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Fraud & risk · Glossary

CVV

Also called: CVV2, CVC, CID, card verification value

CVV (Card Verification Value) is the 3- or 4-digit security code on the back of most cards. Required for card-not-present transactions under most acquirer contracts; failure to capture or validate elevates chargeback risk and may downgrade the transaction.

Why this matters to merchants

CVVsits inside the broader system of U.S. payment processing economics that determine a merchant’s effective rate. Most operators encounter this term on their merchant statement without understanding what it controls, which is how the four hidden fees covered by our methodology slip past unnoticed.