Naveen’s Blog

This Virtual Credit Card creation method is for Indians who does not have a valid credit card and wants to make online transactions where credit card is mandatory.

What is a Virtual Credit Card?
Virtual Credit Card (VVC) is a one-time usable credit card with a preloaded amount and comes with few months of validity. It is the safest way to pay online.

My Method!
Following is a method I am using since 2005 to make online transactions. At that time, I did not have a credit card and getting a credit card was very difficult thing. I found this facility in HDFC Bank, explored its full strength, and able to make online transactions since then.

How to get these VVCs?
For this method, you need to have an HDFC Bank savings account with International Debit Card. If you have a normal debit card, apply for an International Debit Card. Visit an HDFC Bank branch nearest to you and submit a simple application for International Debit Card, which takes around a week or two to get your card. If you have not opted for online banking facility, go and get it.

You can create unlimited virtual credit cards using NetSafe by HDFC Bank. Go to the homepage of HDFC Bank and select “NetSafe/ Verified by Visa/ MasterCard SecureCode” from the different account logins available on the homepage. It pops up a window where you can register for NetSafe using your International Debit Card.

Once you registered, login into your account and it will show your balance and option to create a virtual credit with a specified amount. Fill the amount and click “GO.” It will create a virtual credit card with expiry date, CVV, and the amount you have chosen.

Don’ts:

• Do not use this virtual credit card where physical goods are delivered at your doorstep upon presentation of the card to the delivery boy.
• Do not use this card where recurrent payments are made because it expires in a month or so.

Except the above, you can now use the virtual card for online payments safely.

VCCs Benefits – From my experiences
Though I have a credit card now, I still use virtual credit for online transactions where free trials are offered upon entering the credit card.

• Past year, I have signed up for a hosting company, which offered one year free hosting. I just needed to signup with my credit card to get this offer. They told that if I am not satisfied with it, I have to cancel it before next renewal. I found that their service was crap and when I tried to cancel it, I found that I have to contact their customer service team to cancel it. There was no option to cancel it from the control panel I have been provided with. Assume, if I have provided my original credit card and at the time of renewal, I mailed them to cancel, but they did not turn up on time, then I had to lose the renewal free, which was more than 150 dollars. Fortunately, I have signed up with them with a VVC of Re.1, which already expired. So, happily I have just mailed them to cancel it and forgot. Because, it was a VCC and I do not need to worry about it anymore.
• I get a lot of free trial offers for webmasters where I need to signup with a credit card to available the trial offer, but I need to cancel it before the trial offer expires. Sometimes, I get offers that are just 1 or 2 days valid. After that they bill my credit card without any notice. For these, I always use VCC with a value of Re.1. I just concentrate on getting more benefit from the offer than worrying about the automatic re-bill because they cannot rebill my card with their huge fees as my VCC can be billed for Re.1 only and eventually, they can’t bill it and the offer expires.

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\\ tags: HDFC Netsafe, VCC, Virtual Credit Card