MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Google is adding a feature to Chrome’s autofill system called Virtual Card Numbers that will let consumers hide their credit or debit card number while making purchases on the web.
Google said the feature will help make it easy to securely buy things on sites that don't support options such as Google or Apple Pay, The Verge reported.
“It’s basically the same experience as using Chrome Autofill to enter in your credit card details but with an added layer of security,” the Verge reported. “If you give your card number to a vendor and they abuse it, you then have to contact your bank to reverse the charges and cancel your card, which is an inconvenience at best. That won’t happen if you use Google’s virtual cards.”
Each virtual card can only be used for a specific transaction, though they do support recurring transactions if consumers want to use it for a subscription.