What Is a CVV and Does Your Website Need It?
What Is a CVV and Does Your Website Need It?
Summary: This post explains what CVV codes are and how small business owners can use them to protect customer payments. Collecting CVV helps reduce fraud, safeguard sensitive data, and build trust during checkout.
What Is a CVV and Where to Find It?
What Is a CVV and Where to Find It?
Your CVV (Card Verification Value) is a short security code printed on your credit card. Where to find your CVV:
- On Visa, MasterCard, and Discover, it’s the 3 digits on the back.
- On American Express, it’s the 4 digits on the front.
Why it matters for you as a customer:
- Proves you have the actual card when making an online purchase.
- Helps protect you from fraud if your card number is stolen - but you still have the physical card.
Important: Your CVV is not the same as your PIN. A PIN is used at ATMs or in-person transactions and should never be entered into online forms.
Additional resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_security_code
Published on September 24, 2025