My credit card was compromised. New cards should arrive today.
I was thinking that I might put a piece of tape over the CVV number. Could this help? Might it be a problem?
Only if you’re worried that someone will see your credit card number AND the expiration date AND the CVV AND use it.
I wouldn’t worry about it unless you have some reason to believe that’s how it was compromised in the first place.
Also worth noting that, at least in my experience, the merchant can adjust whether or not that needs to be correct for the purchase to go through. Granted, that’s a risk they’re taking, it makes it easier for people to use their card even once that number is worn off.
Just to be clear, it’s not a bad idea, I just don’t know that it would actually make a difference.
Maybe, depending on how the card was compromised. If an employee is stealing your card info, that might help.
But it won’t help if the merchant’s card reader has malware installed in by hackers, or if a card skimmer is attached, or if the merchant or card issuer has a data breach.
That’s why it’s much safer to keep your credit card in your possession and use the chip method of payment or tap to pay, both of which generate one-time use codes and defeat card skimmers.
But if you use your card online the main danger is data breaches. There is reportedly a way to generate a virtual card, which would help prevent that. Not sure how it works for recurring charges.
I had a card number stolen once. It was used to buy gift cards locally so it was probably stolen locally. The customer service rep when I was getting a new card saw that the night before I was at a restaurant and said that sometimes the waitstaff will put the card in the holder down at the bar or something and someone will snap a picture of it.
FWIW, I use Apple Pay on my iPhone whenever I can, but not every place supports it.
I tried to figure out where I might have handed my card over to someone, but it’s probably pointless.
That is much safer, too, since it also generates one-time use codes. Plus nobody can see your card.
With that in mind, I could see putting a piece of tape over it and, if someone hands it back to you and the tape appears to have been tampered with, call and cancel the number. OTOH, if, for whatever reason, they need to manually enter your card, they’ll need the number.
Yep I suspect in my casesthefirsttwo.
Bluetooth how to avoid that?
Physical skimmers - gas pumps atm stores
Ghost tapping -hidden proximity devices
Bluetoothextraction. Wireless theft
Apple Pay and other wireless payments don’t use Bluetooth. They use “NFC,” which is much more secure for this sort of thing.
The new cards arrived today.
Some observations:
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They don’t have a place for a signature. First time I’ve ever seen that,
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They don’t require activation.
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The card was automatically added to Apple Pay, and my Amazon account. In fact, I was able to use it on Amazon before I had received it.
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The card #, CVV, and expiration date are all on the back, printed in some sort of embossed fashion. It took three layers of tape before the numbers were too indistinct to read. It will be interesting to see if anyone is bothered by me obscuring them.
I cut a tiny corner of my main debit card so I can retrieve it from my bag by feel. Every one said “oh they’ll never accept that”, no one has ever said a thing. I’ve swiped it, inserted it, tapped it, handed it to a waitress. Never been an issue.
Altho’ the tape might interfere with insertion at some locations.
No sig panel on cards started maybe 8-9 months ago. Surprised me the first time too. Seems to be becoming the norm.
I’ve gotten a couple recently that don’t require activation. But that’s real recent, like last 3 months. I too was surprised by that.
The instant update of your e-wallet is now pretty typical. Within a couple minutes of you hanging up the phone reporting the breach, your e-wallets get the new cards / numbers. Very handy.