This page provides answers for frequently asked questions about Google Pay Virtual Cards.
Product Overview
What are virtual card numbers?
Virtual card numbers offer a secure and simple way to pay online with Google Pay Autofill on Chrome and Android. Virtual card numbers are enabled on Autofill on most major Google Chrome surfaces (Windows, Android, Chrome, iOS, etc).
Instead of sharing a cardholder's sensitive physical card credentials with merchants, a unique virtual card number is created using tokenization. Tokenization masks the 16-digit PAN when the cardholder checks out and helps protect against fraud from unwanted exposure of underlying card credentials.
The virtual card number is retrieved using the applicable network or issuer. Google does not store it. Google only stores the last four digits of the number and retrieves the full virtual card number whenever a cardholder selects a virtual card at checkout.
What are the main benefits of virtual card numbers?
Virtual card numbers allow cardholders with supported cards to make online purchases in a secure way on Android and all major Google Chrome surfaces (Chrome for Mac, Windows, Android, etc). The virtual card number user experience is also designed to reduce checkout friction by allowing cardholders to select the virtual card number as a payment option, which in most cases removes the need to manually enter the card security code (CVV).
Virtual card numbers may also benefit both card issuers and merchants. It's expected to see improved shopping cart conversion and, due to instant cardholder risk assessment and security measures in place, it's expected authorization rates to improve.
How do they work?
There is little to no change in the payment experience for cardholders. At checkout, cardholders are presented with the option to use a virtual card number for eligible cards. The virtual card number directly links to an actual card number, but hides the actual card number by design. Cardholders select the virtual card number for the corresponding payment method they want to use, and then proceed with checkout using Google Pay Autofill with the option to save and autopopulate their saved payment method.
Payment information is already auto populated in Google Pay Autofill on Chrome and Android. What's new?
Today, Google Pay Autofill helps cardholders transact quickly and safely by securely auto-populating card numbers at checkout. Millions of merchants have benefited by the higher conversion, reduced checkout time, and fewer instances of shopping cart abandonment due to this feature.
With virtual card numbers, cardholders benefit from the creation of a unique virtual card number that masks the actual card number from merchants and online fraudsters. Virtual card numbers also make the checkout process more efficient by providing a 1-click autofill experience, even eliminating CVV entry in low-risk transactions (a majority of transactions are be completed this way).
How can virtual card numbers be enrolled by cardholders?
Enrollment is normally executed only once during the lifetime of a virtual card number. There are three primary enrollment points for cardholders: (1) when saving payment information during checkout for the first time (also known as upstream enrollment), (2) when making a purchase online with a non-virtual card (also known as downstream enrollment) and (3) when enabling the virtual card number at pay.google.com.
1. Upstream enrollment: enrolling virtual card when saving payment information during checkout
- Cardholder navigates to a payment form on merchant website and enters payment credentials.
- Google Pay Autofill prompts the cardholder to save the payment credentials to Google Pay for future use.
- Cardholder selects to save payment credentials to their Google Pay account.
- Google Pay Autofill prompts the cardholder to 'turn on' virtual card numbers for eligible cards.
- Cardholder can now select their card or their virtual card number as a payment option at next checkouts.
2. Downstream enrollment: enrolling virtual card when making a purchase
- Cardholder goes to a payment form on merchant website.
- Google Pay Autofill shows a payment suggestion list populated by payment options saved with cardholder's Google Account.
- Cardholder selects a non-virtual card number as a payment option.
- After the purchase, Google Pay Autofill prompts the cardholder to 'turn on' virtual card numbers for eligible cards.
- Cardholder can now select their their virtual card number as a payment option at next checkouts.
3. Enrolling virtual card from pay.google.com
- Cardholder goes to pay.google.com.
- Open the "Payment methods" tab.
- Enable "turn on virtual card" button for the eligible card.
- Cardholder can now select their their virtual card number as a payment option at next checkouts.
After the enrollment, cardholders have a variety of methods to manage their saved payment credentials including the virtual card numbers. They are able to access this information in Chrome settings, through pay.google.com, in the GPay app and, in some instances, the cardholders' bank app or website.
After enrollment, how can virtual card numbers be used by cardholders for purchases?
Once the virtual card number is enrolled user can use it to complete purchases:
- Cardholder goes to a payment form on merchant website.
- Google Pay Autofill shows a payment suggestion list populated by payment options saved with cardholder's Google Account including the virtual card number.
- Cardholder selects a previously enrolled virtual card number as a payment option.
- Google Pay Autofill contacts the issuer or the network to retrieve a virtual card number in real-time to complete the purchase.
What is the relationship to the cardholder's existing card?
The virtual card number is linked to the same underlying card account as the regular card account, meaning the cardholder has the same underlying card benefits and credit line with this card account.
Cardholder Transactions
Where can I see my virtual card number transactions?
