A primary account number (PAN) is the unique numeric identifier of a payment card that comprises the essential information about the card issuer and the account.
If you look at your debit or credit card, you may see your primary account number laser-printed or embossed on it. It may consist of 14, 15, 16, or sometimes 19 digits, spaced in several blocks. For instance, Visa and Mastercard have 16 numbers and four blocks with four digits each. Unlike them, PANs on AmEx cards comprise three blocks with four, six, and five digits.
The term primary account number can also be called a credit card number. The PAN digits are generated at the moment of opening an account. They identify the issuer of the plastic and also provide certain information on the account itself. Further, in case of any issues, it’s possible to check the necessary account records with the help of the PAN.
As you already know, the primary account number may consist of a set of digits up to 19 of them. Each primary account number’s first digit is referred to as a major industry identifier or MII. Here are the examples of the most widespread major industry identifiers:
The first six digits identify the card network and are called the bank identification number or BIN. The following digits, except the last one, are unique and identify the customer’s account. Finally, the last one, also known as “checksum” or “check digit”, helps to check the card validity and further safeguards from fraudster attempts to create a fake credit card number.
The primary account number cannot be changed, and this procedure is not normally needed. If a cardholder loses their card or suspects that it might have been cloned or stolen, it is recommended that they address the issuing bank and block the card. After that, they'll get a new card with another primary account number.
Primary account numbers belong to the sensitive data category, so certain precautions must be taken while operating with them to avoid fraud. Companies that issue credit cards usually do not store the whole account numbers and implement primary account number truncation. For example, the PAN "0000 0000 0000 0000" after truncation will look like " 0000". This means they hide the full version of each PAN, showing only the last four digits to protect the cardholder’s data. Storing the full account number may impose risk in case of data breaches. Cardholders should also take care of their primary account number safety by keeping it out of public view and not disclosing it. Fraudsters may misuse the card data, especially if they possess the PAN, expiration date and CVC/CVV code.
Having only a primary account number without a CVC/CVV code and expiration date, a fraudster will not be able to execute any transaction. Although it's not a big problem, you may still deactivate the ability to make international transactions or disable the online usage of your card via an online banking application. After that, contact the issuing bank and ask for further instructions or assistance. But if you shared your PAN and CVC/CVV, it's vital to block the card to keep your funds safe immediately.
Sometimes, primary account holders authorise other parties to use their accounts. In this case, both the primary and secondary users of credit or debit cards use the same primary account number. The situation differs if business credit card accounts are under consideration. Сorporate credit cards usually do not have primary account numbers on them. Each employee gets a card with secondary account numbers to ease the tracking of expenses per person.
