Transmitting payment card information through electronic mail refers to the act of conveying sensitive data, such as card numbers, expiration dates, and CVV codes, via an email message. As an example, this might involve typing the credit card number directly into the body of an email or attaching a document containing this information to an email message.
Historically, this practice emerged alongside the increasing adoption of email for communication and commerce. While seemingly convenient, this method presents significant security vulnerabilities due to the unencrypted nature of standard email protocols. The storage of emails on servers, both at the sender’s and recipient’s ends, creates multiple points of potential compromise. The ease with which emails can be intercepted or accessed by unauthorized parties renders it a high-risk activity.
