Credit Report Report

A virtual credit card is a randomly-generated, temporary number that you can use while shopping online—and you can just toss the numbers if they get in the wrong hands. These disposable card numbers are designed to keep your actual account number from falling into the wrong hands—for example, if there is data breach at a retailer where you shop, your real account is protected. If a merchant only has your disposable card number, then it's more difficult for fraudsters to access your credit card account to make unauthorized purchases. We share the inside scoop on disposable credit cards in this week's edition of the Credit Report Report—where every week we bring you the news that matters most to your financial health.