Swiped Card

A swiped card refers to a credit card that is physically passed through or slid into a card reader to transfer its information directly for a transaction. This method is commonly used in retail and other card-present situations where the cardholder and the card are both physically present at the point of sale.

When a card is swiped, the magnetic stripe on the back of the card interacts with the reader, which captures the encoded information. This magnetic stripe contains essential data, including the cardholder's account number, expiration date, and a unique code known as the Card Verification Value (CVV). This encoded data helps in validating the authenticity of the card.

Key points about swiped cards include:

In summary, a swiped card involves transferring credit card information directly by swiping it through a card reader. This method is used in retail and other card-present situations, relying on the data encoded in the magnetic stripe to validate and process transactions. Despite its convenience, the swiped method is gradually being supplemented by more secure technologies like EMV chips and contactless payments.