Q: When I place orders via telephone or online, must I give my private four-digit code on the back of the credit card, if the merchant asks?— Jeannie Bain
A: Yes, and no. There’s no requirement that you provide merchants with the three-digit code (American Express cards have a four-digit code on the face), although they are likely to refuse your business if you don’t. That’s because the code is the only way of ensuring you are in possession of the card for telephone or Internet purchases.
The code — known at Visa as a CVV2, for Card Verification Value 2 — is a security feature to deter fraudulent card use. It prevents criminals from using only the account numbers, which can be taken from some receipts or data tapes.
The folks at Visa note that card receipts for the most part no longer carry account numbers or expiration dates, cutting down on the frequency of attempts at using the information fraudulently, but simply having a card number doesn’t mean you have the card in hand.
No receipt shows the CVV2 code.
If you do give it out, do so only to merchants you recognize or have contacted yourself.
“If someone calls you asking for it, it’s likely a fraud,” said Ben Woosley at . “They get lists of stolen numbers and start calling, acting as the card’s security department, asking for the code.”
It’s usually OK to give the number on secure websites. How to tell? Look for “https” in the URL on the checkout page.
David Migoya wants to get the answers to your consumer questions. E-mail consumertips@ denverpost.com or write to Consumer Shopping Bag, The Denver Post, 101 W. Colfax Ave., Suite 600, Denver, CO 80202
