I'm not sure of the details, but some types of one-time credit card numbers *CAN* be reused by the same merchant. However, you can also set a low limit for the card that prevents even that merchant from excessive fraud charges.

I signed up with MBNA (before their cards were bought out by BoA) precisely for this feature. I create a temporary virtual number to give a specific retailer, so I don't need to worry about shenanigans.

@Red_Flag: Shenanigans!

@reuvenb: Did someone say Shenanigans??

Courtesy of: GitEmSteveDave.

Some Citi Cards, such as the former Associates ones can't get virtual cards & I can't figure out why.
Citi just won't tell!

The Citi virtual cards I've used have no spending limit (besides your master credit limit) and no number of uses limit. So not as good. But they do have a very short expiration - I think a month or so.

This is the correct link to the above referenced article in the Chicago Tribune. Currently the link just brings you back to this Consumerist article.

[www.chicagotribune.com]

My experience is that citicard is great for virtual card numbers, and you can download a little app to generate them. The default is that it can be reused by the same merchant for 30 days, but you can set the options, including a $ limit and a date limit (up to 12 months).

I have used it to generate a card with a $1 limit when I am signing up for a free trial. Then if there is any hassle with canceling, they can't continue to charge my card.

I really do like the virtual cards. Unfortunately, not all retailers are able to accept them. I have about one in five purchases get refused because the retailer's credit card processor refuses to handle them. Then, when you explain that you were using a one time use card, some retailers refuse to do business because you have "insulted them" or they think you are attempting to commit fraud.

What would be nice if there was some type of way to generate a single use code off of your base credit card number that is associated with a retailer. Oh well.

I think if you're using Paypal to begin with, you've got some more pressing issues when it comes to unscrupulous businesses

As a person who was just recently notified by BoA because she had multiple charges fraudulently made to her Visa Check card (necessitating a new card number) I'd LOVE to be able to use one-time "disposable" number for internet purchases! But it appears that it's only available to BoA credit card account holders, and I have a check card only.

I also have a Paypal account, but can't find anything on their website about them offering a temporary, one-use number. Anybody know more about Paypal's program?

@undefined: I wish someone would come out with virtual debit card numbers for those of us who don't use credit cards.

I used one of these to purchase from an online retailer that signed me up for a trial period of a 'rewards program' without my knowledge or consent. Later, the number had expired and the limit was set to exactly the purchase price from the retailer.
The 'rewards' program tried to bill the virtual number repeatedly causing Bank of America to freeze my ACTUAL credit card and account. When I logged on to the BoA fraud website (which will not tell you which acct. number was charged, I confirmed that the charges were not approved and BoA canceled my ACTUAL card number. It took 15 days to get a new card number even though the original was never used for fraudulent charges.
Just another reason to keep a backup card open and available...

@MostlyHarmless: that is the greatest animated .gif I have seen in weeks. Bravo.

@maztec: "when you explain that you were using a one time use card, some retailers refuse to do business because you have "insulted them" or they think you are attempting to commit fraud."

So very true. I find it hilarious that some of these online retailers also have physical storefronts, and are typically the types who make customers run the door check/receipt check gauntlet before leaving their stores. They really don't want the consumer to have any control over the transaction, do they?

@humphrmi: And I imagine you can easily cancel a virtual number when you realize it's being abused, right?

@Δεν βρέθηκαν λέξεις: You could use a credit card to make the purchases and pay the full balance each month. Best of both worlds.

I've used Citi's Virtual Account Numbers for online charges many times with no troubles from retailers. The only thing that didn't go well was to use one to reserve a hotel room overseas. When I arrived at the hotel they wanted to swipe the credit card that was used for the reservation. After trying to explain the situation with limited comprehension on the other side of the front desk, they finally caved and took my card. I have no idea why it would matter to them but apparently it did.

@pythonspam: Jeez, then what's the point of having a virtual number program if BofA screws with your actual card when someone tries to make fraudulent charges?

I've used the BofA program and this is the first I've heard of any problems with it. Good to know.

Instead of this garbage, with all its caveats, we should just move to a system where ALL transactions use unique authentication codes.

@bikeoid: Basically the same merchant is allowed to make two charges. This is for the ones that do a small "test" charge, and then a few days later do the real charge.

