What a virtual credit card number is and how to get one
A virtual credit card number is a temporary set of card digits that your credit card company generates for you to use online. It connects to your real account but is not the same as your actual card number. When you use a virtual number for a purchase, the merchant never sees your real card details.
Most major credit card companies now offer this feature at no extra cost. You request a virtual number through your card issuer's app or website, and the number appears when ready. You can usually set a spending limit, an expiration date, or restrict it to a single merchant. When you are done using it, you delete it or let it expire.
Getting one takes minutes and requires only that you already have a credit card account with a bank or card company that offers the service. There is no separate sign-up process, no approval step, and no waiting period.
Key Takeaways
- Virtual card numbers are generated by your credit card company and appear in your app or online account within seconds of requesting one.
- You can set each virtual number to expire after one purchase, one month, or a date you choose, and delete it whenever you want.
- Not all card issuers offer virtual numbers yet, so you will need to check your bank or card company's app or website to see if yours does.
- Virtual numbers protect your real card details from merchants and reduce the risk that a data breach will expose your actual account number.
Which credit card companies offer virtual numbers
The major card issuers that currently offer virtual card numbers include Capital One (through their Eno service), Citi, Bank of America, Chase, American Express, and Discover. Smaller banks and credit unions are adding the feature more slowly, so if you bank with a regional institution, the service may not yet be available.
The easiest way to find out whether your card issuer offers virtual numbers is to open your credit card's mobile app and look for a menu option labeled "Virtual Card," "Card Controls," "Digital Wallet," or "find Shopping." If you do not see it there, log into your online account on the issuer's website and search for the same terms. You can also call the customer service number on the back of your card and ask directly.
If your card issuer does not offer virtual numbers, you have two options: request the feature and ask when it might be available, or consider opening a card with an issuer that does. Some people keep one card specifically for online shopping because of this feature.
How to generate a virtual number in your card's app
The steps vary slightly by card company, but the process is nearly identical across all of them. Open your credit card's mobile app and navigate to the section for virtual cards or card controls. You will see a button or option to create a new virtual number. Tap it.
The app will then ask you to set parameters for this virtual number. You can usually choose whether it expires after one transaction, after 30 days, after 90 days, or on a specific date you enter. Some issuers let you set a spending cap — for example, you might create a virtual number with a $50 limit for a single online purchase. A few issuers let you restrict the number to work only at a specific merchant.
Once you confirm your choices, the virtual number, expiration date, and CVV (the three-digit security code) appear on your screen when ready. You copy these details and paste them into the checkout form of the website where you are shopping. The transaction processes just like a normal credit card purchase. Your real card number never reaches the merchant's system.
Setting limits and expiration dates on virtual numbers
One of the main reasons people use virtual numbers is to control exactly how much money a merchant can charge. When you create a virtual number, you can set a spending limit that is lower than your actual credit limit. If a merchant tries to charge more than that limit, the transaction will be declined.
You can also set an expiration date that is much sooner than your real card's expiration date. Many people set virtual numbers to expire after a single purchase, which means the number becomes useless the moment the transaction completes. This is especially useful for one-time purchases from merchants you have never used before or do not fully trust.
If you are subscribing to a service and want to use a virtual number, you might set it to expire 30 or 90 days out, depending on how long you plan to keep the subscription. When the virtual number expires, the merchant cannot charge it again, even if they have it on file. You would need to generate a new virtual number if you want to renew the subscription.
Why merchants never see your real card number
When you enter a virtual card number at checkout, that number goes directly to the payment processor, not to the merchant's website. The merchant receives confirmation that the payment was accepted, but the actual card number they see in their system is the virtual one you provided, not your real account number.
This separation protects you in two ways. First, if that merchant's database is hacked, the thieves get a virtual number that is either already expired or has a spending limit they cannot exceed. Second, the merchant cannot use your card number for unauthorized charges later, because the virtual number either no longer works or is restricted to a single purchase.
Your credit card company's fraud monitoring still applies to virtual numbers just as it does to your real card. If a charge looks suspicious, your issuer will flag it the same way they would for any other transaction.
Deleting a virtual number you no longer need
You can delete a virtual number from your account at any time through your card's app or website. Open the virtual card section, find the number you want to remove, and select the delete or remove option. The number is when ready deactivated and cannot be used for any future charges.
You do not have to delete virtual numbers — they will expire on their own if you set an expiration date. But deleting them keeps your account cleaner and makes it easier to track which virtual numbers are still active. Some people delete a virtual number as soon as the purchase is complete, while others keep it around for a few weeks in case they need to check the transaction details or handle a return.
If you delete a virtual number by mistake, you can generate a new one in seconds. There is no limit to how many virtual numbers you can create, so there is no downside to deleting old ones.
When a virtual number does not work and what to do
Occasionally a merchant's checkout system will reject a virtual number even though it is active and has available funds. This usually happens because the merchant's payment processor has extra security checks that virtual numbers sometimes trigger. The processor may flag the virtual number as higher-risk because it is not a standard card number.
If a virtual number is declined, you have a few options. You can try the purchase again with the same virtual number — sometimes the second attempt goes through. You can generate a new virtual number and try again. Or you can use your real card number instead, though this defeats the privacy benefit of using a virtual number in the first place.
If a merchant consistently rejects virtual numbers, contact their customer service and ask whether they accept them. Some older or smaller merchants have payment systems that do not recognize virtual numbers. In those cases, you may have no choice but to use your real card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay extra to use virtual card numbers?
No. Virtual card numbers are a free feature offered by most major credit card companies. There are no monthly fees, no per-number charges, and no hidden costs. If your card issuer offers the feature, you can use it as much as you want at no additional expense.
Can I use a virtual number for in-person shopping?
No. Virtual numbers work only for online purchases and phone orders where you enter the card number manually. You cannot use a virtual number at a physical store or ATM because those require your physical card or a card number linked to a digital wallet like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
What happens if I lose my phone before deleting a virtual number?
Your virtual numbers are stored in your credit card company's system, not just on your phone. Log into your account from any device and delete the number there. You can also call your card issuer's customer service line and ask them to deactivate a specific virtual number for you.
Can I use a virtual number for recurring charges like subscriptions?
Yes, but you need to set the virtual number's expiration date after the subscription's renewal date. For example, if you subscribe to a service that renews on the 15th of each month, set your virtual number to expire on the 20th. When the renewal date arrives, the charge will go through. After that date, the number expires and the merchant cannot charge it again without your permission.
Does using a virtual number hurt my credit score?
No. Virtual numbers are tied to your real credit account, so the charges appear on your statement and affect your credit the same way any other purchase would. Using a virtual number does not change how the transaction is reported to credit bureaus.