So I called to subscribe to Nintendo Power.

[Mr Hero]

The representitive I talked to was very nice, and not the least bit sucky. There was just one part of the conversation that made me facepalm.

Her: What's your card number?
Me: 4*** **** **** ****
Her: and what type of card is it?

[HYHYBT]

Well, most web forms also make you pick the card type as well as entering the number... so if they're using something like that and don't know the significance of the first digit (and most people probably don't) then it makes sense.

[Darkforge]

also its for security, if you give a visa credit card number but say that its a mastercard then they know there is something wrong and it could be a potential ID theft/dodgy card.

[Teskeria]

anyone who has worked a call center, or taking credit cards for more than a few weeks (less for some) know the starting of most of them. He may have been very new. Or he has to follow the script!

[Mr Hero]

anyone who has worked a call center, or taking credit cards for more than a few weeks (less for some) know the starting of most of them. He may have been very new. Or he has to follow the script!

She, and that may have been a possibility. On the plus side, she sounded hot judging by her voice.

[smileyeagle1021]

Well, most web forms also make you pick the card type as well as entering the number... so if they're using something like that and don't know the significance of the first digit (and most people not in call centers probably don't) then it makes sense.

fixed that for ya

seriously, when I was at the call center, second day of training they told us how to recognize that card types. The place I interviewed at today part of the pre-interview test was determining card types. So unless it is a security thing, there really isn't much reason for someone who works a call center to not be able to recognize card numbers.

[Mr Hero]

I actually had to use this power yesterday. My hotel's computer system doesn't automatically recognize card types, so I ask the card type before punching in the number.

Me: What type of card is it?
Her: It's a Visa
Me: Go ahead with the number whenever you're ready.
Her: 37**

I had to ask her to hold for just a sec so I could switch over the card type to the AmEx, the freak card. AmEx cards have 1 less digit.

[MaggieTheCat]

Back at the call center, our order entry system would automatically detect what kind of card it is. My usually spiel would be something like this:

"Okay, and your card number please?"
"(customer reads off card number starting with 4, and expiration date)"
"Okay, let me read this Visa number back to you for confirmation."

Once in a while, they'd freak out: "How do you know it's a Visa!? I never told you it's a Visa! What is this about!? Is this some kind of scam!?!?!?!"
"Sir, all Visa numbers start with 4. All MC numbers start with 5. All AMX numbers start with 3 and all Discover numbers start with 6."
"... Oh. Really??"



Also, once in a while I'd get someone try to give me some weird random number that didn't start with one of those 4 digits. Bonus points if they argued with me about it.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we only take Visa, MC, AMX, and Discover..."
"But this is a MC."
"I'm sorry ma'am, but MC card numbers start with 5."
"Well, mine starts with 7!"
"Then it's not a MC, ma'am. Are you sure it's not some kind of gift card?"
"No, it's not! This is a MC!"

We once had a little kid who called back SEVERAL times in a row and then several times the following few days, each time getting a different agent but trying to do the same thing: Place an order, and the card he gave us was bogus. The agent would always ask to talk to his parents and he said he'd have them call us back. It was a gigantic waste of time. When I finally got him, I'd heard the whole story and I figured out real quick that it was the same kid that everyone else had gotten already, so I cut him off at the start and told him I'd need to speak to his parents if he wanted to place an order. I think he hung up on me.

[Hyena Dandy]

I think that perhaps its just to make double sure. You see, a lot of kids around here don't know about the first digit thing, but they do know their parent's credit card numbers. So if they can rattle off the string of numbers, they can order something. That's why people ask them what type. Because they don't bother learning the card type.

[bainsidhe]

You know, I actually learned about the number thing from this website At most I deal with a couple credit cards a week, so I never made the connection. I like learning things, though.

[Rine]

I like freaking people out with that sort of thing. Ask for the card number, and I'll just say, "Ah, a blahblah card." Some customers get confused. Others enjoy the learning experience.

I can also tell the difference between store MCs and regular MCs because of the first four digits (50 49; no space usually). But that's a bit of useless information.

[Shalom]

I had to ask her to hold for just a sec so I could switch over the card type to the AmEx, the freak card. AmEx cards have 1 less digit.

VISA cards used to be only 13 digits: 4*** *** *** ***

(Heck, I still remember when they were called BankAmericard, although I wasn't old enough to have one yet...)

I had one of those for many years, until they finally canceled it on me and sent me one with 16 digits, which annoyed me no end: I can still rattle off those 13 digits all these years later, no chance I'll ever be able to recycle those neurons.

Funny thing is, my current POS system, when asking for a CCN, un-greys the OK box (so you can click on it) after only 13 digits have been entered. Apparently their programmers haven't got the word that 13-digit VISA card numbers went away 10 years ago.

(Oh, I thought freaks had extra digits, not missing ones. Like the cat I once had with opposable thumbs. It was hilarious to watch her picking up her kibble and eating it one kernel at a time.)