Also remember that even though you closed a card if it hasn't been charged by the merchant yet their charge will still go through. I had a card closed for two weeks once, and then a free trial for netflix or something (I don't remember what exactly) ran out, and their monthly charge went through anyways.

@pwillow1: The feature is available through the PayPal Plug-in area of the site. You don't need to actually use the plug-in with your browser, however, to use the secure card feature. It will be available through a link on the main page.

If this really works, then it should also be safe for debit cards, too. But I have my doubts that the banks will really make them work, since it would deprive them of all those fees once people learn how to use them.

@johnva: And then we'll be running out of transactions very shortly with the stupid 16 digit system that cards use now. So I doubt you expect to use that system. The codes will need to be very long to eliminate any chance of guessing or cracking.

Ideally, what you propose should also be tied into a system where one can approve the transaction through a secure connection to their own financial provider (fancy term for bank).

Not at home? Then you'll need to carry around some kind of trusted device to present that interface. The merchant would provide the optical port. A secure channel to clearing house would be established. Within that channel another secure channel to your own bank. The device gets the transaction code from the merchant port and transmits it to the bank for inquiry. The bank sends it back to the clearing house to pick up the transaction request (which the merchant sent to its bank, which sent it to the clearing house). It then displays the transaction to you, including the amount. You can then elect to pay it or not. If you elect to pay it, the bank posts a payment tagged with the transaction back to the clearing house, which sends it to the merchant's bank, which tells the merchant it was paid.

This can be done without the merchant or the merchant's bank even knowing the identity of your bank (but the clearing house will know). Some problems with this scheme include the need to carry around an electronic device (which might be integrated into your phone, like the Japanese have done for many things like train passes ... if you can trust your phone provider to keep it correctly programmed for security), and the difficulty in contesting your approved payments (for legal reasons, if this is done, it would have to expose your identity to the merchant).

@humphrmi: I've always seen them with an option to set a spending limit, but not exactly a "number of uses" limit.

The Citibank "VAN" services I've seen allow you to generate a number that is good for a single merchant for 1 month, or set a limit on the number of months and the total dollar amount.

The number is only good for a single merchant, but that merchant can run the card any number of times, (within the time and dollar limitation). This can be an issue if you want to set up a virtual card to use for multiple transactions with a seller like Paypal where the actual "merchant" shown with the transaction changes for each transaction -- only transactions matching the FIRST merchant exactly will be approved by Citibank.

What if you return items purchased using a disposable card? Many retailers have a policy of only refunding to the card used for the original purchase. Is this possible using the disposable card number? If so, is the money credited properly to the correct (main) card holder account? I'm sure they thought that all through when they set up the system. I'd just be nervous using it at first.

Another problem I could see is, for example, purchasing airline tickets with the disposable number. Some airlines ask you to verify the credit card number or last four digits of the credit card number used to purchase the tickets. They requires this if you phone them to change the reservations, change your seats, or simply to make an inquiry about your flight. What if you don't recall the disposable card number? I suppose you'd have to keep a list of all the card numbers you used and have them handy in case you need to reference them.

@Julia789: I'm concerned about the returns thing too. Some retailers may make exceptions-I'm sure people have done returns on items bought with a card they later lost, for example-but it does add a few hoops to the process. Also, self check-in kiosks often need the CC you used to purchase the ticket.

@Woden501: The Discover Secure Online Account numbers are not single use: they are single merchant use. I have setup recurring charges through eBay, cell phone, etc using them. They do deny the charges if there's any difference between the merchant ID on the test charge and any subsequent charge to that number. You can also individually cancel them without having to get a new account number in the case of shenanigans.

@Bluth_Cornballer: Thank you. It took me a little while, but I love it. Darn youTube took down the original clip, so I had to make a work around. The next one is based on Ian Malcoms speech from the lunch in Jurassic Park.

@GrabYourKite_GitEmSteveDave: AWESOME gif! Reminds me of that Gizmodo "shenanigans" thread we had going from a few months back...nothing like hilarious movie dialogue to bring strangers together.

I have a BoA account, and PayPal account, and could find nothing on virtual credit cards. If I recall correctly, PayPal offered the service as a beta a while back, and stopped offering it after the beta was over. The PayPal plug in that someone mentioned as a way to create a virtual credit card number does not even mention such a feature.

