Signs of authenticity of plastic cards. Bank plastic cards Void on a bank card
1. Bank card identification:
1.1. Identify the Bank card presented for payment (hereinafter also referred to as the “card”) and carry out an external inspection of the card to determine its authenticity and validity.
1.2. Do not service cards that have not yet expired or have already expired (the card's expiration date is indicated on its front side). The card's validity period reflects the card's start date and expiration date (for example, 07/00 07/02). Sometimes the card's expiration date may only contain its expiration date. The card's start and end dates are located below the number embossed on the card. The card is valid from 00.00 hours on the first day of the month indicated on it (in our example: - from 00.00 hours on July 1, 2000) until 24.00 hours inclusive last day of the month indicated on it (in the example: - until 24.00 inclusive on July 31, 2002).
1.3. Do not serve local cards, i.e. cards that indicate that they are valid only in one country, with the exception of Russia: if the card is local, the country of its validity is indicated on the front side (“Valid only in [country name]” - “Valid only in [country name]”) . The exception is cards that indicate “Valid only in Russia” - “Valid only in Russia”. Such cards must be accepted for payment.
1.4. Determine by the logo whether the Holder’s card belongs to one of the supported payment systems: VISA, MASTERCARD, DINERS CLUB/ DISCOVER.
2. Determining the authenticity of a bank card:
2.1. Make sure there are no signs of counterfeiting or damage to the card (bends, melted areas, traces of changes in the card number, holes and other obvious damage to the surface, etc.).
2.2. Make sure that the Holder's signature is on the back of the card and that there are no signs of tampering with the signature strip itself. If an attempt was made to change the signature on the panel, the word "VOID" will appear on the panel. If the signature on the signature strip differs from the signature on the slip/check, be sure to ask the Holder to sign again or present an identification document, the details of which should be written in the slip or on the front side of the terminal check. If there is no signature on the back of the card, ask the Cardholder to sign the card and present an identification document containing a sample of his signature. The card can be accepted for payment only if both signatures match, otherwise it can be withdrawn.
2.3. Having determined that the card belongs to one of the payment systems, make sure that the following required elements are present:
2.3.1. For VISA cards:
on the front side
- "VISA" logo in the form of a tricolor flag (blue, white, gold): "VISA" is written on a white stripe.
- the logo is located in the upper or lower right corner of the card;
- along the contour of the "VISA" logo in the form of a continuous frame there is a microprint of the code and BIN of the bank (bank identification number) of the card issuer;
- a hologram (three-dimensional image) in the form of a flying dove, pressed into plastic; when the map turns, the dove “flapping its wing”;
- on the front side there may be a contact group (the so-called chip or smart card), located above the first four digits of the card number;
- VISA card number starting with “4” and consisting of 16 or 13 digits: “4ХХХ ХХХХ XXXX ХХХХ” or “4ХХХ ХХХ ХХХ ХХХ”, the last group of numbers must be in the hologram field;
- the first four digits of the embossed card number must match the four digits of the bank's BIN, printed under the card number;
- the card’s validity period can be embossed with the initial and final dates, for example, 10/96 - 10/98, or only the final ones, for example, 10/98; the card can be issued for a period of 1 month, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years;
- after the expiration date of the card there must be a special security symbol “V”, embossed on the card in a special “flying italic” font (slanted to the right);
- an image of a flying dove in the center of the card, visible in ultraviolet light (violet or red glow);
- personal data of the Cardholder (name, surname) are applied by embossing;
- there may be a photo of the cardholder and/or a photocopy of his signature (see picture).
A card with a photograph of the owner and a photocopy of his signature on the front side.
On the reverse side
- magnetic strip soldered into plastic, not glued;
- if there is a contact group (chip or smart card), the signature strip should not extend into the area where the contact group is located;
- the signature panel must contain a clear (not erased or blurred) signature of the Cardholder;
- on the signature panel there is an oblique text of the repeated words “VISA”, written in blue and gold;
- in the upper right corner of the signature panel, the card number (or the last 4 digits of the card number) and three digits of the CVV2 security code are printed with a slant to the left;
- a photograph of the cardholder and/or a photocopy of his signature may be present.
