As used in this article, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Acquirer" means a business organization, financial institution or an agent of a business organization or financial institution that authorizes a merchant to accept payment by credit card or credit card number for money, goods, services, or anything else of value.

"Cardholder" means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an issuer.

"Closed-loop gift card" means a card, code, or device that is issued to a consumer on a prepaid basis in a specified amount, regardless of whether that amount may be increased or reloaded in exchange for payment, and is redeemable upon presentation by a consumer at a single merchant or group of affiliated merchants.

"Credit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, payment device number, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit. For the purpose of this article, "credit card" shall also include a similar device, whether known as a debit card, or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value by charging the account of the cardholder with a bank or any other person even though no credit is thereby extended.

"Expired credit card" means a credit card which is no longer valid because the term shown on it has elapsed.

"Gift card" means a physical or digital closed-loop gift card or open-loop gift card that is either activated or inactivated.

"Gift card holder" means any person or party to whom a physical or virtual gift card is sold, gifted, or issued following the authorized sale of such gift card.

"Gift card issuer" means any person that issues a gift card.

"Gift card redemption information" means information unique to each gift card that allows the cardholder to access, transfer, or spend the funds on that gift card.

"Gift card seller" means a merchant that is engaged in the business of selling open-loop or closed-loop gift cards to consumers.

"Issuer" means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues a credit card.

"Open-loop gift card" means a card, code, or device that is issued to a consumer on a prepaid basis, regardless of whether that amount may be increased or reloaded in exchange for payment, and is redeemable upon presentation at multiple unaffiliated merchants for goods or services within the payment card network.

"Payment device number" means any code, account number or other means of account access, other than a check, draft or similar paper instrument, that can be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, or to initiate a transfer of funds. "Payment device number" does not include an encoded or truncated credit card number or payment device number.

"Receives" or "receiving" means acquiring possession or control of the credit card number or payment device number or accepting the same as security for a loan.

"Revoked credit card" means a credit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.

"Sales draft" means a paper or electronic form evidencing a purchase of goods, services or anything else of value from a merchant through the use of a credit card.

"Value" means the greatest amount of economic loss the card issuer, gift card seller, or cardholder might reasonably suffer, including the full or maximum monetary face or load value of the gift card, regardless of whether or not the gift card has been activated.

"Cash advance/withdrawal draft" means a paper form evidencing a cash advance or withdrawal from a bank or other financial institution through the use of a credit card.

Code 1950, § 18.1-125.2; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 103; 1980, c. 99; 1985, c. 266; 1991, c. 546; 2017, c. 41; 2026, cc. 196, 197.