This is where paypal is useful. You never know if virtual numbers will actually work until you find out that they didn't.

@Red_Flag: Believe it or not, some people choose not to use credit cards. Yeah, they're a little different. They have various reasons for not doing it. It's sort of like a cult.

And by "They", I mean "We". Though, as of late, my faith has been shaken by some compelling arguments. Still trying to decide...

@GrabYourKite_GitEmSteveDave: I NEED TO KNOW what software you use to make those awesome .gif's!! :D

Kudos.

@Skaperen: No Problem, we'll just invent new CC numbers that are based on a 128 bit numbering system. We'll call it "CC v6" and it will always be implemented "sometime in the future".

fix your link plz

I have BOA and paypal, and use paypal's plug-in virtual card a LOT. Single use for purchases from places I am not entirely sure I trust, and multiple use for online games and the like, when I want to make certain that I can control when-and if- it gets charged. Its saved me a TON of overdraft fees, since BOA seems incapable of disallowing a purchase.

However, Netflix recently stopped taking the Paypal credit cards, and claims that it has stopped accepting ALL "pre-paid" cards (which Paypal apparently runs through as, though it is clearly a Mastercard number.)

Odd that a virtual storefront won't take a virtual card. Certainly hope it gets fixed.

@jkinatl2: Well, for a while you could just change your name, and address and still have a valid PayPal Mastercard to get free trials. Netflix authorized the amount of the trial to your PayPal account but it came off within 3 business days. My one friend did that a lot, until this stopped him.

@Fist-o™: GIMP and VLC video player. Gimp handles the graphics end, and VLC gets me the screencaps. The hardest part is deciding what to use, and getting the timing between frames right, so the gif allows you to read it, and flows like the original video. I do watermark them, because last month alone, I used over 160gb of bandwidth from Photobucket as people hotlinked the images. The most popular one lately seems to be this one:
Others can be found here: [s165.photobucket.com] . They are all free to use, and all I ask is to leave me a comment on the Photobucket page to let me know where they were used, or you can leave me one on the message page here: [consumerist.com]

@JohnnyUtah_GitEmSteveDave: Ah. That one had me cracking up when I first saw it a couple of weeks ago!

Anybody know how to get Chase to make one for you? I called up back in May when I was about to order glasses online but rep on the phone didn't seem to know what I was talking about. So I ended up using paypal instead.

Beware that in certain circumstances, the virtual card might not work the way you think it should. For instance, a vendor can put a charge on an expired virtual card (and exceed the "limit" on it), though the vendor must submit a "manual claim" in order to get it to happen.

This post details the experience of at least one person this has happened to.
[masteryourcard.com]

Virtual cards are useful, but they are not perfect.

@humphrmi: Citi virtual account numbers by default have a 1 month limit and are restricted to one merchant. However, if you bother to click on the "Advanced Options" button, then you can also limit either the total amount of money or limit the total amount of money and increase the time it can be used for.

I use this service for all of my on-line shopping and have ever since they introduced the service years ago. Generally, I see how much money something is going to cost and then pad it by 10% or so to make sure that if I misread the shipping amount or they forgot to add tax or something, then it'll still go through. With most places this works very well, although it's a pain with Amazon because they want your credit card number before they give you the total. Most places give you your total first, though, so you can use it when generating the card amount.

This service, properly used is insanely helpful. You can, for example, use it for signing up for free trials of web sites secure with the knowledge that even if you fail to cancel the trial, they can't charge extra to your card. I don't have to worry about paypal taking money from my account without my permission (as has happened to some people). And I don't have to worry about whether or not the merchant is going to secure my credit card number properly (and not email it around unencrypted) because any liability is limited to the amount of the purchase and if the virtual credit card number is compromised, I don't have to get a new credit card.

Won't this use up the pool of available card numbers too quickly?

@bikeoid: The Citi and Bank of America ones aren't one-time use either. I set up numbers for specific merchants and keep bumping up the dollar amount and expiration dates. Also, I used to use Discover, but don't anymore because (at the time I stopped) you couldn't set a dollar limit or set your own expiration (it was always 12 months).