ATTENTION!!! Since January 1, 2006, VISA cards of a new design have been introduced into circulation.
The following changes have been made for the new design VISA cards:
on the front side
The hologram with the image of a flying dove - on the right side of the Card above (or below) the VISA logo may or may not be present on the new Cards (the hologram may also be present on the back of the Card).
The last four or three digits of the number are embossed on the hologram.
- The validity period of the Card is embossed under the Card number. It may include a start and end date.
- The Card number begins with the number "4".
- The new VISA logo can be located in the lower right, upper right and upper left corner.
- The logo contains an ultraviolet element - an image of the letter V (in the same format as on the logo).
- If the information on the Card is not embossed, but printed, there must be a notice “electronic use only” on the front side (only for use in a POS terminal).
On the reverse side:
The three-digit CVV2 code can be located either on the Holder’s signature strip or on a separate field located immediately after the signature strip.
- The Cardholder's signature strip contains an ultraviolet element - the repeated word VISA (there are no VISA typographical inscriptions, a number of stripes are applied).
- The magnetic stripe can be standard, or it can be holographic (with the image of a flying dove).
- The three-digit CVV2 code and Card number on the Cardholder's signature strip are printed in italics with a slant to the left.
- New VISA Chip Cards may have vertical information.
More and more people are using payment cards. No wonder - they are easy to use and make life much easier. They allow you to make non-cash payments in stores and on the Internet, withdraw money from an ATM, and also have many useful functions (bonus program, access to discounts, access to online banking). However, do you know how this small piece of plastic works, and what information should be on the front and back of a bank card?
All payment cards, regardless of which bank issues them, they must be made of flexible plastic, have an identical format and contain certain elements.
Bank card sizes
Standard card sizes were defined in 1985 by ISO (International Organization for Standardization). International Organization for Standardization). In accordance with ISO/IEC 7810 standard, the height of each payment card should be 53.98 mm, width - 85.6 mm, and thickness - 0.76 mm (this is the so-called ID-1 format). The card must have rounded edges with a radius of 3.18 mm.
Various details presented on the map and the location of some elements are also subject to standardization. In addition, the ISO standard defines a method for recording data on a magnetic stripe or microprocessor (chip) built into the card.
Obverse – the front side of a bank card
In accordance with ISO standards, the following data must be indicated on the front (front) side of the bank card:
Name and brand name (logo) of the card issuing bank
This data is located at the top of the map: in the center or in the left corner.
Card number
The card number is located in the central part of the card and is a sequence of 16 digits written in 4 blocks of 4 digits. Contains information about the cardholder's account, the bank that issued it and the payment system to which the card belongs.
First digit informs about the industry affiliation of the financial organization that issued the card.
For example:
- 1 and 2 are reserved for airlines
- 3 – for T&E club cards
- 4, 5 and 6 – for financial institutions such as Sberbank
- 7 – for a network of fuel sales points
- 8 – for telecommunication networks
Four, five and six indicate the payment system in which the card operates. 4 – VISA, 5 – for MasterCard plastic, 6 – for regional payment systems.
Next 5 digits determine the financial institution that issued the card to us.
First six digits represent a BIN (Bank Identification Number), sometimes called a “prefix”.
Next nine digits– identifier of the account number of the client who is the card holder.
Last sixteenth digit– this is the so-called check digit, which is calculated based on the Luhn algorithm. It allows you to check the correctness of the entered sequence of numbers.
The check digit serves an important function, especially during online transactions. When we enter the card number, our computer, based on an algorithm, makes instant calculations and checks the accuracy of the entry. An identical operation is carried out by the computer receiving the data (that is, the seller’s computer).
