Keep your card information safe while using it in public.

The issue to solve.

In recent months, several clients have been victimized by malicious individuals while in public places such as restaurants and bars. Each incident involved the theft of metal card information by those entrusted with it, leading to fraudulent transactions. One client remarked that the allure of a heavy metal credit card might lead some to assume wealth, whereas most clients are simply seeking the novelty of a metal card. Despite the MCC warranty protecting clients in such events, additional measures are necessary. The Nilson Report, in issue 1164, noted that in 2018, the U.S. accounted for $9.47 billion in card fraud losses, representing 33.99% of the global total.

The New Standard. 

The Apple® corporation recently launched their new Apple Card™, a metal credit card that notably lacks many features common to traditional credit cards. For security purposes, Apple has chosen to remove all visible credit card information. This means the card itself is free of numbers, expiration dates, and CVC codes. However, Apple Card™ users can still access their card details via their iPhones when necessary.

We consider this strategy to be highly innovative and plan to adopt a similar approach to provide our clients with comparable security advantages.

The Solution. The PDP option (Personal Data Protection)

The Personal Data Protection™ feature is straightforward. When clients upgrade from a plastic to a metal card, they can choose to exclude some card details from the new metal card. Specifically, our lab will not engrave the middle eight digits of the card number during production. This omission prevents potential misuse by making the card information incomplete to onlookers. 

Common inquiries have been addressed below:

Q: How can I use the missing numbers for manual payments? 

A: We return the original plastic card, allowing clients to record the full card number. They can also photograph the plastic card, retrieve the missing digits via their mobile banking app, or use an alternative card. The PDP’s aim is to protect card details during public transactions.

Q: What happens if a merchant declines my card because of incomplete information?

A: Merchants can validate transactions by matching the last four digits on the receipt with those on the card and by checking the user’s identification. We expect this procedure to proceed without any problems.

1. What information “will” be engraved on the card if I choose the PDP option? Selecting the PDP option will engrave the card with all essential information, including the cardholder’s name, the first and last four digits of the card number, the expiration date, the CVC 3-digit code, customer service details, and the card type logo.
2. Can’t someone just guess the missing 8 digits? Attempting to guess the missing eight digits of a card could lead to the card being flagged for suspicious activity, resulting in it being locked or frozen. The card issuer would promptly notify the cardholder and issue a new card under the applicable MCC warranty. 
3. Can the PDP be applied to any order? The PDP can be applied to any order. The option will become available site-wide on 05-31-19.

 The specifications of Metal Cards: