When accepting credit card numbers over the phone from customers, you can easily identify the type of card without asking the customer. While each credit card has a unique string of numbers, in varying lengths, the first one or two digits will reveal the issuer of the card. You can also note other characteristics of the number to help you confirm the evidence.
Identifying by the First Digit
Simply noting the first digit of the credit card account number can help you narrow down or identify the issuer. Credit cards, such as MasterCard, Visa, and Discover, all have unique, identifying numbers as their first digits, with the exception of American Express, Diner's Club and Carte Blanche, which share the same first digit: the number 3. MasterCard's unique first digit is 5, while Visa's is always 4. A Discover card's first digit is consistently the number 6.
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Identifying by Two or More Digits
You can further identify credit cards that start with the same first number by analyzing two or more digits. For example, even though American Express, Diner's Club and Carte Blanche all start with the number 3, you can confirm American Express numbers if the first digit, 3, is followed by a 4 or a 7. However, if a zero, 6 or 8 follow the 3, the credit card number belongs to a Diner's Club or Carte Blanche account.
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Valid Lengths of Account Numbers
Some of the more common issuers of cards have between 13 and 16 digits. Each type of account number has specific lengths, which can serve as a secondary method to identify the type of credit card. For example, Visa account numbers can be up to 19 digits. If you see a credit card number that starts with a 4 and contains 19 digits, you can assume it's a Visa. Mastercard and Discover account numbers contain 16 digits. American Express contains 15 digits, and Diner's Club and Carte Blanche contain 14 digits.
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Categories of Issuing Entities
The first digit of every credit card serves as a major industry identifier, or MII. For example, if the first digit of a card number is a 7, the card is issued by an entity related to the petroleum industry, such as a gasoline brand. Digits 4 and 5 – Visa and MasterCard – relate to the banking and financial industry. The number 6 – Discover – represents merchandizing and banking.
Account numbers beginning with 3 – American Express, Diner's Club and Carte Blanche – tie their issuing entity to the travel and entertainment category. The numbers 1 and 2 relate to airlines or other industry assignments, while the number 8 identifies telecommunications or other industry assignments. A number 9 represents a national assignment entity.
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