Do you balk at giving your 3 digit security number over the phone?

[mrsmerton]

I am always asked for this whenever I order something online. Why?

Surely if someone has nicked my card and has it in front of them, they are just as capable of reading it out as I am?

Whats it for??

there are lots of types of credit card fraud that don't involve the physical card. the most common way to find a card number, I believe, is to find an old statement in the bin.