virtual debit card

Virtual debit and credit cards are unique card numbers that allow you to transact on your main debit or credit card account without using — or exposing — your main credit card account number.

Due to the growth of cyberfraud, virtual cards basically consist of a piece of paper with an account number, expiration date and verification code for making purchases online, over the phone or by mail order.

Historical perspective: According to Credit Karma in 2019, one of the main benefits of virtual cards is the ability to close the account. If your main account number is exposed in a data breach because you didn’t use a virtual credit card, you’d have to get your main credit card account number reissued. That means you’ll get a new account number and this can cause issues with every vendor you’ve set up recurring payments with using your previous card number.