What is a (CVV) Credit Card Code?

For Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards, the card code is the last 3-digit number located on the back of your card on or above your signature line.  For an American Express card, it is the 4-digit number on the FRONT above (and usually) the end of your card number. To help reduce fraud in the card-not-present environment, credit card companies have introduced a card code program.  Visa® calls this code Card Verification Value (CVV); MasterCard® calls it Card Validation Code (CVC); Discover® and American Express® call it Card ID (CID). This number helps validate that a genuine card is being used during a transaction, especially in situations like mail orders, telephone orders or Internet orders where the card is not present.