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Credit Card NumbersA credit card is made of plastic. Its slim and flat and has a standard size, which is 3-1/8 inches long and 2-1/8 inches in width. All credit cards issued all over the world conform to this specification. The card contains information that identifies the owner. It usually has place for a signature and some cards carry a picture of the card owner as well. The card also has the name of the owner of the card embossed on it.
It authorizes the person named on it to make purchases or services on credit. He is billed for these purchases at regular intervals. The card also has a 16-digit number embossed on it. This is the real heart of the card and identifies the owner when he makes a purchase. These numbers store important information. This information stored in the card is decoded by ATMs (automated teller machines), bank and Internet computers as well as card readers at commercial establishments.
The first instance of the use of credit cards was recorded in the United States in 1920. During that period companies, such as hotel chains and oil companies, began issuing cards to their customers. The use of credit cards greatly increased during the middle of the last century.
The face of the card has a set of numbers, which are embossed on the card. These numbers have a certain internal configuration, and a common numbering scheme. ISO 7812 governs the numbers on a card. In 1989 the International Standards Organization first published ISO 7812 for Standardization (ISO)for credit card numbering. This is the international standard that governs the issue of all cards that have a magnetic-stripe. Examples of cards that have a magnetic stripe are entry cards, automated teller machine (ATM) cards and credit cards. ISO 7812 also limits the numbers on the card to a maximum of 19 digits.
An ISO 7812 specifies a single-digit major industry identifier (MII) followed by a six-digit issuer identifier number (IIN), and lastly an account number, and a single digit checksum. The major industry identifier is considered to be part of the issuer identifier number.
There are three types of credit cards. They are Cards, which are issued by banks (for example, Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card) Travel and entertainment (T&E) cards, such as American Express and Diners Club House cards that are issued by one chain of stores (Sears and Macys cards are the best examples of such cards.) Oil companies, Local stores and phone companies may also issue their own cards.
All the cards generally have the same terms and conditions with minor variations.
International Standards Organization has drawn up the specifications that govern credit card numbering (ISO/IEC 7812-1:1993) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI X4.13) has drawn up the specifications for numbering of credit cards. However publications of these organizations are not easily available on the net. One can however get information about the specifications by referring to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) draft by Donald E. Eastlake (DNS).
The first numbers on the credit card is referred to as the prefix numbers and they identify the credit card network to which the number belongs. The first 6 digits of the credit card number are referred to as the Bank Identification Number (BIN). These identify the institution that issued the card. The issuer allocates the rest of the number. The number of digits that limit the length of the cards is 19.
The prefixes and lengths for the most common card types are given below as an illustration. American Express card numbers start with numbers 34,37 and have a total of 15 number digits embossed on its face.
Diners club International card numbers start with a prefix 36 and have a length of 14 digits
Discover card have a prefix off 6011,650 and a length of 16 digits
Maestro (debit card) start with prefixes 5020,6 and have a length of 16 digits
Visa cards start with a prefix of 4 while Master card numbers start with 51-55.Both cards have a length of 16 digits.
The above list is not exhaustive and there are others issuers of credit cards as well.
Since 2004 MasterCard and Diner's club have formed an alliance. After the alliance 55 is the prefix of Cards issued in Canada and the USA by both Masters and Diners.
In addition to the credit card number, which is embossed on the card, credit cards also carry issue and expiry dates of the card. These are given to the nearest month. These dates lay down the period of validity of the card. There are also extra codes such as issue numbers and security codes. All Credit cards do not have the same sets of extra codes.
These numbers provide extra information as well as identify the card is genuine.
In addition to the card number there are 3 number digits that are printed on the signature strip on the back of the card. These numbers represent the Card security code. The card security number is a computer-generated number and is important for purchases on line or on the telephone. In the case of American Express cards, it can be a four-digit number printed (but not embossed) on the front of the card. Visa and master have a 3-digit code that is at the back of the card.
Phone companies, gas companies and department stores have their own numbering systems. Credit card systems use the ANSI Standard X4.13-1983 (American national Standards Institute).
Here is what some of the numbers embossed on a credit card stand for: Lets take a Credit number as
3321 5678 9012 1334
The first digit in the above example identifies type of Industry that issues the card. For example
Cards numbers starting with number 3 represent travel/entertainment cards (such as American Express and Diners Club)
card numbers starting with number 4 are issued by Visa establishments while card numbers having a prefix of 5 are issued by Master card.
The number 6 represents Discover cards:
The structure of the card number further identifies the issuer. For example, American Express card numbers start with 37, Carte Blanche and Diners Club with 38.
In American Express cards - Digits three and four are type and currency identification numbers while digits five to the eleventh identify the account number, digits 12 to 14 are the card number within the account and digit 15 is a check digit.
In Visa cards, the second number to the sixth number are the bank identification numbers, digits seven to the twelfth or seven through 15 are the account number and digit 13 or 16 is a check digit number.
In MasterCards - Digits two and three, two to four, two to five or two to six are the bank number (depending on whether digit two is a 1, 2, 3 or other). The digits after the bank number up through digit 15 are the account number.
The last digit of your credit card number is a check digit number:
Hans Peter Luhn (1896-1964)a scientist working with IBM invented the algorithm that is used to calculate the proper check digit number. It is called the Luhn algorithm. Luhn was awarded US Patent 2950048 for the technique in 1960.
The numbers embossed on a Credit card is a very important part of a credit card. Suffice it to say that a numbering on the credit card validates the credit card and identifies the owner for a purchase to be effected.
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