How to Buy Gift Cards Without CVV

Who doesn't love gift cards?
Widely accepted, no risk involved, convenience... — in fact, what do these cards don't offer?
What's even best is they are very popular—meaning, you can easily buy them—be it online or at a retail store location that sells gift cards.
Just like shopping for any product online with a credit or debit card, you'll typically be required to provide your CVV when buying gift cards from the top sellers out there.
But what if I tell you that there's a way to bypass the CVV code verification and purchase your gift cards? Yes, there is not just one but three ways.
So if you're looking to buy gift cards without CVV, you've come to the right place. In this guide, I'll show you the tricks to use to bypass the CVV code when shopping.
What is the CVV?
We've been talking about CVV for some time now but I guess not all of you know what the CVV actually is. Well, for the benefit of the doubt, let me briefly explain what that is.
The card verification value, abbreviated as CVV, is a three-digit code that's used to verify the card during transactions.
Let's say you own a credit or debit card and want to use it for a purchase. When you enter the card's number and expiry date, you'll be required to enter the CVV to show that you're the legal owner of the card and that you're in physical possession of the card at the time of the transaction.
This code is typically needed when a card is used for either sending money or making a purchase.
Do Gift Cards Have CVV?
In general, gift cards do not have CVV attached to them. However, a few types like the Vanilla gift cards can occasionally have a 3-digit code printed on the back of the card as a CVV.
How to Buy Gift Cards Without CVV
We now know that the CVV is required for your card purchases. So how can we purchase gift cards without a CVV?
Here are the different ways to buy gift cards without CVV.
1. Use a Digital Wallet
Digital wallets are gaining traction nowadays and becoming increasingly popular among retailers. The leading digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal, are widely available as payment methods be it online or in-store.
How these digital wallets work with buying gift cards without CCC is as follows:
- Download and Sign up for any of these apps.
- Link your credit or debit card (you may be required to enter your CVV just for this time).
- You're good to go.
After setting up your account and linking a funding source—say your credit or debit card, you'll be able to use them wherever they are accepted.
Let's take an example with a popular payment service like PayPal. It is currently accepted at millions of stores including those selling gift cards.
What's even good with PayPal is you don't need to go to another retailer to get a gift card. You can buy gift cards directly from the PayPal platform without having to use your CVV.
PayPal sells gift cards from many brands including, Apple, Netflix, Google, Uber, Spotify, Sephora, and many more.
Simply put, to buy gift cards without CVV on PayPal:
- Go to PayPal and search for the gift card you want to buy.
- Enter the gift card value, select whether it is a gift or for you, then tap "Add to Cart."
- On the payment page, you'll be using your PayPal balance or linked funding source to pay for the gift card.
- After making the payment, you'll receive your gift card in the email provided.
The same principle applies to other digital wallets.
2. Shop at a Website that Does Not Require CVV
The need to provide the CVV strictly depends on the merchants' liking. While most websites will require you to provide CVV to verify the card's ownership, a few won't require you to provide the CVV code and that's where the advantage turns to your side.
Amazon, Walmart, and Target, for example, are popular websites that allow customers to shop without CVV. While they no longer allow that, some shoppers on social media claim they still shop without a CVV code. You can always try—it doesn't hurt.
These high e-commerce sites that don't require CVV already have security measures in place to prevent fraud. So you should be ready to pass the fraud test when making purchases through these sites.
3. Buy Your Gift Cards in the Store
Many stores sell gift cards from many brands. Whether you're looking for Amazon, Walmart, Target, or any store gift card, you'll find it not just at their physical stores, but also at other stores that sell them.
After selecting your preferred gift card at a store location, go to the cashier and pay for your purchase with cash. This is where the convenience of the traditional cash payment comes in. You don't need to sign up or provide a verification before paying with cash.
How to Shop Online With Credit Card Number Only No CVV
If you're looking to shop online with just your credit card number without having to use the CVV, you may want to shop at a retailer that doesn't require CVV—like for example Walmart, Target, or Amazon.com.
Do Prepaid Visa Gift Cards Have CVV?
Yes, a few prepaid Visa gift cards have CVV on them. However, whether a gift card should have a CVV printed on it depends on the gift card type.
Final Thoughts
Shopping nowadays has become even more convenient and with the availability of numerous online stores with each having specific terms, you can shop online without even using your card's CVV.
If you're looking to buy gift cards without using CVV, you can use a digital wallet like PayPal or shop at a retailer that does not require CVV. Alternatively, if you don't mind using the traditional cash for payment, you can purchase gift cards in-store and pay by cash.
So which method did you try that worked out for you? Share it with us in the comments below.
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