topic Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers? in Credit Cards

Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

mkhan1093 — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:27:44 GMT

Hey all,

Maybe I'm just more of a "numberphile" and see a lot of meaning and pattern in numbers, but when I take a look at some of my Amex card numbers I can't help but see a lot of connections and I'm curious if other people have similar things going on with their cards. I'm not just talking about the Amex identifiers, i.e. all numbers start with a 3 and all are 15 digits long broken into 4|6|5 fragments

But for instance, the last 5 digits on 3 of my cards are anagrams/permutations of each other. There's also a certain degree of succession in the 3 Platinum, Gold and Green charge cards (which I applied for in that order), meaning the first 4 digits go something like "3233", "3234", "3235" and the last 5 go something like "24001", "35002", "46003" (these are not the actual numbers lol). My Delta Reserve personal and business also have eerily similar numbers. And there are more that I could go on about.

Just wondering if other people have noticed patterns like these too or if I'm just a little crazy

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

M_Smart007 — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:33:18 GMT

I honestly look more at the $Numbers I have to pay

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 18:58:07 GMT

In the Fibonacci sequence, when it is translated it means

"Spend a Lot"

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Kforce — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 19:11:03 GMT

@mkhan1093 wrote:
Just wondering if other people have noticed patterns like these too or if I'm just a little crazy

I don't know about crazy, but you must be retired to have the time.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

mkhan1093 — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 19:25:31 GMT

@Kforce wrote:
@mkhan1093 wrote:
Just wondering if other people have noticed patterns like these too or if I'm just a little crazy
I don't know about crazy, but you must be retired to have the time.

On the contrary I'm mid-20s haha, but I'm pretty good at memorizing my card numbers just by typing them into online things a couple of times so it doesn't take long to notice these things

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 19:37:32 GMT

There's redundancies because it's attached to you and your account.

The first digit in your credit-card number signifies the system:

3 - travel/entertainment cards (such as American Express and Diners Club)
4 - Visa
5 - MasterCard
6 - Discover Card

The structure of the card number varies by system. For example, American Express card numbers start with 37; Carte Blanche and Diners Club with 38.

American Express - Digits three and four are type and currency, digits five through 11 are the account number, digits 12 through 14 are the card number within the account and digit 15 is a check digit.
Visa - Digits two through six are the bank number, digits seven through 12 or seven through 15 are the account number and digit 13 or 16 is a check digit.
MasterCard - Digits two and three, two through four, two through five or two through six are the bank number (depending on whether digit two is a 1, 2, 3 or other). The digits after the bank number up through digit 15 are the account number, and digit 16 is a check digit.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Remedios — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 19:46:51 GMT

@mkhan1093 wrote:
@Kforce wrote:
@mkhan1093 wrote:
Just wondering if other people have noticed patterns like these too or if I'm just a little crazy
I don't know about crazy, but you must be retired to have the time.
On the contrary I'm mid-20s haha, but I'm pretty good at memorizing my card numbers just by typing them into online things a couple of times so it doesn't take long to notice these things

You understand Illuminati are gonna come after you now?

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

K-in-Boston — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 19:56:25 GMT

@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
There's redundancies because it's attached to you and your account.

The first digit in your credit-card number signifies the system:
3 - travel/entertainment cards (such as American Express and Diners Club)
4 - Visa
5 - MasterCard
6 - Discover Card
The structure of the card number varies by system. For example, American Express card numbers start with 37; Carte Blanche and Diners Club with 38.
American Express - Digits three and four are type and currency, digits five through 11 are the account number, digits 12 through 14 are the card number within the account and digit 15 is a check digit.
Visa - Digits two through six are the bank number, digits seven through 12 or seven through 15 are the account number and digit 13 or 16 is a check digit.
MasterCard - Digits two and three, two through four, two through five or two through six are the bank number (depending on whether digit two is a 1, 2, 3 or other). The digits after the bank number up through digit 15 are the account number, and digit 16 is a check digit.

Some Mastercard accounts have also been issued with account numbers beginning with 2 in recent years as they ran out of BINs to assign to issuing banks.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Brian_Earl_Spilner — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 20:16:59 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
There's redundancies because it's attached to you and your account.

The first digit in your credit-card number signifies the system:
3 - travel/entertainment cards (such as American Express and Diners Club)
4 - Visa
5 - MasterCard
6 - Discover Card
The structure of the card number varies by system. For example, American Express card numbers start with 37; Carte Blanche and Diners Club with 38.
American Express - Digits three and four are type and currency, digits five through 11 are the account number, digits 12 through 14 are the card number within the account and digit 15 is a check digit.
Visa - Digits two through six are the bank number, digits seven through 12 or seven through 15 are the account number and digit 13 or 16 is a check digit.
MasterCard - Digits two and three, two through four, two through five or two through six are the bank number (depending on whether digit two is a 1, 2, 3 or other). The digits after the bank number up through digit 15 are the account number, and digit 16 is a check digit.
Some Mastercard accounts have also been issued with account numbers beginning with 2 in recent years as they ran out of BINs to assign to issuing banks.

