One part of credit card companies' arsenal in the war against fraud is the three-digit security code found on the back of your credit card.
Why is the security code there?
Your credit card's security code is designed to make fraudulent purchases more difficult. It's primary angle is to make it a more certain that, in electronic or phone transactions, the card is actually with the person making the purchase.
If a thief has somehow gained access to your credit card information, they most likely won't have the security code because it is never included with your credit card information. It is also not printed in of one of the raised numbers on your credit card, so if a merchant makes a copy with the printed carbon method then the three-digit security code will not be retained as part of that information. So, no thief will be able to fish through Dumpsters in order to find your three-digit security code.
Remember, the code doesn't make your credit card fraud-proof
The security code on the back of your credit card has gone a long way to putting a dent in credit card fraud.
However, thieves have gotten smarter about it. One new tactic is to find your credit card information and then e-mail you with it, pretending to be your credit card company. They then ask you for your three-digit security code. Many recipients of the e-mail think it must be legitimate since it contains your information, and so they respond by giving out their security code.
To learn more about your security code, credit cards or any other credit-card related topic, be sure to speak to a representative of your credit card company.
