Why some BINs stop working?

BIN (Bank Identification Number) – the first 6 digits of a bank card, which determine the country, bank and card type. Some BINs are blocked or become inoperative over time for several reasons:

1. Blocking due to fraud (Fraud Detection)​

Banks and payment systems (Visa/Mastercard) constantly analyze transactions. If a certain BIN shows:

• Abnormally high bounce rate (often due to carding).
• Many fraud requests (attempts to check dumps).
• Suspicious transactions (darknet purchases, cashing out via crypto).

→ Such BIN may be blocked for international payments or closed completely.

Example:

• In 2021, Visa blocked several BINs of Latin American banks due to massive attacks.

2. Updating payment systems (EMV, 3DS 2.0)​

Old BINs issued before implementation:

• EMV chips (dynamic cryptography).
• 3D Secure 2.0 (strong authentication).

→ May no longer be supported because they do not meet modern security standards.

Example:

• Some non-3DS (NON-VBV) debit card BINs no longer work because Visa/Mastercard have made it mandatory for all cards to enable two-factor authentication.

3. Sanctions and banking policies​

• Sanctioned BINs (for example, cards from Russian banks stopped working abroad after 2022).
• The bank has closed the program (for example, prepaid cards of a certain issuer are no longer serviced).

Example:

• In 2023, some European BINs stopped accepting payments from countries with high fraud rates (Nigeria, Moldova).

4. Technical changes (BIN split, reissue)​

Banks sometimes:

• They split BINs (allocate new ones for different types of cards).
• Cards are being reissued en masse (for example, after a data leak).

→ Old BINs stop working as they are replaced by new ones.

Example:

• Following a data breach in 2020, a major US bank replaced BINs for all cards.

5. Blocking by merchants and payment gateways​

Some sites and payment systems (Stripe, PayPal) manually block "hot" BINs, which have been the subject of a lot of fraud.

Example:

• Giftcard sites often blacklist BINs that have been the source of many fraudulent orders.

How do banks and payment systems detect problematic BINs?​

1. Machine learning – analysis of transaction patterns.
2. User complaints - if there are many chargebacks (disputed payments).
3. Darknet monitoring – tracking leaks and dump sales.

Conclusion for cybersecurity professionals​

• BIN analysis is an important part of anti-fraud systems.
• Legacy BINs are dying out due to tightening standards (EMV, 3DS 2.0).
• Fraudulent BINs are blocked automatically or manually.

If you are studying payment systems from a security perspective, it is useful to understand:
BIN directories (e.g. binlist.net).
Anti-fraud analytics (how Stripe and PayPal detect suspicious BINs).
Blocking dynamics (how Visa/Mastercard react to new threats).

Want to dig deeper into the security mechanisms? Ask!

Bueno, entonces me queda claro de dónde sacan los BIN que no son VBV recientes. En cualquier caso, ¿por qué los bancos no implementan esta medida entonces?

Bank Identification Numbers (BINs) are the first 4-8 digits of a credit or debit card number, used to identify the issuing bank or financial institution. When you say "BINs stop working," it typically refers to situations where transactions using cards with specific BINs are declined or fail. This can happen for several reasons:

1. Issuer Restrictions or Updates:
   • Fraud Prevention: Banks may deactivate or restrict BINs if they detect suspicious activity, such as widespread fraud or data breaches associated with cards under that BIN.
   • Expired or Updated Cards: If a bank issues new cards (e.g., due to a rebrand, new card type, or security upgrade), the old BIN may no longer be valid.
   • Geographic or Merchant Restrictions: Some BINs are restricted to specific regions or merchant types, and transactions outside these parameters may be declined.
2. Merchant or Payment Processor Issues:
   • BIN Database Outdated: Merchants or payment processors rely on BIN databases to verify card details. If the database isn't updated, transactions with newer or changed BINs may fail.
   • Blacklisted BINs: Merchants or processors may block specific BINs due to high fraud rates or chargeback issues associated with them.
3. Technical or Network Issues:
   • Card Network Changes: Card networks like Visa or Mastercard may update BIN ranges, causing older BINs to be phased out or unrecognized by some systems.
   • Temporary System Outages: Issues with the issuing bank’s authorization system or the card network can lead to temporary transaction failures for specific BINs.
4. Regulatory or Compliance Issues:
   • Sanctions or Legal Restrictions: BINs tied to banks in certain countries or regions may be blocked due to international sanctions or regulatory changes.
   • Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Rules: Transactions may be declined if the BIN is linked to accounts flagged for suspicious activity under AML or Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations.
5. Prepaid or Virtual Card Issues:
   • Prepaid Card Limits: Many BINs associated with prepaid or virtual cards have strict usage limits (e.g., single-use or limited balance), causing them to "stop working" once limits are reached.
   • Expiration: Virtual cards often have short validity periods, rendering the BIN unusable after a set time.

If you're referring to a specific scenario (e.g., online transactions, a particular card type, or a region), please provide more details, and I can dig deeper. For instance, I could search X or the web for recent reports of BIN issues or analyze a specific BIN if you share it (though avoid sharing full card numbers for security). Let me know how you'd like to proceed!

Some BINs (Bank Identification Numbers) stop working or become non-functional for various reasons. BINs are the first 4 to 6 digits on a credit, debit, or gift card that identify the issuing bank and card type. Here are the most common reasons why some BINs stop working:

1. Card Expiration or Deactivation​

• Expired cards: Once a card expires, its BIN is no longer valid for transactions.
• Canceled/deactivated cards: If the cardholder cancels the card or the issuer deactivates it (due to fraud, non-use, etc.), the BIN associated with that card may not work anymore.

2. Issuer Changes or Rebranding​

• Banks and financial institutions sometimes:
  • Change BINs due to rebranding.
  • Merge with or acquire other banks, leading to old BINs being phased out.
  • Issue new BINs for new card designs or upgraded services (e.g., chip cards replacing magstripe).

3. BIN Recycling​

• Major card networks like Visa, Mastercard, and American Express periodically retire and reuse BINs.
• Old BINs may be reassigned to different banks or card types, causing previously valid BINs to stop working or point to new issuers.

4. Fraud Prevention & Security Measures​

• If a BIN has been associated with high levels of fraud, the issuer or payment processor might:
  • Block transactions from that BIN.
  • Retire the BIN entirely.
• Payment gateways or merchants may also block certain BIN ranges if they detect suspicious activity.

5. Changes in Card Network Rules​

• Networks like Visa or Mastercard may change their rules about which BINs can be used for specific transaction types (e.g., online vs. in-store).
• Some older BIN formats might be deprecated in favor of newer systems.

6. Technical Errors or Misconfigurations​

• In some cases, a BIN may appear to "stop working" due to:
  • Incorrect entry (typos).
  • Merchant gateway misconfigurations.
  • Temporary issues with the acquiring bank or processor.

7. Use of Test or Fake BINs​

• Some BINs found online are test BINs or fake BINs used for development/testing environments.
• These will not work in real-world transactions and are often blocked by processors.

8. Gift or Prepaid Cards​

• Many gift cards or prepaid cards have BINs that:
  • Are only usable at specific merchants.
  • Have limited functionality (e.g., cannot be used for recurring payments or international purchases).
  • Expire after a certain time or balance runs out.

Summary Table​

If you're encountering issues with a specific BIN, consider verifying:

• The BIN itself (check for typos).
• Whether the card is still active.
• If the merchant/payment processor accepts that BIN.
• Using a reliable BIN lookup tool to confirm current details.

Let me know if you want help checking or troubleshooting a specific BIN!