Jan 16, 2017, 6:55 am
Last edit by: storewanderer
Older (archived) threads: 2014-16
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- What is EMV contactless?
EMV contactless is a form of contactless/NFC that uses the same security and encryption that is used when inserting a chip card into an EMV-enabled terminal. Other than not having to sign/enter a PIN for smaller transactions, the security is effectively the same as chip and PIN/chip and signature.
In contrast, MSD contactless is an older version that is designed just and only for the United States. This effectively uses much the same flow as a swiped card transaction with the same rules.
- What is CDCVM?
CDCVM stands for Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method. It's a method of telling the terminal that the customer verified their identity using their mobile device. Terminals that support it will waive the signature/PIN requirement typically in place for larger transactions, potentially saving time at checkout.
More info: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202527
- Does EMV contactless need to be supported to support CDCVM?
Typically, yes. (However, there are some exceptions below.)
- Why can't I tap my foreign-issued contactless card at most places in the US?
This is likely because the store does not support EMV contactless. Foreign issued contactless cards typically do not support MSD contactless since other markets have had EMV for quite some time. In contrast, most stores in the US have yet to get the necessary certifications/software for EMV contactless so they are typically MSD-only--if contactless is enabled at all. (See below for a list of stores where your card will likely work.)
- I paid for a purchase with Apple/Android/Samsung Pay and still had to sign for it.
Most likely, the store in question does not have EMV contactless enabled (see above question). However, there are instances where CDCVM does not work even with EMV contactless enabled. Restaurants that allow tip adjust, for example--where the tip amount is written on a paper receipt and entered by the staff later--cannot support CDCVM. It may simply be a matter of the merchant's processor or the POS software in use not supporting it too.
Another common reason is if you used a US-issued AmEx card with a mobile wallet. AmEx currently does not allow EMV contactless support in mobile wallets for these cards, so they always run as MSD contactless. Because of this, CDCVM is not supported (with very few exceptions, as noted below).
Note: if you used Samsung Pay, you may have paid with MST instead of NFC. Since MST emulates the magnetic pulses that the terminal receives when swiping a regular card, the normal magstripe rules apply.
- How can I tell whether EMV contactless was used?
An easy way to tell if you have Apple Pay is to pay with a Visa or MC while in airplane mode. Wallet will then show a transaction amount next to "Payment" for the card that was used. Alternatively, EMV-related information will typically print on the receipt (AID, etc.) if EMV contactless was used.
(Non-exhaustive) list of EMV contactless supporting merchants in the US:
- 7-Eleven
- 99 Ranch
- Albertsons (Safeway, Vons, Pak N Save, Jewel, Acme, Shaws, Star, Carrs, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Haggen, Eagle, Lucky UT/SoCal)
- Apple Store*†
- Athleta
- Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
- Banana Republic
- Costco Wholesale
- CVS
- DuaneReade*
- El Pollo Loco
- EG Group US (Quik Stop, Kwik Shop, Tom Thumb, Turkey Hill) Note: cashier must press "Electronic Payment" to activate NFC
- Five Below*
- Five Guys
- GAP
- Grocery Outlet*
- Harmon's Grocery
- H&M*
- Jolibee
- Kohl's*
- Lush Cosmetics*
- Maverik
- McDonald's*
- Meijer
- Old Navy
- Panera Bread
- PetSmart
- Ray's Food Place
- Round Table Pizza
- Royal Farms
- Red Ribbon Bakeshop
- Sheetz
- Sherm's Thunderbird Discount Markets Inc.*
- Sprouts
- Staples*
- Starbucks*
- Subway
- Walgreens*
- Weis Markets
- All businesses that use Square and support contactless*
- All businesses that use Clover and support EMV†**
- All businesses that use First Data standalone terminals (e.g. FD100+FD35, FD130) with EMV enabled**
* CDCVM support confirmed
** CDCVM support depends on store/restaurant
† CDCVM supported in MSD mode
USA contactless credit/debit/transit (2017 - 2021)
Apr 28, 2018, 2:46 pm
#3886
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Apr 28, 2018, 6:04 pm
#3887
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I recently went to Québec and Vermont. In QC, contactless worked 50/50 for me:
As least card acceptance was good – comparable to DC, even.
- Michaels (Vx 820) and Walmart (iSC 250) both have contactless disabled. Transaction speed at Michaels was just as slow as in the US, which I found mildly amusing; I wonder if they fully-integrate in Canada. The terminal UI also differs from what's typical for Vx 820: large black text, with a serif font, on a white background.
- Tim Hortons (Vx 820) and Dollarama (iPP320) errored out for me with a "not supported" message, but Dollarama worked when I tried again without pre-authing my card (USD Debit Mastercard in Apple Pay). Maybe debit card pre-auth causes problems on terminals without Common AID support (i.e. Canadian terminals).
- A small restaurant I went to had a older iPP-style terminal (tethered to their POS) with contactless disabled – I suspect it has to do with tipping, as I was only prompted after I inserted my card. I believe the terminal was TD-branded.
