it makes sense, thinking about it.)

That being the case then yes, the card details alone would be insufficient. (I'm vaguely aware that some vendors need only the front of the card details, but that's another issue...)

In which case I am being paranoid. And thanks for pointing it out! (It's why I posted.) Ah well, I'll get another card in three years...

System

As far as I can remember it's the numbers in the address that count.

For example if you live at 56 High Road, and your postcode is QQ12 6XX then the numbers needed to complete the card verification would be 56126.

Not 100% sure, but this is what I can recall my sister telling me (she works in a bank!)

UNDERGROUND