Contactless often fails with my AMEX card in Canada

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Oct 21, 2019, 3:53 pm

codfather

Original Poster

Join Date: Feb 2018

Location: YYT

Programs: M-Bonvoy Platinum Elite, Aeroplan 50K, DragonPass, AMEX MR, NEXUS

Posts: 1,715

Contactless often fails with my AMEX card in Canada

I find that quite frequently when using my cobalt card at merchants that accept AMEX, the tap function does not work. I almost always have to insert the card and enter the pin in order to pay for my items.

This has not happened when using it at McDonald's, Cineplex, and a few other retailers. Tim Horton's it used to work, but about two months ago it began making me insert.

Is anybody else having this issue? I live in Canada for those of you from the USA who may not be encountering the same problem.

Oct 21, 2019, 4:28 pm

BenSenise

Suspended

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: YYJ

Posts: 2,230

Quote:

Originally Posted by codfather

Is anybody else having this issue? I live in Canada for those of you from the USA who may not be encountering the same problem.

i too live in canada and have found that over the years, more and more terminals accept a tap with an amex card. one big one used to be a whole foods in vancouver. they finally changed or upgraded their terminals and then it worked.
also quite recently with an independent grocery store on the island where i live now.
i've never encountered a place that now requires the card to be inserted where i was once able to tap.

Oct 21, 2019, 4:38 pm

Low Roller

Join Date: Jun 2016

Location: Prince Edward Island

Programs: Air Canada P25K, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Gold, MGM Gold

Posts: 1,582

I'm having the same problem. Tap seldom works (on any of my Amex cards, so it's not just a damaged card issue). Like you said, Tim Hortons always used to work but hasn't for a few months. It's quite annoying to have to insert the card and use the pin.

codfather likes this.

Oct 22, 2019, 2:42 pm

Zhariak

Join Date: Feb 2007

Posts: 77

It's related to the merchant terminals. They just weren't setup to accept Amex via tap. They upgrade their terminals, and bam it works.

Oct 23, 2019, 4:30 pm

tmiw

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2014

Location: San Diego, CA

Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum

Posts: 15,505

Quote:

Originally Posted by codfather

I live in Canada for those of you from the USA who may not be encountering the same problem.

FWIW, AmEx contactless has issues in the US sometimes, too. I'm not sure if it's more or less common here compared to Canada, however. (Contactless acceptance in general is less common, though, but that's a different issue.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zhariak

It's related to the merchant terminals. They just weren't setup to accept Amex via tap. They upgrade their terminals, and bam it works.

Theoretically they don't need to swap out hardware to get AmEx working, but if they're already needing to do it anyway, might as well.