Due to the fact that the check digit is an additional form of protection for online non-cash transactions, we are not able to “fake” the card number in such a way that the payment is debited from the account of another person.
Important! The card number does not match the bank account number.
The most common mistakes made when entering numbers:
- one error: a instead of b (60%-95% of all errors)
- skipping or adding a number (from 10% to 20%)
- swap adjacent numbers - the so-called Czech error (from 10% to 20%)
- twin errors: aa entered as bb (0.5% to 1.5%)
- replacement of adjacent digits: acb entered as bca (0.5% to 1.5%)
- Twin errors of spaced digits: aca as bcb (below 1%)
Card expiry date
The expiration date of the card is indicated by embossing at the bottom, under the card number. The valid recording format is MM/YY (sometimes preceded by the words VALID THRU). Cards from some banks may also indicate the start date of the card's validity.
The validity period of payment cards is determined individually by each financial institution. Most often this is a period from one to 3 years, however, there are also longer periods.
The card can be used until the last day of the month in which it expires - after this period, the bank issues a new card before the old one expires.
Organization logo and hologram
Typically, the logo and hologram are located in the lower right corner of the card ( although in Lately some members place the hologram of the organization issuing the card on the reverse rather than on the front).
A hologram can be a design or text that is laser-etched onto a very thin, metallic film and which, depending on the tilt of the card, gives the appearance of two or three dimensions.
The hologram was first used by the MasterCard organization, and currently it is used by all payment systems. VISA cards feature a 3D dove, MasterCard hologram contains the MasterCard inscription and the connected symbol globes . Holographic cards prevent cards from being falsified using simple copying methods, so they are an important element in protecting bank cards.
Microprocessor (chip)
It has the shape of a square or rectangle located to the left of the card, under the logo and name of the bank. The module is embedded using a special glue that reacts chemically with the plastic of the card, making it impossible to remove it without damaging the plastic.
Cardholder's first and last name (optional)
The cardholder's first and last name is located in the lower left corner of the card. In the case of business type cards, the name of the company may be placed on a personal card instead of the owner’s first and last name.
Designation of the card's validity region
Local (national) map– can only be used in the country where its publisher is located. The bank then sets special information on the front side, for example, “Valid only in Russia”.
Sometimes cards marked EUROCARD/MasterCard or VISA may be of the local type, intended only for use in a given country. Local maps cannot be used abroad, because when you try to make a payment, the bank automatically blocks it.
An international card is used to carry out transactions both in the country in which the issuer is located and abroad. Can be used at any point of sale or ATM that displays your card logo.
Card type
Each payment system provides payment cards designed for different types of clients (gold, prestigious, business, etc.). Typically, these cards have a different graphic design, such as a gold background color reserved for Gold cards and silver for Silver cards. Sometimes, however, the card type is also indicated on the front in letters.
Additional items
The following elements may also be placed on the front side of the card:
- photo of the owner (optional);
- special characters, for example, contactless payment symbol;
- a protective element visible only in ultraviolet rays.
Reverse – the back side of a bank card
The reverse contains much fewer elements. The most important of them include:
Magnetic strip
The magnetic stripe has dimensions of 12x86 mm and contains an encoded set of data about the cardholder and his account, as well as a personal identification number PIN. It consists of three parallel magnetic stripes, information from which is read through a magnetic head installed in the ATM or terminal.
The first page contains the first and last name of the cardholder and information about the country and bank that issued the card. The second track records the card number, its expiration date and the service code necessary for the proper execution of the transaction. And the third lane is used to store the bank’s own information.
The magnetic stripe is additionally protected from counterfeiting using microprinting, as well as elements visible only under ultraviolet radiation.
Signature field
Signature field, that is, a silicone layer on which the card holder leaves his signature. The field is also protected using design elements that are invisible to the eye or can only be seen under ultraviolet light.
