Test Credit Card Numbers

A test credit card number is the card number of a fake live credit account provided by a credit card company in order for retailers to verify that their card readers are working properly and that they are compatible with a specific credit card brand. Test credit card numbers are read like real credit card numbers, but no money is actually moved.

How Test Credit Card Numbers Work

A retailer can enter a test credit card number into his/her credit card reader or cash register in order to verify that a specific credit card brand will work with the card number or that the card reader itself is working properly without using a real credit card. While test credit card numbers are openly available to the public and may be found below, retailers can request a test credit card from any credit card company in order to verify that the card may be swiped. However, all test credit cards will be rejected for any real transaction.

Applications

Test credit cards can be used by any retailer who wishes to ensure that his/her credit card reader or online shopping cart is working properly. Test credit cards are often used by new retailers who wish to learn about error codes and other processes that may be encountered during real transactions. For this purpose, credit card companies provide retailers with several different types of test credit cards that respond differently under various circumstances.

Table of Test Credit Card Numbers