What is CID?

, , Leave a comment

What is CID?
Almost everyone uses plastic money or the credit card. Using a credit card is a convenient way to shop. You can go shopping anywhere without bringing in any cash. You can go shopping up to your credit limit as long as the store accepts credit cards. However, reports of credit card fraud had been increasing and therefore one must be careful when handling their plastic money.

To protect credit card holders, issuers added several security features to prevent fraud. One security feature is the CID, or the credit card identification number. CID is an important security feature of every credit card thus, each cardholder must learn about its use. Cardholders must know where to find it since there are various numbers associated with each credit card.

On the front of each credit card is the card number. A card number is a sixteen-digit number, which also appears on debit cards. Card number in a debit card must not be mistaken for the account number. Card number and account number are different. Expiration date or the validity period of credit and debit cards is also shown at the front of each card. As mentioned earlier, for security purposes CID or the security or verification code is added to your card.

Where can you find this CID? At the back of your card, printed on the right side of the signature strip is the CID. It is a 3 to 4-digit number that follows your card’s account number. This 3 to 4-digit number or CID is not used for ‘in person’ transaction. This means that the CID is not meant to be used for over-the-counter transactions. CID is intended for online or over the phone transactions. This will ensure that a person cannot use your credit card number if he just obtained it from some source.

Credit card frauds are often committed on online and over the phone transactions. Some people list down your credit card number to use it online. However, since the introduction of the CID, credit card frauds in online transactions have greatly decreased. Merchants will always ask for the CID or security or verification code found at the back of the credit card. If the buyer does not physically have the credit card, the transaction cannot be fulfilled.

However, there will be times that a credit card is lost or worse, stolen. Unfortunate things do happen such as this. In order to avoid other people from using your lost or stolen credit cards, you must follow some safety precautions. It is highly suggested that credit cardholders, as well as debit card holders list down their account numbers including the validity period of their cards. Moreover, list down the emergency numbers to be called in case your card is lost or stolen.

Moreover, keep your list in a place you consider safe. Do not keep the list with your credit or debit cards. Do memorize your PIN. Never write down your PIN codes and include it with your cards. In the event of loss or theft, immediately call the emergency number to cancel your card. Never let a 48-hour period pass before you report a lost card or you will be responsible for a certain charge.

Tea Time Quiz

[forminator_poll id="23176"]
 

Leave a Reply