In addition, a thin layer of clear white paint is placed on the field to form a background for the signature. An attempt to remove the signature for the purpose of reapplying it entails the removal of the base, then the inscription “card expired” will appear in this place.
Code CVC2/CVV2
The three-digit code CVC2 / CVV2 is indicated directly in the signature field. It provides security for remote transactions where it is not possible to enter a PIN code. It is indicated on the card and is also stored in the bank’s information system. It must not be disclosed to third parties!
- Code CVC2 (Card Verification Code 2)– used to confirm remote MO/TO transactions on MasterCard cards.
- Code CVV2 (Card Verification Value 2)– a three-digit code that allows you to identify the holder of a Visa Electron and Visa Gold card.
- American Express cards– the four-digit code is indicated on the front side of the card.
MO/TO mail order/telephone order/internet order) – operations without physical use of the card. Confirmed by entering the card number and other unique bank card data (owner’s name, expiration date, CVC2 or CVV2 code).
Information about the card issuer (bank details)
The back of the card also contains the card issuer's address information and a phone number where the card can be blocked.
Evolution of the production and functionality of payment cards
Modern payment cards perform more and more functions and have a more complex design. Nowadays, most of them have a built-in chip containing memory and a processor that can store more data than a magnetic stripe and guarantees a high level of security during operations carried out by the user.
Development of modern information technologies makes it possible to implement innovative solutions, such as a card with a display that allows the user to check the account balance and generate one-time passwords.
Another interesting idea is a card that allows you to use multiple bank accounts (selection can be made by pressing a button on the card). Biometric cards with a built-in fingerprint reader and cards that offer a dynamic (time-varying) verification code have also been successfully tested.
Time will tell whether the new products will receive user recognition. One thing is for sure – multifunctional payment cards can still surprise us with innovative solutions.
Recently, more and more Belarusians have begun to contact the main bank of the country with a strange problem: on their cards, or rather, on the inscription strip, the mysterious word Void appears, and cashiers in a store or waiters in a cafe, seeing this inscription, simply refuse to make the payment .
However, no mysticism happened in the world of banking plastic. As one of the commercial banks explained to KP, such an inscription can appear if the strip for personal painting is damaged - either intentionally or due to poor-quality material. The signature on the card is additional opportunity identify the card owner. And, if there is no painting, then you should be asked to sign on the map. If the word Void appeared, then perhaps someone wanted to erase the old signature. However, the presence of a visible inscription does not in any way affect the operation of the card itself. Using it, you can withdraw money from an ATM or make payments at an information kiosk. But you won’t be able to pay at the checkout in a store or cafe.
The problem is not new, it’s just that recently citizens have become more active in using plastic when making payments, which is why the cards are breaking down. The National Bank recommended that Belarusian banks more carefully explain such nuances to both cardholders and those who make payments on them.
The word Void itself means “invalid”, and if it appears on a card, it should be replaced. This is done to protect payments. And the inscriptions appear due to the fact that the layer of the signature strip is erased.
The second equally important question: do they have the right to refuse service to the owner of a card with such an inscription? For example, the Belarusbank website says that damage to the signature strip on the back of the card and the appearance of the word Void on it (for Visa Electron, Visa, Maestro, MasterCard cards) or the word “Invalid” (for BELKART cards) may serve as grounds for denial of service. In this case, experts advise contacting the bank for a new card.
The cashier has the right to refuse payment to you. But the same card can be accepted by an ATM or information kiosk - if the magnetic strip is not badly damaged, they told KP at the information center of another commercial bank. - However, if the marking strip is heavily worn, it is best to re-issue the card, as it will soon become unusable anyway.
IMPORTANT!
Many Belarusians still distrust cards. Still, everything is clear with banknotes in your wallet: either they are there or they are not. But what if the card suddenly stopped working for no reason? It seems like there is money, but you can’t use it! Let's figure out why plastic can stop working
Question:
I was given a debit bank card, but the bank employee did not explain anything about what information is on bank card reflects what the appearance of the card conveys. May I need information on a bank card, and in what cases?
