A Bank Identification Number (BIN), also known as Issuer Identification Number (IIN), is the first 6 to 8 digits of a payment card number. These digits serve as a unique identifier that reveals critical information about the card: the issuing bank or financial institution, the card network (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), the card type (credit, debit, prepaid, or virtual), and the country of origin.
The Anatomy of a BIN Number
BIN numbers follow the international ISO/IEC 7812 standard for identification cards. Hover over each section to explore what each digit position reveals:
Hover over the card digits above to explore each section
BIN 559994 (KOHO Mastercard)
How BIN Lookup Prevents Fraud in Real-Time
When a customer enters their card details at checkout, instantly verify the BIN to detect high-risk transactions before processing the payment.
Prepaid Card Detection
Block prepaid, virtual, or disposable cards commonly used in fraud schemes and to avoid recurring charges.
Geographic Mismatch
Flag transactions where billing address doesn't match the card's issuing country—a common fraud indicator.
Card Type Verification
Verify if the card is credit, debit, or prepaid. Control which card types you accept for stronger protection.
Issuer Validation
Identify the issuing bank for tiered risk scoring based on historical fraud patterns and databases.
Proven Results from 1,200+ Merchants
Why BIN Lookup Delivers Outsized ROI
Each prevented fraud case doesn't just save the transaction amount - it avoids multiple downstream costs that compound the financial impact:
Hidden Costs of a Single Fraudulent Transaction:
Total cost per fraud case: Typically 2.5-3.5x the transaction amount
The Math: If BIN lookup prevents just 5 fraudulent $100 orders per month, you save $1,250-$1,750 monthly - while our Pro plan costs only $99/month. That's a 12-17x return on investment.
Common Use Cases Across Industries
E-Commerce & Digital Goods
Block prepaid cards on high-value digital purchases (software licenses, game codes, gift cards) where fraudsters can instantly resell stolen products. Reduce fraud by 78% on digital goods.
SaaS & Subscription Services
Prevent virtual/disposable card abuse where users sign up for free trials with Privacy.com or Revolut virtual cards to avoid recurring charges. Increase trial-to-paid conversion by 64%.
Travel & Hospitality
Verify international bookings by matching billing country with card issuing country. Flag mismatches for manual review to prevent cross-border fraud.
Marketplace Platforms
Protect sellers by screening buyer payment methods. Implement seller protection policies that exclude high-risk card types from coverage disputes.
Payment Processors
Route transactions intelligently based on card type, apply dynamic risk scoring, and optimize approval rates while minimizing fraud exposure.
How to Implement BIN Lookup
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