What is a card number?¶
A card number identifies a card-account route within the payment system. It does not necessarily identify one physical card, token or user.
One account can have several instruments¶
Provider systems may hold the full number while receipts and statements mask it. Replacement and additional cards can relate to one customer account, and mobile wallets may transmit substitute tokens rather than the printed number.
Card details can also be stored, copied or entered online without physical possession.
Preserve what the record actually shows¶
Retain visible and masked digits and their source without trying to reconstruct missing values. Use issuer, transaction reference, amount, time and merchant to locate the account and event.
Where tokenisation applies, obtain the link between token and underlying account. Report physical card, account number and payment token as separate objects.
The point to remember
Use the card number to identify the account route while separately establishing the physical instrument, token and human user.