Answer: First, let’s talk about what a bank card looks like, or rather, what the card’s appearance might be. The bank card has a format defined by the ISO 7810 ID-1 standard: 85.6 mm x 53.98 mm x 0.76 mm, and is mainly made of plastic. The front and back sides of the card carry various functional information. The general background of the front side of a bank card is approved by the bank based on the designs developed by the designers, and the back side always has a plain background. That is, the design and color of the card depends on the preferences of the issuing bank, and also takes into account the requirements of the payment system that services this card.
The background should contribute to the aesthetic perception of the card and the recognition of the bank that issued the card. For certain types of cards, banks offer cardholders to decide on the design themselves, that is, they give the client the right to choose individual design.
Using stolen personal cards, it is more difficult to purchase goods at retail outlets, especially expensive ones, since if the purchase amount is significant or if there is the slightest doubt, sellers have the right to ask to see a passport.
Therefore, one month before the expiration date of the card, you must contact the bank for reissue new card or write an application to close a card account.
When choosing to make a payment, you must take into account that the name and logo of the payment system on the bank card must correspond to their counterpart on the self-service device or ATM. If there is no such logo on the device, then this self-service device/ATM will not service your card.
For the American Express payment system, the card number consists of 15 digits, divided into 3 blocks of 4,6 and 5 digits each (4-6-5).
And for the Russian national payment system "Mir" the card number consists of 16 digits divided into 4 blocks of 4 digits (4-4-4-4).
The card number is the access number to the cardholder's bank account.
The card number is used by the holder in the Mobile Bank or Online system.
Using the first digit of the card number, you can obtain information about which payment system the card belongs to and whether it matches the logo. So, the first numbers of payment systems that operate in Russia are as follows:
- World - 2;
- VISA – 4;
- American Express – 3
- MasterCard – 5
- Maestro - 3, 5 or 6
- China UnionPay - 6
- JCB International - 3
- UEK - 7.
Back of the card
Sketch appearance The reverse side of a bank card with the numbering of elements looks like this:
The reverse side of the bank card displays information on the following elements:
- Bank's name– at the bottom of the card the name of the bank to which the card belongs must be repeated.
- White paper strip located next to the magnetic stripe. It is only available on personalized cards - and is intended for applying a sample signature of the card holder. This is also a protection - if you try to forge a sample signature at the time of making payments using stolen card problems may arise.
The paper strip, in addition to the sample signature of the card holder, is filled with information taking into account the elements of the type of payment system and the card authentication code.
So, for example, a bar can be filled:
- diagonal lines with the word VISA in blue/blue and gold colors and a 19-digit number printed in a special font slanted to the left, which includes 16 digits of the card number and 3 digits of the security code
- diagonal lines with the word MasterCard or MC in red, blue/cyan and yellow flowers and a 7-digit number in the center of the panel, printed in a special font slanted to the left, which includes the last four digits of the card number and 3 digits of the security code
- Card authentication code(CVV2 and CVC2) - for payment systems, MasterCard or Visa, it consists of three digits, and is located on a white strip of paper, next to the place for the holder’s signature after the last four digits of the bank card number indicated there. The code is used as an additional means of identifying the cardholder during payments, especially on the Internet. It is not found on all categories of cards of these systems.
Card authentication code using technology MirAccept payment system "MIR" - consists of three digits and is located on the back of the card. Sberbank of Russia, for example, has a code located before the words “Thank you from Sberbank.”
- Magnetic stripe on the card- This is a magnetic strip soldered into plastic, which is a carrier of information. Data is written to the card once and will not be rewritten in the future. The recording (or encoding) is made on the instructions of the bank and includes data: about the cardholder, his account number, bank and other additional data necessary for the bank.
The magnetic stripe can be black, dark brown or any other color.