Why do you have to pick Visa/MC/Amex when ordering something online? (weak rant)

[SoulAssassin]

Every AmEx card starts with a 3, every Visa card starts with a 4, every Mastercard starts with a 5 and every Discover card starts with a 6. So it is and so shall it be but why the fuck do I have to pick what type of card it is when I try to buy something online? Are they not capable of parsing the characters to figure out what the first digit is? When I buy something at a brick and morter store and swipe the card myself I don't have to select Visa or whatever. Is this some type of lame attempt at fraud prevention where maybe the perp isn't smart enough to figure out what type of card it is if they steal the number?




I'll give myself a 2.5/10....probably a pretty shitty rant attempt but had to vent.

 

[rcpratt]

Recently, a lot of online checkouts have started automatically selecting the card type after you enter the number. It is annoying when they don't, though.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

I've always assumed it's to make sure the proper number of digits are entered as each card has a different number of digits.

 

[Barfo]

 

[BarkingGhostar]

Every AmEx card starts with a 3, every Visa card starts with a 4, every Mastercard starts with a 5 and every Discover card starts with a 6. So it is and so shall it be but why the fuck do I have to pick what type of card it is when I try to buy something online? Are they not capable of parsing the characters to figure out what the first digit is? When I buy something at a brick and morter store and swipe the card myself I don't have to select Visa or whatever. Is this some type of lame attempt at fraud prevention where maybe the perp isn't smart enough to figure out what type of card it is if they steal the number?




I'll give myself a 2.5/10....probably a pretty shitty rant attempt but had to vent.

My Super Secret Agent Amex ends with 007. Beat that! :awe:

 

[gorcorps]

I did not know that...

 

[Fenixgoon]

wow i never knew that

 

[nakedfrog]

I think you have a valid point.

 

[Scouzer]

omigads i ddi not no thiss??

 

[BoberFett]

Not to mention that in my experience, most gateways don't care about the type of card anyway.

 

[ElFenix]

iirc diner's club also starts with 6

 

[alfa147x]

Cool info, did not know

 

[alfa147x]

iirc diner's club also starts with 6

In a transaction completed July 1, 2008, Discover Card purchased Diners Club International from Citi for $165 million. The deal was announced in April 2008 and approved by the U.S. government in May 2008. By merging the North American Discover Network with the international Diners Club Network, Discover created a global payment processing system. Discover Bank has no plans to issue Diners Club-branded cards which continue to be issued by Diners Club International licensees, including Citibank.

Possibly because of that?

 

[a123456]

Probably because most people don't know that rules for various card companies and would feel uncomfortable if not asked what type of card it is.

Yes, in theory, it's nice to be more efficient but it's easier just to cater to lowest common and ignore that input field to cause less confusion for customers.