Answer first
CVV stands for card verification value. It is the 3-digit code on the back of Visa, Mastercard, and Discover cards, or the 4-digit code on the front of American Express cards. The code exists to prove the physical card is in hand during an online transaction. CVV data is issued by the card network and belongs to the cardholder and the issuing bank.
cvv web offers on forum with feedback
There is no legal market for CVV numbers. Buying, selling, trading, or brokering card verification data is access device fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1029. Penalties reach 15 years in prison and fines for a first offense when the value exceeds $1,000, or 20 years for a repeat offense. A forum that advertises CVV offers is a venue for trafficking stolen payment credentials. I cannot point you to one.
How card-not-present fraud works
A merchant that accepts a card online without requiring the CVV takes on higher chargeback risk. Networks charge higher interchange rates on those transactions. This is why most US processors require the CVV field at checkout.
Where to report it
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, at ic3.gov
- Federal Trade Commission, at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Your card issuer, using the number on the back of the card
The FTC routes complaints into the Consumer Sentinel database, which law enforcement agencies can query. The IC3 publishes an annual internet crime report with card fraud totals.
What cardholders can do
- Freeze the card in the issuer app when a charge looks wrong.
- Request a new card number after any confirmed breach.
- Use single-use virtual card numbers for online merchants you do not trust.