Virtual card number transaction history will be available soon on a new Management Hub found at pay.google.com. This will be inclusive of all eligible virtual card number transactions that were completed using Google Pay Autofill. While you don't need the GPay app to manage transactions, they will be available on the app, as well. Further, some bank apps and websites will have virtual card number transaction history.
What can I do with the transactions? Can I delete them?
Eligible transaction history information is provided for the cardholder's convenience. These are view-only and cannot be edited. The cardholder needs to work with their issuer on any changes, disputes, or refunds.
Who do I call if there is an issue?
If you have a question regarding virtual card numbers saved to your account, please visit the Google Pay Help Center. If you have questions regarding account activity, if you are looking to dispute a transaction, or have an issue with your credit or debit card, please contact your credit or debit card issuer.
- Question on virtual card numbers, for instance how can I view my virtual card number transaction history or how can I disable my virtual card number? → Coming soon, users can access this information in a new Management Hub (pay.google.com).
- Question on transactions, for instance disputing a transaction or receiving refunds? → Contact your issuing bank.
If I have an issue with a chargeback or see an unauthorized transaction, what do I do?
If my virtual card number is used for unauthorized transactions, is expected my issuer to honor that and offer me refunds?
Cardholders should work with their issuing bank to resolve unauthorized transactions. Unauthorized transactions should be even less likely to occur with a virtual card number than with an actual card number, and cardholders can expect the issuer to handle unauthorized transactions in the same fashion across both card types.
What happens if someone else obtains my virtual card number? Can they use it for transactions outside of Google Pay Autofill?
Networks and issuers both apply risk assessments to validate a transaction is not fraudulent. If you believe an unauthorized user has used your virtual card number, please contact your issuing bank.
For transactions facilitated by some networks, a new one-time-use, and time-bound, dynamic token verification value (DTVV) is created for each Google Pay Autofill transaction. Google can only retrieve a DTVV when a transaction is taking place.
For some issuers, the virtual card numbers are bound to the merchant.
What happens if a merchant sends me a refund to my virtual card number? Are they able to proceed without my card number?
The consumer's actual card number is not required to start a return, as the merchant can initiate the return with the virtual card number used for the transaction. The virtual card number and associated transactions are tied to your actual card number, so refunds are still correctly routed.
How do I return something I purchased using my virtual card number?
If I don't need to enter a security code, what prevents others from making purchases on my device? (e.g., children playing on the device, device is stolen, etc.)
It's recommended that cardholders secure their devices' lock screens with a strong password, PIN code or biometric information (e.g. fingerprint or facial recognition) to prevent unwanted access onto personal devices. Virtual card numbers are only accessible when the cardholder is logged into their Google account.
Channel Availability
Where can the virtual card numbers be used? Is it enabled for use at POS? Online? In-app?
The Google virtual card number offering is available to cardholders when completing an ecommerce transaction using Google Pay Autofill on a desktop, tablet, or mobile device. This offering is supported through Chrome browser and Android devices.
Does the virtual card number work across international borders?
This feature is offered to US cardholders for now for eligible cards with plans to expand internationally. The virtual card number can be used for domestic and international transactions in the same way as the underlying actual card number.
How can I enable my virtual card number within my browser?
Cardholders using Google Chrome have several options to enable virtual card numbers on compatible cards affiliated with their Google account, including:- At the time of purchase on a merchant website when asked to enter card information.
- Within Chrome browser settings after saving a card account there for the first time.
- Or on a new Management Hub, found at pay.google.com.
Process Flow
What is the end-to-end process flow of a payment transaction using virtual card numbers?
- Cardholder fills an online shopping cart with intended items and proceeds to the checkout page.
- Cardholder selects the virtual card number option on the payment form in Google Pay Autofill.
- Google shares risk signals to the issuer and retrieves the virtual card number post authorization from the issuer or network, and, if applicable, the enforcement of step-up.
- Google Pay Autofill populates the form with the virtual card number and dynamic CVV.
- Cardholder then submits the checkout form.
- Transaction is then routed using Payment Service Provider (PSP) to card network, then to the issuer (the same way as it is routed for a physical card)
What is the interaction model between Issuers, Payment Service Providers (PSPs), Merchants, and cardholders within this flow?
The interaction model between PSPs, merchants and cardholders is the same model as a traditional card processes system. The only difference in the model is that virtual card numbers are used in the authorization flow instead of the actual card number.
Technical Overview
How is the virtual card number generated? Where is it stored? With Google Pay? Network? Payment Service Provider (PSP)? Issuer?
The virtual card number is generated using the applicable network or issuer. Google does not store the virtual card number. Google only stores the last four digits of the physical card in order to retrieve the virtual card number whenever a cardholder selects a virtual card number at checkout.
Is there a technical lift for Payment Service Providers (PSPs), merchants or issuers to enable virtual card numbers? Do they need to create a new card enrollment step?
No, there is no work needed for PSPs, merchants or issuers. Specifically, there is no new enrollment step needed from the issuer side.