Learn how to make use of card verification checks to protect against disputes and fraud.
When a card payment is submitted to a card network for authorization, Stripe provides the CVC, postal code, and billing street address for them to verify (if you collected these from the customer in your checkout flow). The card issuer checks this against the information they have on file for the cardholder. If the provided information doesn’t match, the verification check fails. A failed CVC or postal code check can indicate the payment is fraudulent, so review it carefully before fulfilling the order.
Each Charge object includes the verification response as part of its source attribute. You can also find the verification results in the Dashboard when viewing a payment.
If no information is collected, the card issuer can’t perform a verification check. Collect the CVC, postal code, and billing address for every payment to avoid this issue. The results of verification checks help improve the detection of fraudulent activity.
Card verification code check (CVC) 
The CVC (also referred to as CVV) is the three- or four-digit number printed directly on a card, usually on the signature strip or the front of the card. Radar includes a rule to block any payments that fail the CVC verification check, which you can enable or disable within the Dashboard.
This doesn’t affect payments where the CVC check couldn’t be performed or is unavailable, for example Wallets like Apple Pay or off-session payments.
You can perform CVC verification by providing the CVC value either when you create a payment with a new card payment method, or when you attach a new card payment method to a customer.
In general, only cardholders in physical possession of the card should have access to the CVC number. Businesses are not permitted to store the CVC number, so it’s unlikely that a fraudster can obtain this information through a computer breach. However, CVC verification doesn’t protect against the physical theft of a card, nor card information being used on a computer or website that isn’t secure.
Address verification (AVS)
Address verification (AVS) checks two pieces of information, the postal code and the billing street address. AVS checks determine whether this information matches the billing address on file with the card issuer. Radar includes a rule to block any payments that fail postal code verification, which you can enable or disable within the Dashboard.
If enabled, these address checks can fail on legitimate payments in some situations. For example, a customer entering their address incorrectly or moving and not updating their address with the card issuer could cause the address check to fail.
Support for both types of AVS checks varies by country and card issuer (for example, certain countries don’t use a postal code or some card issuers don’t support street address verification). However, street address verification is commonly supported for cards issued in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
See also
FAQs
This can occur for a few different reasons: The 3-digit security code on the back of the Visa, MasterCard or Discover does not match what the card holder's bank has on file. For American Express this is the 4-digit code on the front of the card. The expiration date was entered incorrectly.
What is a card verification check? ›
Card Verification Code (CVC) is a 3 or 4 digit code that protects your credit card from possible fraud. In order to be able to process your order, we need the full card number and the expiration date of your card (month and year). In addition, a card verification code is required.
What is card verification failed? ›
This can happen for various reasons, including incorrectly entered card information, the card type not being supported by the system, or an expired card. The error message informs the user that the card payment cannot be processed and that they must take action to resolve the problem.
What is the card verification amount? ›
The card verification number is printed on the card. This number is referred to as the "Card Verification Number," "Card Verification Value," "Card Verification Code" (CVV), "CVV2," "Personal Security Code" or "Security Code." The number is not embossed on the card and not printed on receipts.
How do I fix verification failure? ›
How to Fix the “Verification Failed: There was a problem connecting to the server” Error
- Check Your Internet Connection. ...
- Retry Over Cellular Data or an Alternate Network. ...
- Update Outdated Apps. ...
- Verify Login Credentials. ...
- Clear App Cache and Data. ...
- Reinstall the Troublesome App. ...
- Toggle Account Security Settings.
If the error message says “Your payment details couldn't be verified. Check your card details and try again,” the issue is probably either the credit card number or CVV you entered. If the error message says “Security code was not matched by the processor,” the issue is probably the CVV you entered.
What are the 2 types of card verification? ›
Card Verification Value (CVV) and Card Verification Code (CVC) are security features embedded within the magnetic stripe or printed on the card.
What is the card payment verification process? ›
Verification serves as a check to confirm that payment information provided is accurate and that the person making the payment is authorized to do so. For example, when a credit card is used for an online purchase, the payment system checks if the card number, expiry date, and CVV code match the issuing bank's records.
What is an example of verification check? ›
Example: The requirements state that users should provide an email address and password for registration. The verification process checks if these requirements are clearly specified and whether any additional information, like name and address, is required.
Why does my card keep saying failed? ›
Most declines fall into two categories: Soft declines – Card declined due to issues with transaction processing. The bank issuing funds approves the payment, but the transaction breaks down during the processing stages. Hard declines – Card declined by the bank due to lack of funds or outdated card information.
The message We are having trouble validating your credit card, please try again when attempting to pay may indicate a mismatch with the information you've entered compared to what's on file with your credit card company. We check this information to make sure someone else isn't using your card fraudulently.
Why is my card not authenticating? ›
This means that the cardholder hasn't entered their details correctly. A 3D secure authentication error could be due to everything from a mistyped card number to an incorrect expiration date. If the error continues, the cardholder will need to contact their credit card issuer for assistance.
How do I check my card verification? ›
Card verification value (CVV) checks
Checking the three- or four-digit code on the back of the card is a straightforward and effective verification method.
What is card verification method? ›
When used on a payment terminal, credit and debit cards can require a cardholder verification method (CVM) to make sure that the person using the card is the legitimate cardholder. Verification is done with a personal identification number or shopper signature.
What is the Card Verification Value validation? ›
The card verification value (CVV), is a three- or four-digit code on the back of a debit or credit card. It is sometimes referred to as a CID, or card identification number. This unique code is used to verify that a shopper has physical access to the card they're using to pay for goods or services.
Why is my debit card authentication failing? ›
There are lot of things the reason why the authentication failed. It can be either the card holder input incorrect authentication detail (such as; wrong OTP) or because the issuer decline the authentication due to their on reason.
Why is my bank verification not working? ›
Most commonly due to entering credentials incorrectly too many times. Contact your financial institution or log into your online bank account to resolve the issue and unlock your account.
Why is my credit card not validating? ›
Double check to make sure that you entered your Credit Card number, CVV2 code, and expiration date correctly. This is a web site for dyslexia, after all. It's easy to mess up when entering a string of numbers. Take it slowly and make sure that all numbers have been entered, in their correct order.
Why is my card failing to verify on Apple? ›
Wrong expiration date. Wrong security (CVV) code. Address in your iTunes account does not match exactly the billing address for the card. The card was not issued in the country of the iTunes store.
