[bullfrog]

When (if?) you get a merchant account and gateway, and the gateway is properly set up in X-cart, the credit card verification will happen automatically. In Admin, go to 'Payment methods'. Look at the pulldown menu at the bottom where you select a payment gateway.

The merchant account is who charges your customers and sends the money to you. The gateway account is who verifies that the card is good and sends the authorization to charge to the merchant account. For some accounts, the merchant and gateway are the same.

If you don't have card verification, and customer can type in anything for a card number, including text and spaces, and X-cart will accept it.