What is a Credit Card Number?

A credit card number is the long set of digits displayed across the front or back of your card. It usually appears in sets of four, totaling 16 digits in length. Although the numbers may seem random, they are coded so that they identify the credit card issuer and the account holder.

They also help prevent identity thieves from simply guessing at account numbers and committing fraud. The credit card number is complex and unique. Continue reading the post to learn exactly What a Credit Card Number is!

Best Cashback Credit Cards
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card - Earn unlimited 1.5% cashback on purchases plus $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in net purchases in the first 3 months. The Cash Wise Visa is a great card to have especially with the unlimited chances to earn cash back and no annual fees! Learn More
Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Earn 3% cash back on all purchases in your first year up to $20,000 spent. After that earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. No minimum to redeem for cash back and your Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open. Plus, there's no annual fee to worry about! Apply Now
HSBC Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card - Earn $150 cash back when you make $2,500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, plus earn unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases. Get the card with a cash back bonus, travel and shopping benefits, and more! Apply Now

Facts About Credit Card Numbers

• Credit card numbers are created using a system from the American National Standards Institute, or ASNI.
• The first six numbers are used to identify the credit card issuer
• The first digit is known as the Major Industry Identifier, or MII.
  • Travel and entertainment cards, such as American Express, begin with the number 3
  • Visa cards begin with 4
  • MasterCards begin with 5
  • Discover cards begin with 6
• Following the numbers that identify the issuer are the numbers that identify the account holder.
• Each issuer has one trillion possible numerical configurations with which to create account numbers.
• Different credit cards use slightly different numbering systems.
• The last digit of a credit card number is known as a check sum. It is a key that shows whether a credit card is valid. The check sum is created by a formula known as the Luhn algorithm.
• Luhn’s algorithm is also used in automobile VINs, bar codes, ISBN numbers on books and magazines, and U.S. bank routing codes.

Best Travel Credit Cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Apply Now---Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review
The Business Platinum® Card from American Express - Welcome Offer: Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards® points. Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 50,000 points after you spend an additional $15,000 all on qualifying purchases within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Apply Now---American Express Business Platinum Card Review

Bottom Line

Understanding every aspect to your credit card is crucial. The credit card number is more complex than just 16 digits. In this post, you will learn more about it and what it does. Hopefully you found this post useful, if you wish to read more, be sure to check out HMB and see our posts on more Bank Guides as well as the best Credit card bonuses and best savings rates.

	TD Bank Checking Bonus: Earn $300 with the Beyond Checking account when you receive direct deposits of $2,500 or more within 60 days of opening your account. Earn $150 with the Convenience Checking account when you receive direct deposits of $500 or more within 60 days of opening your account. Apply Now---TD Bank Checking Review
	Chase College CheckingSM: Get $100 as a new Chase checking customer when you open a Chase College CheckingSM account, enroll in paperless statements and complete 10 qualifying transactions within 60 days of account opening. The account comes with free Chase Debit Card, Mobile Check Deposit, Banker guidance, Text banking and QuickPay with Zelle. Get Coupon---Chase College Checking Review
	Chase Premier Plus CheckingSM – Earn $300 bonus when you open a new Chase Premier Plus CheckingSM account and set up direct deposit. The Chase Premier Checking account comes with free Chase Debit Card, free Online Banking and Online Bill Pay, free Mobile Banking, free Account Alerts, and free access to 16,000 Chase ATMs & nearly 5,000 branches. Apply Now---Chase Premier Plus Checking Review