As least card acceptance was good – comparable to DC, even.
Apr 28, 2018, 11:50 pm
#3888
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I recently went to Québec and Vermont. In QC, contactless worked 50/50 for me
- Tim Hortons (Vx 820) and Dollarama (iPP320) errored out for me with a "not supported" message, but Dollarama worked when I tried again without pre-authing my card (USD Debit Mastercard in Apple Pay). Maybe debit card pre-auth causes problems on terminals without Common AID support (i.e. Canadian terminals).
- A small restaurant I went to had a older iPP-style terminal (tethered to their POS) with contactless disabled – I suspect it has to do with tipping, as I was only prompted after I inserted my card. I believe the terminal was TD-branded.
Was the TD terminal this one by chance? https://www.tdcanadatrust.com/images...ith-PINPad.jpg
If so, then it doesn’t support tap without an external reader.
Apr 29, 2018, 8:24 am
#3889
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Apr 29, 2018, 9:41 am
#3890
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Apr 29, 2018, 9:45 am
#3891
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Actually not really, remember we invented the credit card as a whole. I do like how new visitors assume we “always had the chip” now hehehehehehe. What they don’t know won’t hurt them.
Apr 29, 2018, 9:49 am
#3892
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I've read on a few boards how Canadians come across the border and are surprised about how we hand off cards and the cashier swipes them in vis-a-vis transactions.
My Dad's wife is Australian and complains about how outdated our cards are. She's only one person, but it's probably common.
My Dad's wife is Australian and complains about how outdated our cards are. She's only one person, but it's probably common.
Apr 29, 2018, 10:26 am
#3893
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They're not Australians though. Not to mention that "surprise" doesn't imply that they're complaining about it.
Apr 29, 2018, 1:36 pm
#3894
Join Date: Sep 2014
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Buffalo Wild Wings now supports Apple and Google Pay http://imgur.com/0Ah9HwT but physical Amex resulted in an error and the iSC250 had to be reset. Freedompay iSC250 and it appears ctls is msd.
Last edited by scibot; Apr 29, 2018 at 3:06 pm
Apr 29, 2018, 2:51 pm
#3895
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Northern Virginia
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Not sure what caused your Not Supported error, but could have something to do with application selection.
Was the TD terminal this one by chance? https://www.tdcanadatrust.com/images...ith-PINPad.jpg
If so, then it doesn’t support tap without an external reader.
What I find weird is that this wasn't a problem for me in BC last year, where I had 100% success at merchants with contactless (including Tims and Dollarama). There is a minor difference in that terminals in QC use French as the primary language whereas those in BC use English first. I don't know how that factors into card processing, but (from my limited knowledge) there would be a slim chance of that causing a payment to fail.
The PIN pad at the restaurant definitely had integrated contactless hardware, just not enabled. I believe it more resembled an iPP 310 than anything else. It was also tied only to the POS and not to a full terminal.
Last edited by emmanuel_t; Apr 29, 2018 at 2:57 pm
Apr 29, 2018, 3:38 pm
#3896
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Buffalo Wild Wings now supports Apple and Google Pay http://imgur.com/0Ah9HwT but physical Amex resulted in an error and the iSC250 had to be reset. Freedompay iSC250 and it appears ctls is msd.
Apr 29, 2018, 6:58 pm
#3897
Join Date: Oct 2014
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I've read on a few boards how Canadians come across the border and are surprised about how we hand off cards and the cashier swipes them in vis-a-vis transactions.
My Dad's wife is Australian and complains about how outdated our cards are. She's only one person, but it's probably common.
My Dad's wife is Australian and complains about how outdated our cards are. She's only one person, but it's probably common.
Apr 29, 2018, 7:26 pm
#3898
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The other: Container Store. I'd have thought they'd have done it by now too considering they were a pretty early official Apple Pay supporter.
Apr 29, 2018, 8:12 pm
#3899
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One place that surprised me today with its lack of EMV, however, is PF Chang's. I'd have thought they'd have been the first to do it considering their data breach. They do have VX820s next to each of the server stations, however.
The other: Container Store. I'd have thought they'd have done it by now too considering they were a pretty early official Apple Pay supporter.
The other: Container Store. I'd have thought they'd have done it by now too considering they were a pretty early official Apple Pay supporter.
Buffalo Wild Wings was using the Aloha Restaurant POS so unless something changed maybe they are the first one... the one in my area went out of business so I'll never know.
The only Aloha merchant where I've ever seen EMV was Wendys in Canada...
Apr 29, 2018, 8:22 pm
#3900
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Does anyone with the Aloha Restaurant POS have EMV yet in the US?
Buffalo Wild Wings was using the Aloha Restaurant POS so unless something changed maybe they are the first one... the one in my area went out of business so I'll never know.
The only Aloha merchant where I've ever seen EMV was Wendys in Canada...
Buffalo Wild Wings was using the Aloha Restaurant POS so unless something changed maybe they are the first one... the one in my area went out of business so I'll never know.
The only Aloha merchant where I've ever seen EMV was Wendys in Canada...