Submit a ProgramSign inJoin free
Payments & chargebacksAffiliate glossary

What is CVV (card verification value)?

On Visa and Mastercard cards it is three digits on the back, next to the signature strip; Mastercard calls it CVC. American Express uses a four-digit code printed on the front.

The code is not stored in the card’s magnetic stripe or chip, so someone who only has a copied card number cannot complete an online payment that asks for it. Card security rules (PCI DSS) forbid merchants from storing the CVV after the payment is authorised.

Never give your CVV by email or phone to anyone claiming to be your bank. For affiliates, offers that ask for card details, such as trials, must be promoted honestly; misleading “free” claims lead to cancelled sales and chargebacks.

Related terms

Cardholder name
The cardholder name is the name of the person the payment card was issued to, printed or embossed on the card and entered in the “name on card” field at checkout.
Credit card authorisation
Credit card authorisation is the moment the card issuer approves a payment and reserves the amount on the cardholder’s account before the money is actually taken.
Chargeback
A chargeback is a forced reversal of a card payment, started by the cardholder’s bank after the customer disputes the charge.