BIN LIST TOOL
The first six digits of the account number in any credit
card indicate the Bank Identification Numbers (BIN).
These numbers are very important as they must be
verified before any payment would be authorized.
Validating this number involves the use of a BIN list tool
to identify the institution that issued the card and other
secured information.
 The BIN checking tools, as I mentioned earlier, is a
tool employed in authenticating the corporality of a
bank identification number from updated databases.
The primary function of this tool is to get the necessary
information needed to validate transactions done with
credit cards. This involves checking the first 4 to 6 digit of
the credit or debit card.
Due to frequent changes and the wide range of records
that it covers – over 300, 000 record at the moment - it is
almost impossible to maintain or read directly from the
BIN list.
Fortunately there is a tool that helps curb this drawback
– the BIN checker tool. We will talk more about this tool
in the next article.
                        How The BIN List Tool Works
It is pretty simple. The aim of the tool is to lookup the
BIN to see if it is a credit, debit prepaid, or charge card.
To use the too, simply enter the first six digit and click on
check. The tool will bring up all the secured information
related to the BIN you entered.
Here is a table showing the card design for BIN range and
length.
Card design for Bank Identification Number
(BIN) Range and Length
Issuing network             BIN ranges                Active   Length
American Express            34, 37                    Yes       15
Bankcard                    5610, 560221-560225       No       16
China UnionPay              62                         Yes      16-19
Diners Club Carte
                             300-305                   Yes      14
Blanche
Diners Club enRoute         2014, 2149                No       15
Diners Club International   36                        Yes      14
Diners Club Canada &
                             54, 55                    Yes      16
USA
Discover Card    6011, 622126-622925, 644-649, 65            Yes         16
InterPayment     636                                          Yes         16
InstaPayment     637-639                                      Yes         16
JCB               3528-3589                                    Yes            16
Laser             6304, 6706, 6771, 6709                      No          16-19
Maestro          50, 56-58, 6                                 Yes         12-19
MasterCard       2221-2720, 51-55                            Yes         16
                                                                              16, 18,
Solo              6334, 6767                                   No
                                                                               19
                   564182, 4903, 633110, 4936, 6759, 4911,                    19, 18,
 Switch                                                        No
                  4905, 6333                                                  16
                                                                              13, 16,
Visa              4                                            Yes
                                                                              19
UATP              1                                                Yes         15
The BIN List tool also checks for the Major Industry
Identifier, which is the first digit of the credit card
number.
Below is a table showing the Major Industry Identifier
(MII)
Major Industry Identifier    Category
(MII)
0                            ISO/TC 68 and other
                               industry assignments
1                              Airlines
2                              Airlines, financial and other
                               future industry assignments
3                              Travel and entertainment
4                              Banking and financial
5                              Banking and financial
6                              Merchandising and
                               banking/financial
7                              Petroleum and other future
                               industry assignments
8                              Healthcare,
                               telecommunications, and
                               other future industry
                               assignments
9                              For assignment by national
                               standards bodies
Why use the BIN list tool?
    The BIN list tool is useful in determining the card
     type by traders. It tells whether it is a credit card,
     debit card, prepaid card, or charge card.
    It helps to prevent fraudulent transactions especially
     from foreign countries outside US and Canada. The
BIN list tool provides users with the opportunity to
monitor suspicious orders.