Bank cards are in the wallets of millions of people. Thanks to the versatility, convenience and security of the payment instrument, the process of conducting transactions is simplified, transfers are accelerated, and the level of charged fees is reduced. But with the advent of the Internet, plastic cards have become vulnerable, and the number of fraudulent activities related to online purchases has increased. Bank employees were forced to develop new protection to exclude illegal transactions and theft of funds. Such a precautionary measure was the emergence of the CVC2 code for MasterCard or CVVC2 for VISA.

How to find the CVC2 code?

Many users of payment cards pay attention only to the front side of the "plastic", forgetting about the numbers on the back. It is there that there are three cherished numbers that have to be entered when shopping online. This method of drawing is typical for classic cards that can be touched. In the case of a virtual payment instrument, the data is transmitted by the bank operator via an SMS message. The clients task is to carefully store the received numbers and prevent them from falling into the hands of intruders.

What is CVC2? In fact, this is an additional number that is individual for each bank card. Unlike some other options, this service is optional. When registering "plastic", a person can refuse to apply a code, but in practice this rarely happens. We are talking about security, so it is at least silly to refuse additional measures aimed at protecting personal funds. The code in question has a digital display. The number of characters is three (one example is "345").

What is CVC2 for? Primarily for the security of online transactions. If the functionality of the card allows you to pay on the Internet, then the indication of such numbers is mandatory. In the case when CVC2 is not applied on the reverse side of the "plastic", this indicates the impossibility of its use for transactions in the network. In such cases, you can contact the bank and find out the required numbers in person, or make an appropriate request from an online consultant.

Safety first or what is CVC2 for?

Banking institutions abroad pay special attention to security. That is why, applying the CVC2 code on payment instruments is mandatory. In addition to the mentioned method, a number of other options for protecting funds are also used:

Confirmation of the transaction by dialing the customers phone number.
Verification of the operation by sending an SMS message.
Voice approval of the transaction.
The popularity of linking your phone to bank accounts is easy to explain. In European countries, a SIM card number is sold only on the basis of a personal document. That is why, in case of confirmation via telephone, the bank can be sure of the legality of the transaction.

It is important to understand one more point - what is CVC2 for. Its task is to protect financial transactions that are carried out at a distance. Confirmation of the transaction by specifying a three-digit code ensures that the transaction participant is the real owner of the payment instrument. If the card is lost, the meaning of the check digits is also lost. In such a situation, it is important to immediately contact the banks hotline and close access to the card. Otherwise, the risk of losing personal funds is high. If another person finds the card and knows what CVC2 is, they can seize the opportunity and spend within the existing limit.

It is worth understanding that strict precautions are not superfluous - they are aimed at protecting customers and excluding fraudulent transactions. Despite this, the number of thefts decreased slightly. The reason is the emergence of a greater number of technical innovations that allow attackers to easily bypass the system or "break through" existing protection.

What rules to follow when using cards with CVC2 code?

To minimize the risk of being scammed by fraudsters, follow these tips:

Make a purchase only at those outlets where the domain operates on a secure protocol. It is easy to recognize by the HTTPS inscription and the green highlighting of the address bar.
When scanning a card on both sides, it is recommended to hide the CVC2 code from prying eyes. To do this, you need to cover it up or stick an opaque tape on top. Some payment card users simply erase special numbers on the back. This is prohibited. An attentive cashier in a store during the payment process may notice the absence of a code and refuse to accept the payment instrument.
If "plastic" is needed only for making purchases in the network, then it is better to get a virtual card. In this case, the risk of losing a large amount is reduced, because the account is likely to have a minimum amount. What is CVC2 for classic cards has already been mentioned above. In fact, we are talking about information transmitted orally or in the form of SMS from a bank employee.
Watch carefully so that the secret numbers are not seen by strangers.
Try to keep a small amount on your card for online purchases. In case of such foresight, even hacking of a payment instrument will not lead to large losses.
Knowing what CVC2 is for is a must for any bank card user. The main thing is to remember about the possible risk and not forget about the importance of observing the mentioned safety measures.