Um, that was a trade secret and you just violated your NDA. I'll expect you in my office before the end of the day. Please don't make me call myfico security.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 22:55:30 GMT

@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
Some Mastercard accounts have also been issued with account numbers beginning with 2 in recent years as they ran out of BINs to assign to issuing banks.
Um, that was a trade secret and you just violated your NDA. I'll expect you in my office before the end of the day. Please don't make me call myfico security.

Real trade secret is that "2" and "5" are really the same thing. Think, have you ever seen them together?

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

mikesonthemend — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 23:08:47 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Real trade secret is that "2" and "5" are really the same thing. Think, have you ever seen them together?

now that you mention it...

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

ChargedUp — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 01:16:42 GMT

@mikesonthemend wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Real trade secret is that "2" and "5" are really the same thing. Think, have you ever seen them together?
now that you mention it...

What do you mean? Citi's has MC's with 5424 18

Who issues MC's starting with 2? I've yet to see one of those but I have heard of it.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

wingennis — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 01:33:37 GMT

@mkhan1093 wrote:
Hey all,
Maybe I'm just more of a "numberphile" and see a lot of meaning and pattern in numbers, but when I take a look at some of my Amex card numbers I can't help but see a lot of connections and I'm curious if other people have similar things going on with their cards. I'm not just talking about the Amex identifiers, i.e. all numbers start with a 3 and all are 15 digits long broken into 4|6|5 fragments

But for instance, the last 5 digits on 3 of my cards are anagrams/permutations of each other. There's also a certain degree of succession in the 3 Platinum, Gold and Green charge cards (which I applied for in that order), meaning the first 4 digits go something like "3233", "3234", "3235" and the last 5 go something like "24001", "35002", "46003" (these are not the actual numbers lol). My Delta Reserve personal and business also have eerily similar numbers. And there are more that I could go on about.

Just wondering if other people have noticed patterns like these too or if I'm just a little crazy

I did notice that. I do have to inform you I have OCPD so it isn't a good sign for you🤪

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 19:22:24 GMT

@mikesonthemend wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Real trade secret is that "2" and "5" are really the same thing. Think, have you ever seen them together?
now that you mention it...

You mean right next to each other, or just both being in the account number at all?

I do have a card starting with 52.

As for Amex, ther seems to be a pattern. Most all mine end with the same last numbers, which make it confusing with online payment systems that only list the last 4-3 didgits.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Anonymous — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 19:57:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@mikesonthemend wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Real trade secret is that "2" and "5" are really the same thing. Think, have you ever seen them together?
now that you mention it...
You mean right next to each other, or just both being in the account number at all?
I do have a card starting with 52.

As for Amex, ther seems to be a pattern. Most all mine end with the same last numbers, which make it confusing with online payment systems that only list the last 4-3 didgits.

As was mentioned previously:

@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:
American Express - Digits three and four are type and currency, digits five through 11 are the account number, digits 12 through 14 are the card number within the account and digit 15 is a check digit.

So, it would seem if you have more than one Amex, assuming they're different accounts, digits 12-14 would always be the same (001 perhaps). Are additional card numbers for AUs on the account?

The check digit (last digit) would likely be different on each, unless coincidentally all your Amex numbers calculate the same check digit. (Check digits are a hash based on the other digits, used to detect errors in entering/reading the card number).

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

wasCB14 — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 20:54:22 GMT

If the last 4 digits on Amex cause confusion, you can always ask them to treat it as a lost/stolen card.

Of course, with my 6 cards, some overlap occasionally happens.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

mkhan1093 — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 21:53:56 GMT

Thanks for all your input everyone! I definitely learned a lot about the Visa/MC/Amex numbering systems, and also glad to know I'm not the only one who sees these patterns (even if now the Illuminati are going to supposedly come after me!) in the numbers. I always thought they were more or less random, save for maybe one or two constraints on the first digits, so seeing patterns were peculiar

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

Anonymous — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 03:01:44 GMT

Quick, take the Red pill and everything will be back to normal!

Very Observant OP.

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

UncleB — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 03:49:18 GMT

@mkhan1093, here's some additional info on Amex account numbers as well as some math fun:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/last-four-digits-american-express-card-numbers-birthday-problem/

Re: Does anyone else notice a pattern with their Amex card numbers?

mkhan1093 — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 20:59:22 GMT

@UncleB wrote:
@mkhan1093, here's some additional info on Amex account numbers as well as some math fun:

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/last-four-digits-american-express-card-numbers-birthday-problem/

Oh wow this is amazing! I never thought about it, but there were a few cards I had with fradulent transactions and the new number I got went from -100x to -200x each time