I cannot write a buying guide for CVV2 codes. Buying a CVV2 is buying stolen card data, which is payment card fraud in every country that issues these codes. The rest of this page explains what a CVV2 actually is, why buying or sharing one is a crime, and how to send gifts and greeting cards without exposing card details.
What is a CVV2 code?
A CVV2 is the three digit security code printed on the back of a Visa, Mastercard or Discover card, and a four digit code on the front of American Express cards. It exists to prove that the person paying is physically holding the card, not just reading a stolen number. Merchants are forbidden from storing it after a transaction, which is why a genuine cardholder has to type it in every time.
Why is buying a CVV2 illegal?
A CVV2 belongs to one person and cannot be legally sold, resold or transferred to anyone else. Anyone offering to sell CVV2 codes is selling data taken from someone else's account, and any payment you send is unrecoverable. Depending on where you live, buying that data can carry fraud, identity theft or money laundering charges, and banks routinely reverse the charges and close the accounts involved.
How do I protect my own CVV2?
- Never type your CVV2 into a message, email, chat or social media reply.
- Only enter it on a checkout page with a padlock and a verified domain.
- Cover the code when handing your card to anyone, and check statements weekly.
- Report a leaked card number to your bank immediately so the card can be reissued.
What are safe ways to buy cards and gifts online?
Buy greeting cards, gift cards and e-gift cards directly from the brand, the retailer or a licensed reseller, and pay through the site's own secure checkout with your own card. Gift cards bought from unauthorised marketplaces are the most common way people lose money on secondary card sales. If a price looks far below face value, the balance has usually been used or the card was never legitimately issued.
Check the spend balance as soon as a gift card arrives, keep the receipt with the card, and note the terms on expiry and refunds. When in doubt, choose a gift that carries no stored balance at all, such as a printed greeting card with a handwritten note.